SpicesInc.com - Restaurant Gardens Take Local Food a Step Farther

Restaurant Gardens Take Local Food a Step Farther

The Movements
There have been a handful of food “movements” in the last 20 years or so. Now of course many organic foodies will say that the organic food movement has been around since the 70’s but it really didn’t emerge from hippie-only status and begin to gain wide spread acceptance until the last 20 years.

More recently has been the local food movement – this latest trend has also sparked much debate on what constitutes “local”. Some will say that the local designation is for food that comes from within a radius of 100 miles from the final destination point while others will claim 500 miles. Now your local grocery store will tout a one day’s drive! Throw in the recent food crisis where the FDA can’t seem to get their arms around the growing problem of food safety – whether it’s spinach in California, tomatoes (or was it the jalapenos) at Taco Bell or industrial peanut butter from Georgia.

Well maybe the local food movement will have some staying power --- out of necessity.

Restaurants Taking the Plunge
We’ve been closely watching as restaurants have been jumping on the band wagon of the local food movement and some have even taken to growing their own kitchen gardens. This has become the “hot” new trend from coast-to-coast as restaurants tout this as the ultimate farm-to-table connection by growing their own.

With the exploding locavore movement, many of these chefs are using their own herbs, fruits and vegetables on their daily menus. These chefs aren’t turning their backs on the local farmers that they have established relationships with, but instead are using the jewels of their own gardens as a way to experiment and try out rare herbs, fruits and vegetables that aren't commonly found at local food markets.

Restaurants aren’t doing is using their gardens as a cost savings measure because they have to invest an awful lot of time and energy into the growing process. These kitchen gardens are also not necessarily all organic as some are using minimal pesticides.

Unexpected Consequences
Restaurant gardens are no longer a phenomenon isolated to the west coast as restaurants from Maine to Ohio, Colorado and down to Texas are all growing kitchen gardens with their own regional twists. The chef/farmer is using this new found knowledge as a vivid and powerful opportunity to educate their staffs and the kitchen garden also acts as a tremendous marketing opportunity, a sentiment echoed by many green-thumbed chefs.

These gardens are sprouting up in the most unlikely of places… from single self-watering containers to mini raised gardens… from being abutted next to air-conditioning units on the roof of the restaurant 30 feet above the ground to being shoe horned into the back of parking lots or tucked in between stairwells. In the northeast and Midwest some restaurants have even taken to starting greenhouses to extend their growing seasons.

The Blurring of the Lines
This latest evolution of the local food movement has given these chefs an even greater respect for local farmers and a keener understanding of what great food quality really means.

So as the line between chef and farmer becomes blurred, there is no doubt that this is having a positive impact on restaurant menus across the country. As a culinary adventurer and home gardener, I hope this trend is more than just a foodie fad and instead becomes another chapter in the rapidly evolving local food movement.