Harvesting Connections: Perspectives on Creating Memorable Farm-to-Table Events with Farmers and Chefs: Part II – The Chefs
Last updated on May 13th, 2024 at 11:27 am
In this second installment of the series, we pivot our focus to the culinary masterminds behind farm-to-table dining – the chefs.
These culinary artists transform the bounty of local farms into plated masterpieces, igniting the senses and crafting experiences that transcend the ordinary.
We talked to three chefs, each with unique experience and backgrounds about their take on the farm-to-table experience.
Souk Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar, Toledo, OH
Chef Moussa Salloukh’s self-taught and diverse restaurant experience has culminated in Souk’s richly curated menu, blending family heritage, cultural roots, and years of dedicated kitchen expertise.
From Souk’s website, his decades of experience in the hospitality industry have benefited his ability to curate an ethnically diverse menu and experience at Souk.
“My inspiration comes from my family and culture but also from years of hard work and education in the kitchen. It’s a combination of influences — from the heart, accomplished through technique.”
Q: Can you share a bit about the history and culture of your business and how it contributes to the overall experience of farm-to-table dinners?
Moussa Salloukh: The history of Souk starts with me getting back to my Middle Eastern roots and creating the food I grew up on… with a hip twist.
It was a tribute to my mother that passed in 2015 of cancer. I work with many farmers from around the area to bring the best and freshest produce, cheeses, eggs, mushrooms, and proteins to the table.
Q: What inspired you to start hosting farm-to-table dinners in the first place? Have your goals or motivations evolved over time?
Moussa Salloukh: It’s really easy to be inspired when the farmers market is 20 yards from my restaurant.
My motivations have evolved over the years because of the history of middle eastern food being fresh and healthy it’s made it easy to get more involved with farm to table.
It makes sense.
Q: Do you have a process for selecting the participating farms for your farm-to-table events? Are there specific criteria you look for in potential partners?
Moussa Salloukh: The process for me comes from building relationships with everyone in that community.
Q: What are some advantages you see for culinary professionals when it comes to doing one of these with a local farm?
Moussa Salloukh: The advantage for me is I sleep much better at night knowing I have given back to someone local and supporting my community like they have supported me.
Q: What is the process for coming up with a menu for one of these events and how do you handle challenges related to seasonality and availability of produce when planning these events?
Moussa Salloukh: My process of coming up with the menus is kind of simple its seasonally driven for me. If there is wine involved with the coursed menu that makes it even more fun to make the pairings work.
Q: In your opinion, what are some key factors that make a farm-to-table dinner truly special and memorable for guests?
Moussa Salloukh: The key factors to making the dinners special are using the vegetables in a way that the diners have never seen before. The moment of truth is when that take a bite and give you a nod and a smile. That’s when you know its special.
Culinary Arts at Penta Career Center, Perrysburg, OH
Chef Janea Makowski has traversed a remarkable path that now finds her teaching in the same program she went through at Penta Career Center in Northwest Ohio.
Chef Makowski’s culinary passion stems from working with Mainstreet Ventures Restaurant Group in high school before continuing her studies at the renowned Culinary Institute of America.
After graduating, she continued working with Mainstreet Ventures, being promoted to Executive Chef at a restaurant in Florida.
Chef Makowski eventually returned to the Midwest with culinary positions in Cleveland, OH and Ann Arbor, MI. In 2009, she was hired as a culinary instructor at Penta, where she now imparts her extensive expertise to shape the next generation of culinary talents.
Q: Can you share a bit about how the culture of your business contributes to the overall experience of farm-to-table dinners?
Janae Makowski: The culture of farm-to-table for me is all about bringing food full circle. As a chef I want to source the best food possible at the highest quality. This will only make my food taste better. Building a relationship/partnership with local farmers is how it should be, but our society is conditioned to having any ingredient they want at any time despite seasonality.
Q: What inspired you to start being a part of farm-to-table dinners in the first place? Have your goals or motivations evolved over time?
Janae Makowski: It’s a no brainer for me…I wanted the best quality ingredients to cook with and wanted to support the local economy.
This has been a huge part of my life for the past 18 plus years.
Q: Do you have a process for selecting the participating farms for your farm-to-table events? Are there specific criteria you look for in potential partners?
Janae Makowski: Whenever I move to a new city, I go to the local farmers markets and strike up conversations with the farmers. Overall, I am looking for someone that produces a high quality, tasty product.
Q: What are some advantages you see for culinary professionals when it comes to doing one of these with a local farm?
Janae Makowski: These events are fun and attract people that have the same love for food as you do. It is a great way to be creative by focusing on seasonality.
Q: What is the process for coming up with a menu for one of these events and how do you handle challenges related to seasonality and availability of produce when planning these events?
Janae Makowski: As a chef coming up with the menu is one of the best parts.
For me I like to write down some ideas and then talk them out with other chefs. This back and forth really helps develop some unique dishes. One of my favorite books that helps with menu writing is the flavor matrix.
Casey Johnson, Regional Inside Sales at Burkett/Previous Corporate Chef, Toledo, OH
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a ServSafe® Certified Instructor, Casey Johnson boasts a remarkable 20-year journey in the restaurant realm.
With a dynamic background spanning roles such as Bartender, Banquet Manager, and Food and Beverage Director, Casey has also previously served as the Corporate Chef for Miami University and Inside the Five Brewing Co., before landing here with us at Burkett on the sales team.
Casey’s culinary journey is a testament to his passion and expertise in creating unforgettable dining experiences for his customers.
Q: Can you share a bit about your history and how it contributes to the overall experience of farm-to-table dinners?
Casey Johnson: I worked for many local restaurants over my 20 years as a chef but most recently with Inside the Five Brewing Company. My position there as Corporate Chef allowed me the opportunity to push for more local utilization of products.
Every year we held a beer pairing menu for our customers where I would work with a local produce purveyor, Frog Holler Produce from Detroit, MI, to source my produce locally. I also let everyone of my purveyors know that I wanted majority (80%) of our product to come within a day’s drive (400 miles).
Most don’t realize that this is what is considered “local” and it’s relatively easy to achieve that goal if you pay attention. Finally, the owners were also committed to working locally by utilizing Gust Bros. Farm for all the pumpkins in their seasonal beer The Mashing Pumpkins.
Q: What inspired you to start being a part of farm-to-table dinners in the first place? Have your goals or motivations evolved over time?
Casey Johnson: My inspiration to push for “Hyper Locality” was based on trying to support producers closer to home, providing my customer with a better-quality product, keeping the carbon footprint minimal, and overall doing my part in trying to fix what we’ve done as a society to our climate.
My belief is that making educated choices in the food we eat can make the biggest impact in the damage we’ve done to the climate.
Q: Do you have a process for selecting the participating farms for your farm-to-table events? Are there specific criteria you look for in potential partners?
Casey Johnson: Truly the main criteria I investigate is location.
Adding the complicated aspect of the type of seed they use, if chemicals are used or not, etc., just makes you over think the decision and could make you then choose an organic farm in California where everything they do seems right but then they transport it (same as everyone else) across the country causing more damage than the “lesser ideal” farming techniques.
To help me make my choices in farms I contacted my local produce purveyor and meat purveyor to get their lists of local providers.
Q: Do you have any suggestions for other local culinary professionals who want to be part of a farm-to-table dinner and how to connect with local farmers?
Casey Johnson: Contact your local produce purveyor or meat purveyor and ask them for a list of local farms or producers they use. Make sure it’s a local purveyor not a national like Sysco or US Foods.
Q: What are some advantages you see for culinary professionals when it comes to doing one of these with a local farm?
Casey Johnson: I’ve noticed that local customers LOVE seeing business support other local businesses.
Not to mention partnering with farms and farmers offers up access to new customer that maybe didn’t know about you with that farm advertising to its customer base and vice versa for them with you advertising to your customer base.
Q: What is the process for coming up with a menu for one of these events and how do you handle challenges related to seasonality and availability of produce when planning these events?
Casey Johnson: I ask for a list of items the farmer or local purveyor knows they’re going to have at the time of the event or menu and then base all the items I produce from that list. Again, this comes back to the creativity aspect of working locally, it drives you to be creative.
Q: In your opinion, what are some key factors that make a farm-to-table dinner truly special and memorable for guests?
Casey Johnson: I feel like the biggest memory most guests get from events like these are the, “I didn’t know you find this locally” kind of thoughts. Events like these also inspire local non-food professionals to source their food locally and try their hand at being creative.
Q: Besides farmers, are there other businesses or organizations do you call on for your farm-to-table dinners, such as local breweries, wineries, or artisanal producers?
Casey Johnson: I personally look for local butchers to provide the protein for a dinner like this. Produce is almost always easy to find in some form of variety, but protein isn’t.
Savoring the Harvest of Connections
The journeys of these farmers and chefs illuminate the close-knit connections of farms, kitchens, and the patrons they serve. Beyond culinary excellence, their farm-to-table dinners stand as a testament to collaboration and shared passions. The involvement of breweries, wineries, and artisanal producers adds an extra layer of depth to the culinary narrative.
Harvesting connections through farm-to-table events is more than just a culinary experience; it’s a journey that spans from the earth to your plate.
At your next farm-to-table dinner, let these stories remind you of the dedication of local farmers and chefs in every bite.
It’s a celebration of authenticity, flavors, and connections—ingredients that make these events truly special and unforgettable.
