Farm Country Cheese!

We were introduced to farm country cheese through our good friend Brad Deyoung about 8 months ago. Farm Country Cheese House broke ground in April of 1983 and started production in July of 1984. Since the beginning, the Amish communities in and around Lakeview, Michigan have supplied the milk and most of the labor required to process the cheese that they sell. They currently receive milk from approximately 97 Amish farmers who have an average of 6 to 15 cows per herd, which are milked twice daily by hand.

Jim and Julie Nunley are the great visionaries who have dedicated their lives to producing some of Michigan's top Cheddars! With the passion and dedication that it takes to produce great cheese and the persistent patience that helps it become even better, they are truly a great local farming co-op that should be supported!

We are using Farm Country Cheeses daily at six.one.six and understand that by purchasing this amazing cheese, we are supporting a craft that has been around for hundreds of years. Farm Country Cheese House is open six days a week from 9:00am until 5:00pm. Those who'd like to watch cheese making in progress should be sure to stop in Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 2:00pm. If you'd like to contact them, please call at (989) 352-7779, visit them at 7263 Kendaville Road, Lakeview, MI 48850.

They are approximately 50 miles NE of Grand Rapids, well worth the drive if you love great cheese, or stop into six.one.six to get your hands on some. Try the raw milk cheddar, WOW!

Harrietta Hills Rainbow Trout

Here another great new dish that has been called "addicting" by our General Manager George Aquino on his blog My Hotel Life

harrietta hills rainbow trout
lardon . brussel sprouts . fingerling potatoes . leek . fennel pollen hollandaise


A little history on Harrietta Hills:
Harrietta Hills Trout Farm is a family owned and operated aquaculture facility registered with the Michigan Department of Agriculture. We are located in Harrietta, which is a small village located about 20 miles west of Cadillac, Michigan.

Started in the 1950’s Harrietta Hills has grown into one of Michigan’s largest private fish farms. We specialize in the production of Rainbow trout, with Brook trout, brown trout, largemouth bass, hybrid bluegill, yellow perch, channel catfish, fathead minnows, and decorative koi also available. We take pride in the quality and health of our fish.


With suppliers and farmers like this it is really hard not to use their products to the best of our ability and treat them with the upmost respect!

Check out this great new dish and many others off our ever changing seasonal menu!

Eat Local, Feel Global . . .

Roasted Pacific Monkfish

Pacific Monkfish
curried lentils . celery root puree . carrot . bok choy . andouille . gooseberry nectar


Here's the latest dish in six.one.six! Monkfish, a pacific ocean, deep water angler fish. Monkfish has also been called "Poor Mans lobster" for its delicate, buttery textures and light, appealing flavors. This is a truely globally influenced dish, with a lot of locally sourced products. All of the vegetables are from our good friends at Trillium Haven Farms! Stop in to six.one.six and indulge, we look forward to serving you!

Michigan Culinary Tourism Alliance

I will be sitting on the board for the new Michigan Culinary Tourism Alliance as the Grand Rapids representative. Michigan Culinary Tourism Alliance will focus on bringing local farms, breweries, wineries and locally focused restaurants together for the common goal of stimulating the economy through the purchase of local products and support of small local business. Here are some articles from MLive and Detroit Business Journal that helps describe this amazing new focus on Michigan, support LOCAL!

Liquid Nitrogen Parsnip Ice Cream

Here it is, the show stopper of the March of Dimes Chefs auction gala. Joel and I decided to live a little dangerous and make parsnip ice cream with liquid nitrogen to order. We served it with a sugar cone dipped in chocolate and smoked bacon with black Hawaiian sea salt! It rocked and the danger involved made it all the more cool!

This is a picture of me trying not to become cryogenically frozen as the liquid nitrogen is -320 degrees Fahrenheit! The recipe is one part ice cream base to four parts liquid nitrogen. The LN2 when poured into the base freezes the ice cream so fast there is no chance to form ice crystals and the end result is the smoothest and creamiest ice cream you have ever eaten.

Nothing like flirting with death to make amazing food . . .

"Mussels and Beer"

Here's our new dish in 616!

"Mussels and Beer"
black mussels . pork belly . parsnips . guinness air 7


It's our take on a classic combination, its almost a mussel chowder with a lot of great winter flavors topped with a Guinness air, made from Guinness (obviously) and soy lecithin that is lightly whipped.

Starts with a light bitter note from the Guinness and finishes hearty and rich with the "chowder".

Check it out for only $7 at six.one.six!

Curried Goat Cheese Ravioli

Here's the latest dish on the six.one.six menu!

curried goat cheese ravioli
golden raisin . red curry squash nage . mustard greens . brown butter . manchego

Trillium provided some amazing red curry squash, baby mustard greens and leeks to help make this awesome dish. And with the addition of a little curry and macerated golden raisins to Dancing Goat Creamery goat cheese, you can't go wrong!

Stop by and check it out, on for a limited time.

Thanksgiving 2009 Menu!

Here is a sneak preview of the thanksgiving offerings that will be available for your delightful pleasure! We will be doing traditional thanksgiving flavors with a JW Touch, and slightly deconstructed for some over the top presentations.

House made City Ham
brandied apples . grilled endive . Michigan maple reduction 7

Cranberry Bread Salad
sourdough . frisee . aged cheddar . candied pine nuts . cranberry mustard dressing 6

Braised Turkey Flatbread
pulled turkey leg . sweet potato puree . goat cheese . arugula . Michigan cranberry creme 10

Turkey Two Ways
roasted breast . smoked leg hash. giblet gravy . whipped potatoes . apple sage stuffing . Michigan cranberry relish 18

Smoked Molasses Ham
candied sweet potatoes . sugar snap peas . apple sage stuffing . bacon and apple relish 17

Pumpkin and Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
cinnamon creme anglaise, candied pepitas 8

Apple and Cranberry Crumble
served warm with vanilla bean gelato 7

Orange Pecan Tart
vanilla bean creme fraiche, caramel, candied orange 8

To make reservations for six.one.six on Thanksgiving, call 616.242.1448

Italian Romanesca

This is our new addition from the local vegetable supply by Trillium Haven Farms.

Romanesca is an heirloom Italian Cauliflower, it's peak season is between October and November. If you love cauliflower you'll love this, it is sweeter and lighter than normal cauliflower and it looks awesome too! Come and check it out at six.one.six.

P.S: Don't tell Farmer Michael, but we make an amazing puree with it sometimes. He hates that!

Chef's Dinner, JW Style

We have the ultimate dinner spot for foodies at the JW Marriott GR. We transform our kitchen into a luxury dinning room complete with full pipe and drape as well as ambient lighting and a custom menu that will truly impress the most discerning palate.

We are offering menu's based on the season and would request a minimum of eight courses complete with wine pairings if you choose to embark on the ultimate dinning experience!

To make reservations for an unforgettable dinner please call 616.242.1448

and ask for chef Andrew.

restaurant six.one.six. Have you heard of us?

six.one.six of the JW Marriott Grand Rapids, is the signature restaurant located in the lobby of the hotel. We offer new American farmers market cuisine with many different ethnic influences. Our focus as a chef's is to secure the freshest, local ingredients we can find to ensure our guests are consuming only what is in its peak season. We strive to find new and interesting ingredients grown within our area code by local, sustainable farms.

Obviously when you’re located in Michigan it makes it difficult to obtain really high quality product year around, here is where it becomes interesting. When the season runs bitter cold and the ground is frozen, we as chefs have to start looking towards our farmers to see what can be done. Some of our farms have chosen to start farming year round in “hot houses” in order to provide us with some of the great winter crop consisting of rustic root vegetables, hearty lettuces and different varieties of greens. There are many other choices of dried grains and legumes that are also available year around.

I would like to recognize a few farms and suppliers that we feature within six.one.six:

Trillium Haven Farms: Jenison, MI Farmers: Michael Vanderbrug / Anja Mast

Blissfield Farms: Ada, MI Farmers: Natalie Bauss

Dogwood Farms: Byron Center, MI Farmers: Barbara Jenness

S&S Lamb: McBain, MI Farmers: Pierre Schierbeek

Sobie Meats: Walker, MI Butcher: Tim Sobie

Cherry Capital Foods: Traverse City

There are more farms to come. We are always visiting the Fulton St. farmers market from May through December looking for the next sustainable farm that would like to participate in helping us execute our vision of what “real food” should be!

Look forward to seeing you in six.one.six, indulging in our “real food” movement!

Contact six.one.six at 1-616-242-1448 to make your reservation now!