“Growing up on the Oregon Coast and spending summers in Carmel, California I had the benefit of the best black and blueberries in the world and of course delicious artichokes and strawberries. My mother was a great gardener and fed us fresh produce from an early age, so that was instilled in me from the start. Because of my proximity to it, I’ve always had a great appreciation for fresh produce. Whether it was my mother’s cooking or my grandmother’s preserving, it was always there. Fast forward to my job as a publisher and editor for a foodservice trade publication, I see how prevalent the use of fresh fruits and vegetables has become in menu development. Trend watching is a large part of what I do and I’ve seen firsthand how the veg-centric movement has just taken off in the past few years, even on quickserve-type menus. It’s fascinating to see the chefs at these high-volume operations incorporate vegetable-focused recipes into their menus.”
