Chef School Review - The Restaurant Industry Responds to Rising Demand for Organic Foods

The Restaurant Industry Responds to Rising Demand for Organic Foods

By Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@chefschoolreview.com
Chef School Review Columnist

Organic foods consumption is no longer just an accessory of an anti-establishment lifestyle; organic foods have entered mainstream culture, appearing on one in four restaurant menus and dotting produce sections in supermarkets nationwide. If you're interested in a career in the culinary field, you'll want to know how the industry is responding to this growing food trend.

According to the National Restaurant Association, more than half of fine dining operators reported that they serve organic items in their restaurant and that their customers are ordering more organic items than they did two years ago. Whole Foods Market, the largest grocer of organic foods, reported quarterly sales and earnings in February 2005 of $1.37 billion, securing its position as one of the country's top supermarket and grocery chains.

Industry Leaders Acknowledge Organic Foods Trend

Restaurant industry leaders are taking seriously the growing consumer demand for organic food options. This year's National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show will feature an exhibition showcasing natural and organic food and beverage products. The Association's president Steven Anderson is quoted as saying that organic products can enhance a restaurant's bottom line.

As the research bears out, restaurants that are experiencing the greatest demand for organic foods are fine dining establishments. Managers of organic kitchens will agree that while the job of selling organic food can be financially appealing, serving organic food presents unique challenges.

Running an Organic Restaurant

From an operational standpoint, organic restaurants are run differently from conventional restaurants, says Nora Pouillon, career chef and owner of the country's first certified organic restaurant. Nora owns and operates two certified organic fine dining restaurants in Washington D.C., Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora.

Nora notes that one of the greatest challenges in her career as an organic restaurant manager is keeping track of orders and vendors. Since most organic foods are grown by small farmers, organic restaurants tend to place many small orders with scores of local vendors. Nora has created a full-time job dedicated to ordering organic provisions.

Another administrative challenge of a certified organic restaurant is the job of record keeping. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that certified organic restaurants maintain a log of certificates that prove their vendors are certified organic. These records are inspected annually by USDA officials.

The limited variety and availability of organic produce presents another difficulty. However, Nora admits this issue has become less of an obstacle with the proliferation of organic farms in recent years. Vegetables such as asparagus and artichoke are often only available a couple of weeks each year, says Nora, as organic farming tends to be more seasonal than conventional farming. Additionally, varieties of organic chocolate and specialty items such as good organic mustard can prove difficult to find. This makes the job of a skilled chef even more demanding as menu planning is complicated by limits on available ingredients.

Organic Food: A Revolutionary Development or Just Another Health Fad?

While many career chefs and restaurant managers are eager to jump on the organic foods bandwagon for financial gain, some early champions of organic agriculture believe that the current popularity of organic foods is not just another health trend, but the result of a slow building, revolutionary way of eating.

Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse, a Berkeley, California-based restaurant that supports local organic farmers, and legendary culinary figure who's helped propel the organic foods movement since the 1970s, envisions a future in which wholesome eating becomes an integral part of every person's life. Growing, preparing, and eating organic foods would become a skill that is developed in school like reading or writing, muses Waters on her Web site (www.chezpanisse.com). Nora Pouillon shares a similar perspective, observing that consuming organic foods represents to her a more respectful way of treating our bodies and the environment.

Whether or not organic foods are a trend, no one can say for sure. What's clear is that supporting organic farming and eating locally grown food are ideas that were firmly planted in the minds of many growers, producers, and cooks. Perhaps those ideas are beginning to take root in the minds of others too.