Farm-to-Table Restaurant Reservations: More Than a Courtesy

As a farmer, delivering fresh produce to a restaurant chef is an exciting task.  After cultivating land, planting seeds, defending plants from pest, weather and weed attacks, harvesting, cleaning and packaging, it is satisfying to know the fruits (and vegetables) of my labor are in the hands of a talented professional who appreciates my efforts and strives to prepare these ingredients in intriguing and delicious ways.  An added bonus for both farmer and chef is the loyalty of frequent restaurant guests who appreciate high quality, locally grown foods. 

A "few" items from one day's harvest in August, 2014

With a burgeoning group of savvy restaurant diners who appreciate knowing the source of their food and a rapidly increasing number of farm-to-fork restaurants, it is time to discuss something we, as a community, can do to support this healthy food movement.  If you consider yourself a true local food supporter, then, by all means, make reservations early for your favorite farm-to-table restaurants.

Restaurant reservations are something diners often neglect completely or phone in from cars while driving to a dining destination.  For meals at most chain restaurants, it is usually not a problem for the restaurant management to accommodate unexpected guests.  These restaurants stock frozen, canned or prepared food items and receive regular deliveries from

centralized sources to support a standard menu that changes infrequently.  However, in the case of farm to table restaurants, reserved tables often dictate what ingredients will be served and last-minute calls for reservations or unannounced guests can play havoc with a menu.   

Fresh produce, washed and ready to package

Farm-to-fork restaurant chefs love to receive beautiful ingredients

 Consider this: in order to snag the most desirable ingredients, the farm-to-table restaurant chef races to local farmer's markets or places order with local farmers.  Because chefs hate to waste food or spend money to purchase foods that have a short shelf life, most rely on reservations to budget purchases for each week's operation.
When chain restaurant chefs simply pull out a frozen ingredient, farm-to-table chefs must prepare farm fresh ingredients to order and when restaurant guests fail to reserve tables in advance, one of two situations may occur.  Either restaurant management must refuse last-minute table requests or chefs will be forced to substitute or eliminate menu items.  How disappointing is it for the guest who really looked forward to that special dish, only to discover someone at another table just ordered the last one?  

When I harvest heirloom tomatoes, these fruits ideally should be served within a couple of days, for optimum flavor and texture.  Impractical for restaurants to store excess fruit that may deteriorate before it is sold, it is not unusual, during tomato season, for me to receive calls from my chef customers, requesting additional produce because the restaurant needs to accommodate last-minute reservations.  Since all of my chef customers are small business owners and I realize their livelihood depends upon sales, I try to fulfill these orders, but sometimes, it is impossible.  

So, next time you plan to visit a farm-to-table restaurant, pick up the phone or make online reservations in advance.  Plan to eat well and pat yourself on the back for supporting local chefs and farmers.  After all, is it really a surprise when someone you love has a birthday, your anniversary date arrives or a special holiday is on the calendar?