Is Farm to Table Worth the Price? Some Floridians Say No.

• living in SoVT and running a farm to plate restaurant, I can say that this strikes a chord. We get loads of FLA snowbirds in summer who eat here b/c our food is tasty and different but couldn't care less whether it is SYSCO or from farmer John. I did a back of the envelope on this when I started and found it costs about $5 per entree to serve clean local food. That's either getting picked up by the patron in higher prices OR is reducing house profit. Here, it is coming out of my pocket. For me that is worth it but that is why my area is full of SYSCO factories. The only way this changes is for patrons to support the few local stores and restaurants out there. We need to realize that eating clean food is not expensive rather contaminated tasteless food is subsidized.

• As the Chef/Owner of Coolinary Cafe, I agree with everthing that is said here. I feel as though some restaurants are missing the idea of farm to table. Our mission is to not only buy as local as possible, but also utilize small family farms, farms using sustainable and humane practices as well as local companies producing fantastic artisinal goods. It may take a little extra work but it's well worth it. This should be available to everyone and the fact that it is not, is the reason the movement has not yet taken shape here in south florida. You have to be creative, resourceful and open to build a menu around what is available. Bottom line nobody wants to pay $40 for a porkchop!

• That sounds awesome -- which burger joint?

• Go up to Lantana.  They have tomatoes grown in real Florida sand by the mile.

• I can taste the difference between freshly grown produce and some genetically produced thing that's been sitting on a shelf for longer than it has a right to. Will I pay more? Absolutely!  I had the most divine heirloom tomato salad - flavorful and colorful - from a local burger joint. Made my day.

• I dont think Lisa is talking about rich gourmands in Cleveland.

• One problem we have in Florida is the amount of hydroponically grown vegetables. Sure, it's local, but a tomato grown in water will never taste as good as one grown in soil. So just based on taste, a restaurant is better off buying a heirloom tomato from Chile than the same variety from a Florida hydroponic farm -- and that's a shame.

• Fresher does taste better, but most people can't taste the difference and aren't willing to pay for it.  This means that locally sourced produce is never going to be a mass market, but a specialty for rich gourmets. Duh. 

• I think Cleveland has a better infrastructure for distribution of goods from farms to restaurants. I went to a dinner in Miami with farmers from Homestead recently and they said they only hit Miami because they don't have the middlemen to come up to Fort Lauderdale. I agree though: that quality food doesn't exist to the same degree unless you have access to someone's garden. Or cow, goat, or chicken (Marando Farms, for example). I miss it.

• Some thoughts: Farm-to-table doesn't have to be pricey. In Cleveland, as you mentioned, sourcing locally is common, and a pizza made with local cheese won't break $13. Second, it's worth it when you really taste the difference, and I'm not sure many people here know what that difference taste like, because they've had so little exposure to it.

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