JW Marriott Grand Rapids & Trillium Haven Farm Partner to Offer Classes, Farm Tour, Farm-to-Plate Al Fresco Meals & End-of-Season Harvest Dinner

This summer, the JW Marriott Grand Rapids will team up with Trillium Haven Farm, located in Jenison, MI, for the Speak to the Earth Tour 2010. The series of classes will demonstrate the importance of farm-to-plate dining, and how it is used in the JW Marriott’s restaurant, six.one.six. The farm-to-plate, or farm-to-table, concept is a growing cultural shift toward supporting local, organic, and natural farms and producers.

“Behind every farm-to-plate dish is a farmer who helps chefs like me by providing ingredients of the highest integrity,” said Andrew Voss, executive chef of JW Marriott Grand Rapids. “With these classes, we hope to spread the word about the importance of supporting local farms and continuing the traditions that have been practiced by Michigan locals for centuries.”

This unique experience will be offered once per month, June 13, July 11, Aug. 8 and Sept. 12, and includes:

• Al fresco brunch at six.one.six, next to the JW Marriott’s Chef’s Garden, which grows a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs for the restaurant

• Gardening class from hotel chefs and Trillium Haven Farm farmers

• Transportation between the hotel and Trillium Haven Farm

• Owner-guided tour of Trillium Haven Farm

• Family-style al fresco lunch with farm ingredients currently being harvested

• Invitation to the Harvest Dinner on Oct. 13, exclusive to Speak to the Earth Tour 2010 guests, including wine pairings

• “Speak to the Earth” shirt

All classes, open to hotel guests and residents alike, are 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and limited to 20 people, based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets are $125 per person. For reservations, please call 616.242.1448. For more information, please visit www.ilovethejw.com and www.trilliumhavenfarm.com.

On behalf of the JW Marriott and six.one.six, Chef Voss is proud to support local farms throughout the year, and the entire 26-dish menu changes every eight weeks with the seasons. In farming season, from May to November, the restaurant obtains over 90 percent of its menu from local farms. During the off-season Voss obtains about 40 to 50 percent of the menu from local sources, and the remaining ingredients are seasonal and sourced as close to the Michigan region as possible. The hotel’s Chef’s Garden currently includes arugula, spinach, raspberries, elderberries, English peas, French breakfast radishes, thyme, lavender, rosemary, basil, and more.

About the JW Marriott Grand Rapids
The 24-story, 337-room JW Marriott Grand Rapids opened in September 2007 as the first JW Marriott hotel in the Midwest. The hotel is centrally located near downtown’s corporate, medical and entertainment districts, and it is connected via the skywalk to the DeVos Place Convention Center and Van Andel Arena. All guestrooms and suites, including 59 concierge rooms, and seven one-bedroom suites feature luxurious bedding; spacious workstations; cordless phones; WiFi internet capabilities; gourmet-stocked mini bar and refrigerator; computerized safe box; iron/ironing board; hair dryer; coffeemaker; individual climate control; and 37” flat screen televisions with JW Signature Technology Pack, a docking station for mobile phones, iPods, and satellite radios. The 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness facility features an indoor heated pool; steam rooms, and spa-like whirlpool. The hotel also boasts full concierge desk; dry cleaning and laundry service; valet parking, and helipad access. More than 20,000 square feet of versatile meeting space includes a 1,000 seat Grand Ballroom, one of the largest in the region. The hotel boasts the signature market fresh restaurant, six.one.six., Mixology, a destination lounge, Starbucks, and 24-hour in-room dining.