The International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York rolls into town every March with a vast array of vendors and displays. From kitchen equipment to software, ice cream to state-of-the-art doggie bags, you will find it here. My favorite section is one that has been steadily growing – The Pride of New York. From a paltry lineup of jam and pickles several years ago – to now a robust gathering of producers featuring a sophisticated assortment of New York State products, this is where you want to be to nibble on amazing spelt rolls (Orwasher’s using local grain), sip sour cherry juice (Red Jacket Orchards), indulge in hard cider (Breezy Hill Orchard), sample outstanding pickled veggies (Rick’s Picks), smear some sensational jam on toast (Beth’s Farm Kitchen, Katchkie Farm Tomato Jam), dip into artisanal ketchup (Sir Kensington’s Gourmet Scooping Ketchup, Katchkie Ketchup) or try a tidbit of local meat. It is a true celebration of the breadth, depth, and bounty of our state.
The explosion of interest in locally grown products is a boon for farmers and small businesses and is ushering in a new breed of entrepreneurs as well – aggregators creating hubs for collection, production, and distribution in diverse geographic regions of the state. Farm to City Expo- Growing the Local Food Economy: Trends, Infrastructure, and Purchasing convened on Monday during the show, co-sponsored by Speaker Christine Quinn’s office, Empire State Development, and NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets. Now that is a power lineup promoting our local food system. This was a day of positive economic indicators, highlighted by President, CEO, and Commissioner of ESD Kenneth Adams’ presentation of successful state initiatives around food:
1. Fresh Connect: increasing the sale of locally grown food across the state with a particular focus on underserved communities and providing support and training for farmers. In the launch year 2011 alone, over 100 farmers were connected to market outlets.
2. Food Hubs: providing $3.6 million to 10 regional councils across the state for innovative “centers” that promulgate collection, processing, and distribution of locally grown products. New projects include Hudson Valley Harvest and J. King’s Agriculture Enterprise Park.
3. The success of the first New York State Yogurt Summit: NY State has gone from producing $150 million to $1.8 billion in yogurt and from 14 to 29 processing plants.
4. Wine, Beer, and Spirits Summit: a $22 billion industry, now fast-tracked for “one-stop-shop” of government regulations, licensing, and other requirements – a move lauded by growers and the New York Farm Bureau.
The 3 panels that followed each focused on a different segment of the supply/demand chain starting with infrastructure needs and wholesalers – moderated by Marcel Van Ooyen, Executive Director of GrowNYC; to institutional buyers – moderated by Karen Karp of Karp Resources; and finally, the smaller-scale food buyers closest to consumers, the restaurants. I had the honor of moderating this panel of three Brooklyn restaurateurs and one from Manhattan.
In an age of celeb chef and telegenic personalities, these individuals reminded everyone of why (and how) chefs evolve. It is, in its more inspiring moment, a calling. Chefs Cheryl Smith, George Weld, and Robert Newton grew up in homes with distinctive culinary cultures inspired by traditions and were imbued with a deep love of ingredients, cooking, and family in the kitchen. Jeffrey Zurofsky learned to cook to escape the culinary tyranny of his mom, who supported the family but did not find inspiration in the kitchen.
Each chef expressed a deep connection to local ingredients for their flavor and an appreciation for the transparency and knowing where their food came from. I learned a lot from talking to the chefs before our panel.
Chef George Weld shared his sourcing hierarchy – and we can all learn from it. At the top is the best practice to least desirable:
1. Grow it ourselves
2. Buy it organic, local from someone we know
3. Buy it locally from someone we know
4. Buy it regionally from someone we know
5. Buy it from far away, from someone we know
6. Buy it from far away, from someone we don’t know
His commitment to knowing the people who grow the ingredients he buys – be they near or far – is a core value, along with an awareness of the environmental impact of the food and exclusive purchase of humanely raised livestock. To control prices when dealing with more costly ingredients, he advises keeping recipes simple, controlling the waste, and creating menus that are easy to replicate.
Perhaps what touched me most in his approach to sourcing was his concern about doing enough to help farmers. “What about farmers without access to sophisticated and well off urban markets and shoppers?” – he worries about them.
Chef Robert Newton shared his resolute commitment to using humanely raised livestock and extending the notion of fresh food to incorporate beverages and spirits, with a hierarchy of local – regional – American to guide his selections. His connection to buying local comes with a deep respect for farmers from his childhood in Arkansas to time spent at culinary school in Vermont. Cooking in season and preserving the harvest are basic rules he embraces. Again, simplicity and a deep connection to the artistry of creating the building blocks of his meals (be it animal, produce or dairy products) guide his selections.
I learned a lot from Chef Cheryl Smith, who shared her passion for connecting her community around the table; she is actively involved with mentoring local youth about food and culinary careers. As one might expect, the hurdles facing a woman in the culinary world are steep, but what one quickly learns about Cheryl is that her drive is as strong as her passion for flavors. Her mom worked 3-4 jobs and cooked the family meals, so the next meal was always marinating. Flavors that go right through the food, not on the surface, have become her signature. Her restaurant is across the street from a Greenmarket and that is what shows up on her plates. The restaurant is a source of great pride especially at that peak moment nightly, when the clanking of pots blend perfectly with the sounds of laughter and conversation.
And Jeffrey Zurofosky (both of us serve on the GrowNYC board) was clear – the demand for local food, coupled with the increased production of local food, creates a virtuous cycle. What is an outstanding accomplishment is the high percentage of locally sourced food he utilizes in his large volume operation – up to 30% of ingredients. He sees indirect benefits – like increased agro-tourism and economic boosts to economically depressed rural areas – as tangential benefits to supporting local production. It was delightful to hear him say that upstate farmers selling to downstairs urbanites is a form of redistribution of wealth!
And these are truly the partners for the next generation of eaters and farmers–chefs involved in their communities, clear on their food choices and committed to their principles. I may have been the moderator, but I was also the student.
THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED
A year and a half ago when I met Julie and her family I knew that it was good to be a Gurland! Then when I met her fiancé Brad and his family and I quickly realized that this wedding was not only about two people creating one life together but this was about the coming together of two fantastic families! Julie and Brad both come from extremely loving and devoted families and each of their parents has certainly set a fantastic example of what marriage should look like. Julie is 1 of 4 children and Brad is 1 of 3 children and you can tell just how close they are to their families when they are all together. Julie & Brad’s wedding was one of those parties that anyone would have had a fantastic time attending. They wanted to create a very elegant yet relaxed atmosphere where their guests could get dressed up, eat a fantastic meal but really ultimately enjoy the energy of the dance party!
Julie and Brad met while attending college at Lehigh and were close friends throughout college. Post- College while Brad was living in NJ and Julie was living in NYC and they stayed in touch and started dating long distance and eventually Brad moved to NYC and the rest is history. In Julie’s words, “We decided we wanted a New York City wedding very early on in our planning process. We now live in New York and just wanted a classic city wedding. My dad mentioned looking at The Plaza (my parents stayed there the night of their wedding) and from that moment I had my mindset on it. The Plaza was the first place we looked and after that, all of the other venues we looked at just didn’t compare! I couldn’t stop thinking about the Grand Ballroom and the Terrace room. Everything was so detailed and beautiful and exactly what we had in mind. It was classic and amazing, a true New York City wedding. We met the CPS Events team and fell in love with them. Their spunk and enthusiasm for everything made us so excited, and they explained everything with such ease and comfort and made us feel so calm about the entire wedding planning process.” The big day arrived quickly and before we knew it, guests were arriving at the ceremony! Julie and Brad’s processional consisted of very close friends and family, and as an ode to Jerry Garcia, they walked down the aisle to “Ripple” by the Grateful Dead. In order to be a Gurland, you must share a serious love for the Grateful Dead. Their love is shown by the fact that each of Julie’s siblings all shares the initials, “JG”, showing their affection towards the talented singer/songwriter. Brad’s family was quick to learn this as well and all of the guests expected nothing less than for “Ripple” to be a part of their wedding day!
After the ceremony guests moved into cocktail hour, where there was a surprise for Brad and his family. The Nelson’s are deeply rooted in Philadelphia and share a strong love for the Phillies baseball team. Julie not only wanted to show Brad how deep her feelings were for him but also for the Phillies and so a Phillies Station complete with Philly Cheese Steaks, Hot Dogs, Peanuts, and Cracker Jacks welcomed guests to the party! This was also a complete surprise to Julie’s oldest brother Justin, who is a true Yankees fan, but this day belonged to the new Mr. & Mrs. Nelson. The fabulous Harris Lane & his Band opened the Grand Ballroom with a burst of energy that didn’t stop throughout the evening. Harris even got into the “JG” mania and wore a Grateful Dead tie and he, too, learned quickly how to be a Gurland!
Guests dined on a Summer Vegetable Salad, Pumpernickel Crusted Salmon, Grilled Prime Beef Entrecote, Espresso Chocolate Valrhona Torte, and cake by the legendary Ron Ben-Israel. Dinner service moved quickly in order to keep those guests on the Dance Floor. Julie danced with her father, Brad dance with his mother, both to classic rock songs, and even Julie’s parents Dr. & Mrs. Gurland got into the action with a classic ballroom dance of their own to “Into the Mystic”, and then invited guests to join them to “Old Time Rock & Roll”. Harris played for an extra hour because the dance party was just that hot. He closed out the night with, who else, but the Grateful Dead! He played “Casey Jones” and Brad and Dr. Gurland just felt the need to get up on the stage with Harris and sing along with the Band. Pretty soon the rest of the Gurland’s and the Nelson’s were all singing “Truckin” on stage too! What a way to send Julie & Brad off into their new life together!
Julie told me later that, “The entire staff made our wedding weekend flawless. They were there when you needed them at any point during the weekend. We didn’t have to think about a thing. The energy in the room that night was amazing and the love and warmth we felt is something we will always remember. The Plaza now holds a very special place in our hearts. It is a weekend we will surely never forget!” The music definitely doesn’t stop here!