Morristown’s Locally Grown Gala set for Sept. 20

MORRISTOWN Sustainability is a hot topic with the chefs who will be preparing farm-to-fork tastings at Sustainable Morristown’s 5th annual Locally Grown Gala.

Mike Carrino, chef and partner of Trois Cochons, operators of Pig & Prince Restaurant and Gastro-Lounge, has worked in many other states but said New Jersey is a great state for farm to table food.

“They don’t call New Jersey the ‘garden state’ for nothing,” Carrino said. “We have the best produce, some of the best breeders, and we really have some of the best products in the country.”

Hyatt Morristown Executive Chef Jeff Powell, who has worked in California, Hawaii, and Texas, agreed.

“We have a giant network of farms within a 100 mile radius that we can pick and pluck from,” Powell said. “We have access to the Atlantic Ocean. I have all these farms, and have local purveyors for chicken and for cheese.”

Ben Walmer, founder of Highlands Dinner Club, tied the increasing availability of locally sourced products to the recent trend of New York City chefs launching restaurants in New Jersey.

“This is very exciting and bodes well for New Jersey,” Walmer said.

All three chefs will be among those offering a sample of their cuisine at the Locally Grown Gala, which is presented by Sustainable Morristown, Kings Food Markets, and Hyatt Morristown, and sponsored by Highlands Dinner Club. The Gala is to be held on Sept. 20 from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Morristown. Early bird discounts are available until Wednesday.

The Locally Grown Gala will also feature an open bar with cocktails using farm-fresh herbs, a presentation of the Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Awards, a silent auction, and live music.

While the chefs all place an emphasis on sourcing local ingredients, sustainability is incorporated in other ways and includes practices such as the use of reclaimed materials for seating, implementation of a “no waste” policy for food, cooking over an open fire, and the exclusion of endangered species on menus.

Powell said that it is the Hyatt’s practice to not harvest fish that are out of season or in danger of extinction.

“We don’t serve any fish that is endangered or even on the verge of being endangered,” he said.

Carrino does his own butchering, which he said fosters a connection to the product.

“I know these pigs, and these lambs, and goats and steer,” he said. “I’ve seen them in the field. I’ve seen them in the pen. I have a connection with the people who are raising them. There’s a really nice circle of life that goes on.”

Sustainability practices also extend to facilities.

Jaull Loram, founder of The Roselle, which will open in 2016, will be using reclaimed materials for benches and tables, and even walls and ceilings.

“We have been harvesting wood and other materials as we prepare our property for construction,” he said. “We’ve got a really great stash.”

It’s not just restaurants practicing sustainability.

Bill Hedge, executive chef for Kings Food Markets, highlights the demand for freshly picked produce when talking about the company’s exclusive “24 Hour Just Picked Promise.”

The program gives shoppers the benefits of a local farm stand by offering locally grown, farm-fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs within 24 hours of being picked.

For tickets and more information on the Locally Grown Gala, visit: http://sustainablemorristown.org/2015/06/2015-locally-grown-dinner-september-20th/.