Sodexo culinarians serve locavore feast in a greenhouse

Nearly 150 residents of the Lehigh Valley recently gathered for a unique dining experience in a greenhouse.

The Seed Farm which is part of Buy Fresh Buy Local of the Lehigh Valley hosted the 4th annual locavore dinner on October 4.

Participating chefs are part of Grow LV, a consortium of Sodexo culinary teams in the Lehigh Valley sourcing fresh, local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients to serve guests and partners at DeSales University, Lehigh University, Moravian College, Muhlenberg College, Northampton Community College and Lehigh Valley Health Network.

The Farm to Table Dinner featured the bounty of local Pennsylvania farms, including The Seed Farm and Easy Pace Garden of Emmaus; Great Bend Farm, Port Clinton; Good Work Farm, Zionsville; Frecon Farms, Boyertown; BaD Farm, Kempton; and Wild Fox Farm, Barto.

“We believe in enriching the quality of life in our community by connecting with the traditions of local agriculture,” said Todd Snyder, Sodexo district manager. “We support local farms and educate our clients and customers on the benefits of nutritionally dense food that is good for both us and the environment.”

Guests had the chance to rub elbows with farmers who grew the veggies and herbs they ate and to learn about the new farmer training program and agricultural business incubator, which operates in partnership with Penn State Extension’s Start Farming program and Lehigh County.

One-of-a-kind auction items included a local Thanksgiving turkey and vegetable-inspired art created by a Seed Farm graduate.

“Our event was an amazing celebration of another successful training season at The Seed Farm and a look ahead toward a bright agricultural future for the Lehigh Valley,” said Snyder.

For more information, contact Todd Snyder at Todd.Snyder@sodexo.com or 610-217-5378.