Farm to Fork: Creating Fresh, Local Menus

Ironically enough, a new trend in catering is actually a return to an older style of cooking: locally sourcing or growing your own ingredients. In our 2015 survey of ICA caterers, farm-to-table-style catering was the second most requested by clients. We spoke with two caterers who are leading this market and learned more about trends, tips and tricks for farm-to-fork catering.

This bright salad from Santa Barbara Catering Company features vegetables from their seasonal garden.

Trends: farm-to-table clients & cuisine
As the catering industry moves toward more green practices, so do many of their corporate clients. Pat Christofolo, owner of Santa Barbara Catering Company in Tempe, AZ, shared her perspective on this trend. "We have seen that corporate events are very interested in having elevated menus for their customers and employees," Christofolo said. She added that corporate clients see this cuisine as a "reflection of their company culture."

As far as what these clients are interested in, it differs due to what caterers are able to grow in their local climate. Abbey Duke, founder and CEO of Sugarsnap in Burlington, VT, is very familiar with the limitations of certain climates. However, Duke discovered that her clients appreciate the seasonal offerings. "We find that what is in season is what people are also excited to eat. So we aim to showcase those seasonal ingredients and seasonal cooking techniques," Duke said. Examples of the seasonal ingredients include "grilled local meat, heirloom tomatoes, and a lot of prepared salads in the summer; braised meats, squash and root vegetables in the fall."

Your farm-to-fork cuisine doesn't have to be traditional! This mulberry mule uses lavender and berries from the Santa Barbara Catering Company's gardens.

Sugarsnap battles the Vermont climate by growing a variety of produce in their greenhouse, including these tomatoes.

Tips & tricks for starting your own farm-to-fork venture
According to the survey, many of you are already locally sourcing ingredients or maintaining a garden. If you aren't, though, and want to explore farm-to-table catering, Christofolo suggested you "start small and make sure that you have the structure in place for maintaining a garden." For more help, Christofolo recommended you browse "resources to create your own urban garden at your businesses property. There are many online classes that someone can take, including Greg Peterson’s Urban Farm U."

However, Duke advised that you think very hard about starting a farming venture of your own. "Catering and farming are both very hard businesses," Duke said. "In a farm, you are dealing with a fresh product of which you always have too much or not enough. I recommend that you think through why you want to start a farm. Is it for marketing? Is to have products you can't purchase? Is it for fun? To save money?" While incredibly rewarding (and delicious!), there are many aspects of farm-to-fork cuisine to consider.

And if farming isn't right for your company, local sourcing provides an equally fresh taste of the region with lower risks as well as a chance to be involved with your community. Farm-to-fork is, after all, about showcasing the best ingredients your area has to offer. Duke explained, “We see it as getting back to basics. We are serving meals that our clients’ great grandparents would recognize. Maybe the plating is modern and there are some herbs and exotic flavors, but at its core, we're serving meals that are carefully prepared foods using traditional ingredients.”

The Santa Barbara Catering Company gardens and farmland can be quite picturesque, too, and a great place to take prospective clients and wedding couples.

Santa Barbara Catering and Sugarsnap are proud members of the ICA. To learn more about the ICA, visit http://www.internationalcaterers.org.

Get Fresh, June 2016