CP contributor Jason Zwiker went to the Lee Jones and Aaron Deal demonstration this morning at the Culinary Institute and sent us this report:
Chefs and farmers making connections with one another: that was the overarching theme of a joint presentation by Farmer Lee Jones of The Chef’s Garden — which specializes in growing artisanal veggies, greens, and herbs for a veritable who’s who of the culinary world — and Chef Aaron Deal of Tristan at the Culinary Institute of Charleston today.
In front of at least three dozen culinary students — and more than one local chef — Farmer Jones told the story of how his family’s small Ohio farm rebounded from an economic collapse more than two decades ago by becoming the go-to farm for chefs with specialty requests.
For Jones, heirloom crops, micro greens, and sustainable farming methods provide us with more than just better flavor — they also benefit us with better nutrition and, therefore, better health. “There’s no such thing as junk food,” says Jones. “There’s junk and there’s food.”
The logic he employs is compelling. Mass production, processing, and warehousing of food ultimately means that it takes more food to give the body the nutrients it needs. More food eaten means more body mass; i.e. an obese population. Hello, USA today.
In addition to his presentation at CIC, Jones is also in Charleston for tonight’s preview of “A Modern Taste of Charleston,” a seven-course dinner Chef Deal will prepare for The James Beard House in New York City. There are still some seats available and if you say you’re a friend of Chef Deal, they might give you a discount.
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