New marker on map for food lovers

Bloomington has recently become a partner member of the Indiana Foodways Alliance – an association dedicated to the development and promotion of the local food culture – in an effort to make the city a primary culinary tourism destination.\n“We just have a very vibrant and unique restaurant and culinary theme,” said Mike McAfee, executive director of the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau. \nThe cornucopia of authentic and independent restaurants, wineries and breweries in Bloomington has earned the city recognition in the 2007 Orbitz Food and Wine Index as the seventh fastest growing culinary destination in the country, McAfee said.\nStudies show people will drive hundreds of miles for a food experience, said Adam Wason, assistant economic development director for small business and sustainable development for the city of Bloomington. One of the biggest benefits of an alliance partnership is the culinary trail, Wason said. Representatives from the alliance will visit Bloomington and name 10 places that meet its guidelines as culinary trail sites. Those places will be put on maps that are distributed to hotels, bed and breakfasts and visitor’s bureaus in various cities, Wason said.\nIndividual properties can request recognition as well, McAfee said. \nThe Irish Lion Restaurant and Pub is interested in being involved and put on the map, said Larry McConnaughy, president of the restaurant.\n“Any kind of promotion which would increase the business would certainly be welcome,” McConnaughy said. “And if something like this attracts people, it’s always a plus.”\nWason said that at $1,000, a partner membership is the highest level of affiliation with the alliance and it provides the most benefits. While the partnership helps restaurants, it also sustains Bloomington’s and Indiana’s economies.\n“Another one of the really awesome benefits ... is the IFA has a large database of all the Indiana-produced food products,” Wason said.\nThat resource will encourage restaurant owners to keep their money in state and buy a Red Gold Tomato or use Clabber Girl Baking Powder – both produced in Indiana – instead of buying foreign products, Wason said.\nThe National Restaurant Association also reports that for every $1 people spend at Indiana restaurants, an extra $1.19 will be generated for other businesses in the state, according to a news release.\nThe partnership with the alliance is a result of a collaborative effort among the city of Bloomington, the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Bloomington Incorporated, Slow Foods Bloomington, the Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Bloomington Restaurant Association, Wason said.\n“It just goes to show that people are willing to work together to promote Bloomington,” he said.