Rooftop-farm To Table

Meet McCrady's gardener Abbey Recca

     Due to the recent surge of interest in the "farm to table" movement, I thought it might be nice to paint for you a picture of how this directly relates to our restaurants here in the city. When you think of your typical farmer, you imagine a man in a straw hat hanging off a tractor. Well, in the garden that I am highlighting here today, let's just say a tractor ain't the tool you need. And I don't believe you would have pictured McCrady's gardener, Abbey Recca as your typical farmer. Located three stories up over the top of one of the South's most illustrious restaurants is a full functioning micro-green garden. Now, referring back to my last post, I don't give a shit about hydroponics, solar chambers, or "going green". However, the Begonia flowers that are used as the garnish of Chef de Cousine Daniel Heinze's clam dish creates a complexity in the dish that literally blows my mind. My respect for the art of how things are created led me to taking a little time wondering around the garden with Abbey, and I now have a totally different outlook on what it means to be "farm to table". From Basil, Sorrell, and Cilantro, to Mint, Mustards, and Marigold's, the girl can grow anything. Not to mention that she let me taste everything and described to me exactly what I was tasting. Very impressive. Everyday Abbey rounds up the micros that are needed for service and delivers them to the chefs downstairs. The chefs then take these creations of Abbey's and turn them into a creation of their own... Something quite beautiful when you sit back and admire the process as a whole. You will often hear me describe monumental experiences at restaurants as "Foodie Wow Moments" and while I was standing there, looking out over Chucktown, surrounded by nothing but open air, I had one of these moments. No wine. No ten course tasting menu. Just the food in the raw and the person that created it. Wow! I encourage everyone to take a tour if you ever get the chance. Thanks for reading again this week and stay tuned in!