Farm Fresh Produce (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morguefile.com)

We’ve long advocated using the freshest ingredients you can find at your local farmers market in the recipes we offer, or any meal you might prepare. But if you want to dine on the local and delicious and leave the cooking to an expert, you might find an elegantly prepared dinner at a “farm table” with a menu of delicacies from your local food shed.

Farm tables are movable feasts that offer heirloom foods and organic produce from nearby farmers. Some are presented at well-appointed, outdoor tables right on a farm; others take place at various venues. They are all part of the farm-to-table movement championed by organizations such as Slow Food USA and the Chef’s Collaborative.

The websites of the two organizations explain their purposes. Chefs Collaborative is a growing community of chefs, farmers, fishers, educators, and food lovers dedicated to promoting sustainable cuisine. Slow Food USA envisions a future food system that is based on the principles of high quality and taste, environmental sustainability, and social justice – in essence, a food system that is good, clean and fair.

Farm-to-table restaurants have sprung up throughout the country, making it possible to indulge in a sustainable American feast whenever the urge arises. Those restaurants have caught the attention of culinary schools, which have come to recognize that farm-to-table is not just another passing trend. They see it as part of a lasting cultural shift that has changed the way people think about food and improved the overall quality of American cuisine. To meet the needs and demands of today’s culinary students they’ve launched curriculums in sync with the sustainable food movement.

The movement poses a serious challenge to an industrial food system that has led the country to alarming rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It is growing in strength and we're determined to do what we can to see that it succeeds. When it does, we’ll all live healthier and more joyful lives.

To learn more about farm-to-table dining and the sustainable food movement go to:
Slow Food USA
Chefs Collaborative