At Farmstand 161 @ Crooked Creek Winery, we know that food should be an experience—preferably shared with others. That's why we've taken our time.
In 2023, after eight years of owning a winery and living in IL and a lifetime of dreaming of creating meals and collecting experiences, we tip-toed into food with the birthday of Farmstand 161 @ Crooked Creek Winery. As lovers of travel and all things culinary and community-building, Shannon and I dreamt of this day for a long time. But especially Shannon. Cooking for others is his love language. (Cleaning the kitchen and despising him while he cooks and makes an unreasonably huge-ass mess is mine. But the reward is I get to eat, too.)
When we say we’ve been working on this foray into culinary adventures for a longgg time—one could maybe say since the time Shannon and I met in 2005, and I forced him to have a wine and cheese party with me. Or Italy 2009. Or 2011. Or the nudges we saw while our Italian exchange student, Gaia, became part of our family in 2021. Even still, it’s hard to ever feel ready to put your most intimate memories and experiences and creations on a plate for others to, literally, eat for lunch.
We decided to put our vulnerable egos aside and our heads together and create our collection of slightly elevated, artisanal takes on mostly humble, rustic, feel-good recipes inspired by friends and travels in Italy and our previous life in California. We love everything we’ve tasted, like we are home having it for the first time, but we also hope that you're transported. That's the gift food is to us.
We took the road less traveled, and it led us to Farmstand 161. We hope it brings you here with us, too. Worst case we’re eating all of this delicious food alone. But we know from our happiest, most memorable times of our lives, that’s not the way food and wine are meant to be enjoyed.
This is for all our friends who have been at the table with us along the way.
-Mindy and Shannon Cooney, Co-owners Farmstand 161 @ Crooked Creek Winery
In addition to an arsenal of corporate achievements, our Executive Chef/Head Winemaker, Shannon Cooney, has a lifetime of experience in the culinary world. He trained in his nana's kitchen as a boy and into adulthood, moonlighted at Jersey's in Hermosa Beach (before stumbling home too late one night and Mindy politely having him hang up his chef's coat), hosted many, many dinner parties with friends and family, and finally decided to strike out on his own with Farmstand 161 @ Crooked Creek Winery. His most dear memories have occurred around a full table of food and wine and friends, and that inspiration is evident in every dish he creates.
Kris Becker, Manager/Assistant Winemaker
Aaron Lorence, Chef
Our menu is taken out of anthologies of memories that live in our heads and secret recipes slipped into pockets on our journeys around the world. Mostly inspired by some of the freshest and most humble foods we've had. In California...and Italy...and cities between...and at home. We make from scratch and harvest from gardens and source local when we can. We taste the difference.
We love food for the way it comforts, inspires, uplifts, and brings people together. That's the gift it's been to us. And—bonus—it's great with wine and BEST with others. Right up our alleys.
ORDER IN ADVANCE @ INFO@CROOKEDCREEKWINERY.COM OR 618-352-3234
DELIVERY AVAILABLE TUES-SUN
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