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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Restaurants / salad greens

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  • From: Janet Bachmann <janetb AT ncat.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Restaurants / salad greens
  • Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 07:57:10 -0500

Thanks, Liz, for this advice! I have sold very little to restaurants, but have just finished a draft for a new ATTRA publication on selling to restaurants. If anyone would like a copy, please call 800-345-9140 and ask for info on selling to restaurants. It includes several profiles from around the country. And the following summary:

One key to remember when working with chefs or restaurant owners is that they are very busy people. The following pointers in regard to maintaining an account were gleaned from talking with several chefs and market gardeners.

• Ask the chef what day of the week and hour is the best time to contact them and then be consistent about making contact at that time every week to find out what they need.
• Ask how they want to be contacted: telephone, e-mail, or fax.
• Provide delivery service.
• Schedule a winter visit with seed catalogs in hand before ordering seed for the coming season; chefs appreciate the opportunity to tell you what they can use or would like to try.
• Chefs are able to feature local produce on their menus if they have advance notice about what is available.
• Chefs are willing to pay premium prices for specialty products such as berries, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and salad mix, but not for “commodities” such as potatoes.


Liz Pike wrote:

Hey Roger, the best thing to do is to ask the chef/restaurant. Different

chefs/restaurants want different things. Generally, anything you can do on
your end to increase kitchen efficiency for them is well-received. The same
for varieties to grow. Take them a seed catalog and let them drool. This
gives them more "ownership" in the crops, and they're likely to increase
their orders beyond greens.








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