The Petoskey culinary tours are based at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey. Our monthly medieval tour hangs out at Castle Farms in Charlevoix. We visit Harbor Springs and Cheboygan to see cattle and bison, before bringing our groceries to a central location.  Each tour includes two farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class, with delicious organic gourmet dinner! These tours really "dig in"! Our chefs are wise about morels, sauces, bison and wild game, pastry, vegan cooking, herbs and so much more—and that's just Ken! Our goal is to share the bounty—of knowledge, experience, ideas, and joy. As always with our tours, the menu varies, depending on what is picked up on the tour that day.

Stops include Blackbird Gardens in Petoskey, Pellston Market in Pellston, Mid-West Buffalo Co. in Cheboygan, Pond Hill and Cornichon's in Harbor Springs. Each place is unique and special. Brought to you by the amazing, knowledgeable farmers and food producers of Little Traverse Bay in Northern Michigan.

Winter
(January–March)

2010:

March 12:
2 Busy 2 Cook Weekend Retreat, MI
This 3 day retreat equips you with great, real-life ideas and skills for cooking healthy, including a private consultation with a personal chef. It features tours of organic farms and teaches how to shop effectively for what you need. Laugh your way through the “speed” cooking class taught by our guest chef. Join in the fun with discussions about good food guaranteed to give you ideas and practices that can be applied to your life, to your kitchen, to your schedule and to your style.

March 26:
Maple Madness Weekend, MI
Get cozy up north and join other maple admirers for a weekend of
maple syrup and more! Learn from the Parsons about the process
of collecting sap and making sweet treats at the Parsons
Centennial Farm. Tastings, cooking demos, and agri-tours will be
planned throughout the weekend, so you can sample food focused
on what the spring supplies and learn how to use it at home!

2011:

March 19:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

Spring
(April–June)

2010:

April 17:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

April 30:
Forest Flavors Weekend, MI
Time to savor the goods in the woods! From morels and ramps to
asparagus and berries, take time to learn what wild foods spring
has to offer. This weekend will focus on what foods, historically,
we have found in the wild, and how they are harvested. Join Chef
Ken Willoughby as he explains how to use wild mushrooms in your
next culinary adventure. Recipes used in this retreat are published
in the Asparagus, Bison, Fish, and Mushroom FoodBooks.

May 1:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

May 7:
2 Busy 2 Cook Weekend Retreat, MI
This 3 day retreat equips you with great, real-life ideas and skills for cooking healthy, including a private consultation with a personal chef. It features tours of organic farms and teaches how to shop effectively for what you need. Laugh your way through the “speed” cooking class taught by our guest chef. Join in the fun with discussions about good food guaranteed to give you ideas and practices that can be applied to your life, to your kitchen, to your schedule and to your style.

June 4:
Wild Waters Weekend, MI
Explore and experience northern Michigan as we appreciate the
surrounding beautiful waters! Weʼll eat fresh fish from the lakes
and learn from local chef, Perry Harmon, how to prepare beautiful
fish dishes. This weekend retreat will explore the benefits of fish,
take you on fascinating agri-tours, and provide you with a
"winning" hand of recipes. Food for your heart and for your brain!
Recipes used in this retreat are published in the Fish FoodBook.

June 25:
Culinary Escape Weekend Retreat, MI
Most of our retreats and tours are themed, but for this one, we pull out all the stops. We'll eat and learn about chocolate, wine, cheese, herb-infused vinegars and oils, preserves, and more--all of the best things produced in Northern Michigan. Based in Petoskey, this retreat will visit almost all of our favorite tour stops. All of our meals will be focused on locally produced delights, and our guest chefs will teach you how to do it all at home.

June 26:
Culinary Farm Tour, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

2011:

June 11:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

Summer
(July–September)

2010:

July 16:
2 Busy 2 Cook Weekend Retreat, MI
This 3 day retreat equips you with great, real-life ideas and skills for cooking healthy, including a private consultation with a personal chef. It features tours of organic farms and teaches how to shop effectively for what you need. Laugh your way through the “speed” cooking class taught by our guest chef. Join in the fun with discussions about good food guaranteed to give you ideas and practices that can be applied to your life, to your kitchen, to your schedule and to your style.

July 24:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

August 27:
Culinary Escape Weekend Retreat, MI
Most of our retreats and tours are themed, but for this one, we pull out all the stops. We'll eat and learn about chocolate, wine, cheese, herb-infused vinegars and oils, preserves, and more--all of the best things produced in Northern Michigan. Based in Petoskey, this retreat will visit almost all of our favorite tour stops. All of our meals will be focused on locally produced delights, and our guest chefs will teach you how to do it all at home.

September 4:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

2011:

September 3:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskeky, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.

Fall
(October–November)

2010

October 1:
Greens Galore! MI
And the greens keep on growing! On this retreat youʼll learn how
to make the most of those hardy greens at the end of the season:
kale, collards, swiss chard, and more. Tours are packed with
nutrients and lots of fun. Youʼll see sustainable farms, like chef/
gardener Mike Evertʼs Blackbird Gardens, and enjoy engaging
conversations about healthy foods, guaranteed to give you ideas
and practices that can be applied to your kitchen. Recipes used in
this retreat are published in the Lettuce FoodBook.

October 8:
All Things Chocolate Weekend Retreat, MI
Do you love chocolate? Join us for a weekend getaway which includes a tasting reception, tours of organic farms and stores, a taste tour of chocolates of the world at local chocolatiers, and a cooking class featuring gourmet recipes using chocolate.

October 14:
City Food Tour, Traverse City, MI
Join us for a half day food safari through the food treasures of Traverse City, the gem on the bay. Visit biscotti bakers, cheese makers, righteous brewers, nutty and savory culinary entrepreneurs, coffee roasters, perspicuous vintners,and vodka kings! We finish with a meal at a local restaurant. This tour is 3 hours and is $50 per person. This tour is available any date for your group of 8 or more.

November 5:
Wild Game Getaway, MI
Itʼs time to slow down, relax, and take time for yourself before life
gets busy again. On this retreat you can do all those plus have
some culinary fun! Delve into foods that are available in the
season, including venison, bison, mushrooms, and herbs. Visit
Todd and Richʼs bison ranch and other farms, to get a sense of
the simple life, while receiving helpful cooking tips for your own
culinary masterpieces from Chef Ken Willoughby. Recipes used
in this retreat are published in the Bison FoodBook

2011

October 8:
Culinary Farm Tour, Petoskey, MI
This tour is based at Crooked Tree Art Center and includes 2 farm/food stops and a hands-on cooking class with a delicious organic gourmet dinner. The tour begins at 12 pm and ends at 6 pm. This tour available any date for your group of 8 or more.