Farmer to Table
There is an increasing hunger to know and connect with the people responsible for growing and raising the food we eat.
At Farmers Kitchen + Bar, we are bridging that connection between farmers and diners. Farmers Kitchen + Bar is owned by the farmer-members of Minnesota Farmers Union, a grassroots organization that works to protect and enhance the prosperity and quality of life of family farmers, ranchers and rural residents.
At Farmers Kitchen + Bar, our recipe for success is simple, and it starts with high-quality local ingredients, treated respectfully every step of the way. From field-to-plate, relationships-to-recipes, our menu reflects our unwavering commitment to quality, community, and the importance of spending your food dollars locally. Minnesota is a great agricultural state, and the food we serve mirrors this greatness. When we say farmer-to-table, we mean it.
Building on Minnesota Farmers Union’s work to protect and bolster farmers and rural communities, Farmers Kitchen + Bar is dedicated to being a seed for positive change, strengthening urban-rural ties through each farm-fresh meal we serve you.
Meet Our Team
Gary Wertish was elected President of Minnesota Farmers Union in January 2017. He has served on the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Sweeteners in Washington D.C., and now is a member of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds. Gary sees an opportunity with Farmers Kitchen + Bar to connect consumers directly with farmers through farm fresh meals, sharing the value that agriculture has in supporting local family farms. As president he believes in advocating for future generations and providing as many opportunities as possible for Minnesotans to farm and provide safe, nutritious food to consumers.
Gary and his wife have four grown children and four grandchildren. He ran a diversified grain and livestock farm and now assists his son in operating their family farm near Renville. He enjoys gardening and working with his grandchildren on the farm as they grow into future farmers.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Executive Chef Kris Koch combines his Midwestern roots and global travels in a food style that reflects his sense of playfulness and culinary adventure. With a passion for working with independent farmers and food purveyors and using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients for inspiration, Chef Koch enjoys creating recipes and menus that reflect freshness, creativity and a deep respect for ingredients. Kris utilizes these important values every day in his cooking at Farmers Kitchen + Bar.Â
 Outside of the kitchen, Kris brings the same sense of adventure and playfulness to his home life. An avid nature lover and outdoorsman, he spends as much time as possible exploring the outdoors with his family, canoeing cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting, and harvesting mushrooms.
Summer Stover has nearly 20 years of experience in the kitchen as a baker, pastry chef and line cook. Summer’s experience at the well-known farm-to-table restaurant Wise Acre Eatery, helped inspire and shape a new passion for food and an appreciation for working with local farmers to bring farm fresh meals to the table.
Summer believes the most important aspect of her work is promoting sustainability and finds that one of the most effective tools to promote this value is food. Farmers Kitchen + Bar gives her the opportunity to work with local family farmers that use organic and regenerative farming practices. Outside of work you will find her gardening, outside building shelves, garden beds and compost bins.