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"SJ Hot Chefs" Shop for Garden State's Best Produce at Saturday Farm Market in Moorestown

It doesn't get fresher than this, on the restaurant table!

They're preparing for the annual "Farm to Fork Week" specials they'll feature July 21-27, 2013.

The  SJ HOT Chefs 2013 “Farm to Fork” Week – Sunday, July 21 through Saturday, July 27 – will feature the bounty of Burlington County farms and the talents of many local chefs, in the annual collaboration between South Jersey’s growers and chef-owned and operated restaurants. Burlington County Chef Tom Bokolas of Scaturro’s in Marlton will join the chefs of three Medford establishments, including Braddock’s Tavern, Top Notch and Zinc Café as presenters. Elsewhere in the county, the chefs of Cafe Madison in Riverside, Monsoon Fine Indian Cuisine in Mt. Laurel and Villari's Bistro, Bar & Grill in Palmyra are also excited to participate. Among local growers, Kim and Wayne Batten from the 1895 Organic Farm in Lumberton will partner with several restaurants, both in and outside of the county, during the celebration.

“Farm to Fork” takes advantage of the full bounty of Garden State produce as it peaks in late July. In all, chefs in 33 restaurants throughout Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties will be offering delicious deals on special menus for $35 and $25 featuring the freshest, most exciting dishes showcasing the best of the local, mid-summer harvest. An exciting new edition for 2013 is the introduction of special $10 “Farm to Fork” lunch menus at select restaurants.

Fred Kellermann, Chef/Owner of Elements Cafè in Haddon Heights, NJ and president of the South Jersey Independent Restaurant Association known as SJ HOT Chefs, lives in Mount Laurel and his Camden County-based restaurant regularly sources from the 1985 Organic Farm in Lumberton, whenever produce is in season. Kellermann is passionate about the benefits of this collaboration, saying, “It’s been such a win-win for the restaurants, nearby farmers and especially our guests. As it became more apparent to chefs that guests truly care about the origin of the food we serve, we started building stronger relationships with local farmers and discovered the many advantages of preparing food made with locally grown ingredients.”

Kellermann and his colleagues have learned that working with local farmers is good for both their patrons and for the region. While discriminating diners appreciate the superior flavors in fresh-picked produce, the SJ HOT Chefs – themselves all local entrepreneurs – cite the economic benefit of keeping the entire food supply-chain right in the neighborhood. When chefs work with local farmers, there are also multiple environmental benefits. When chefs can use local fresh produce, it reduces the use of fossil fuels otherwise needed to transport provisions over long distances. Chefs are also exercising their influence on local growers, encouraging some to employ organic principals in their farming or to restrict their use of insecticides and toxins in the fields.

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While there is always a predictable selection of fresh produces available during “Farm to Fork” Week, the exciting challenge for the SJ Hot Chefs is to use their creativity to design menus around fresh-picked items that are exceptionally abundant in late July.

Key event sponsor SJ Hot Chefs, with the assistance of media partner SJ Magazine, has prepared a hotlink showing all of the participating restaurants in SJ 2013 “Farm to Fork Week”, including contact information and restaurant websites. For more information on SJ Hot Chefs and the palate-pleasing events they hold throughout the year, please visit www.SJHOTchefs.com. Click here for a list of New Jersey Farmers that have been selected for the 2013 partnership, allowing the chefs to bring the freshest produce available to their diners.

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