“Our goal continues to be to try to grow as many vegetables as we can,” he said. “We have doubled our garden over the last two seasons and added a lot more root vegetables like kohlrabi. We’re harvesting 500 pounds of Jerusalem artichokes in September.” All of the lettuces are from the farm, as well as onions, carrots, greens, beets, edible flowers and 30 varieties of herbs. Klapdohr considers sourcing from their own garden as one of the best ways to ensure the food being served at OEI is the most nutritious — something he would like to see more of in a world that
is dominated by fast food culture. He and Chris Huerta, chef de cuisine, meet with Dave Taylor, who runs the OEI garden, and other local farmers in the winter to plan. It’s a really a seed to plate approach, Klapdohr said. “It’s really nice to be a chef that has that kind of possibility. You can tell the farmer what you want to have like different kinds of kale, etc. … I think you see that on the menu it makes us more creative. It’s really wonderful to have that ability to work with different vegetable varieties every year,” he said. Having a garden also helps build rela-
tionships within the community, such as with horse farms that have manure that can be used as compost for the garden. Two programs were held so far this year with youth at the farm. Klapdohr said it was refreshing to see the enthusiasm the children had for the dishes they made with fresh vegetables. “It was absolutely wonderful to see what we could do with the harvest,” Klapdohr said. “Some of the kids were eating the kohlrabi like an apple.” Such programs seem to be a large part of what inspires Klapdohr, with the promise that he might encourage healthy eating behaviors in children who are more likely to grow up into adults that are more conscientious about the environment. “I think the great reward for a chef is that guests come and taste the difference. It’s a huge confirmation for me that we are doing the right thing,” Klapdohr said.
Cyprus Cyprus International Cuisine in Highlands has paired with Marker Mountain Farms for the past few years for the freshest ingredients. Cyprus owner and head chef Nick Figel’s business model is not about making things easy. With a commitment to making as much as possible from scratch, the restaurant also focuses on local, fresh ingredients. “When the food is as pure as food can
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Life on the Plateau • August 2013