From the Food in Boston mailbox:
Exclusive New Program for Boston Foodies
Hi Joe-
I can tell from reading Food in Boston that you’re very passionate about what’s going on in Boston when it comes to dining out. That’s why, on behalf of The Cheesecake Factory, I’d like to invite you to join the Insider’s Table, an exclusive new program for locals in Boston who love dining out at The Cheesecake Factory, and talking about their experience with others… Insiders receive special benefits and are granted access to a private online community where they actively discuss the restaurant… Access to the Insider’s Table is by invitation only. . .
Hmm, Cheesecake Factory — well, I like cheescake, but the “factory” part doesn’t sound very appetizing. Wikipedia, who is this Cheescake Factory anyhow?
…oh, “ninth-largest restaurant company in the United States”, “characterized by extensive menus, custom lavish décor, and large portions”? Maybe not a great fit for this blog. Of course, if the local franchisee wants to talk about their supplier info like local Boston chefs have done, that might be interesting.
Err, never mind.
The Cheesecake Factory uses just one food service supplier, Sysco, and because of the chain’s size and volume, “we take deliveries four to seven days a week”
(via beveragenet.net)
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While skimming a roundup of the New York City green scene, which includes a bunch of food-related events and organizations, I couldn’t help but wonder how things in Boston compared. Upon reflection, it turns out to have been an interesting year for local food.
If nothing else, Bostonians have been getting folks together to talk about food. This year’s events included the Tufts Food Symposium, the Food Project’s Farming the City conference, the ACGA conference, Barbara Kingsolver talking about her family’s year of eating locally, Vandana Shiva in Cambridge, local growers & grocers at the JP Forum, and more growers & grocers at Lucy Parsons.
In addition to all the gabbing, Slow Food put on a couple series of potlucks, as did my community garden, the Food Project, and many others. A number of food-related bike rides went down (and I missed them all; next year!). A bunch of folks I know started gardens for the first time, and started putting up their own & other local produce for the winter.
Looking forwards to 2008, it’ll be interesting to see if our apparent momentum towards more local & sustainable foods keeps on movin’. Off the top of my head, there are a few stories to watch. JP’s incomparable City Feed will be adding a second, bigger location and has indicated that they’re aiming to purvey more local foods. Harvest Co-op (hey, new web site!) has a few new directors on its board (including yours truly) with commitments to a healthy local food system. Brown & the Food Project are working together with Yale and other northeastern schools to build the student movement for sustainable and responsible food on campus.
Other notable local events for ‘07? Things to look forward to in ‘08? Your comments, as always, are appreciated.
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