A short, but delicious journey.
The relationship the local farmers have with our chefs is a year round conversation that begins before the seeds are planted.
Chef Philippe Reynaud, Senior Director of Culinary Operations, shared that he meets with the farmers in August to discuss items that the Ocean Reef chefs would like for their menus. These seeds become the harvested produce that is delivered to our restaurants. The chefs have the opportunity to review a daily list of “vegetables, herbs, and tropical bounty” to utilize the best seasonal produce for Members.
Paradise Organic Farms, V & B Farms, and Michael Borek Farms are all locally outsourced farms that provide produce that is often delivered to our Commissary within hours after being harvested. The flavor of this fresh produce is superior. So everyone benefits—the farmers are happy to sell their crops and the Ocean Reef community is able to get the best produce. And of course, our outstanding chefs are the most delighted as they have top quality ingredients to create their menus.
It is an amazing sight when the farmers deliver their bounty to the Commissary. Boxes of glistening tomatoes, assorted colors and shapes of a varieties of squash, bushels of freshly picked beans and peppers, and bunches of aromatic herbs are quickly removed from the trucks and taken to the kitchens on The Reef. So from the Redlands and Homestead to your plates—it is a short, but delicious journey.
We are supporting local farmers, some who are third generation South Florida families, and we are the lucky recipients of the “farm to table” movement that is all about food freshness, food quality, and nutritional integrity. So the next time you pick up a morsel at one of our restaurants, think of the “farm to your fork” opportunity that we have at The Reef all season.