A groundbreaking company-wide initiative to buy locally.
Our Farm to Fork program is about investing in the health of our communities and the future of our food supply.
In search of the freshest, best tasting ingredients, Bon Appétit chefs have always purchased produce and baked goods locally. However, we didn’t think of local purchasing as a “political act,” but merely as the way to get the highest quality products. In 1999 we came to a turning point. We realized how much flavor was being lost in exchange for agribusiness efficiencies and decided to begin a concerted effort in support of local farmers to preserve flavor on the plate.
Farm to Fork is now a company-wide initiative to buy locally. Our first choice is to purchase seasonal and regional ingredients from a 150-mile radius of each restaurant. These gems of the earth are often prepared and served within 48 hours of harvest. The result is healthier communities and customers.
By buying directly from farmers, we have much more control over what types of agribusiness we are supporting. We support true family farms where the owners live on or nearby the land, work it themselves and therefore are conscientious stewards. We also support farmers who are preserving the diversity of our food choices by planting heirloom vegetables rather than genetically-modified "super-produce."
Farm to Fork also has an effect on the flavor and nutritional value of the food we serve. A tomato grown without pesticides and ripened on the vine tastes unbelievably better than one sprayed with chemicals, picked while still green, trucked thousands of miles and force-ripened in a warehouse. It is especially important to Bon Appétit chefs to start with food that is alive with flavor since we cook everything from scratch and don't use "flavor enhancers" such as MSG.
Bon Appétit now spends tens of millions of dollars per year with small local farmers and artisans. Buying 100% locally is not yet practical but the commitment we have made to Farm to Fork will help ensure that our community can eat well today and tomorrow.
