Sprout Hopes To Reduce Waste, Efficiently Use Local Produce

Tonight, class was full of vegetables.

“Fresh herbs, radishes and a lot of those summer squashes,” said Tomas Zimmerman, chef and owner at A.T. The Black and White in Little Falls.

One of the things Chef Tomas talked about in his class tonight was kitchen safety and that when you’re cutting herbs, make sure to tuck back your fingers before chopping.

But after safety, tonight’s biggest lesson was about the efficient use of local produce.

“It’s a good way to connect the farmers with the community,” Chef Tomas said. “Shopping local is a big thing, and getting local produce to help those farmers out is a really good asset to the community.”

Chef Tomas was full of ideas to incorporate plants like bok choy into your dinner.

“Showing us different flavor profiles – so if you don’t like it in this variation, you can try it in something new – helps us further expand our abilities and skills in the kitchen to really use the local product that we can grow here in Minnesota,” said Sprout employee Natalie Keane.

And those ideas can also help not letting any produce go to waste.

“The biggest culprit of food waste is actually us as individuals in our own kitchens,” Keane said.

But in tonight’s kitchen, it was all about bringing together the community.

“It really showcases just how special it is to have culinary experts like Chef Tomas, how special it is to have a rich agricultural region and to showcase our farmers in a light where they are the folks that are actually feeding us in this region,” Keane said.

It was a time for all farmers, consumers and chefs to come together.

“I want to support local farmers, and personally, I am a vegetarian, so I like to see where my food comes from and where it is grown,” said attendee Kimberly Augstin.

Everyone in attendance had their own reason to pick up some new skills.

“I belong to a CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] and I also did last summer and I really, really enjoyed it, but sometimes there was too much food and I wanted to figure out what to do with it all,” said attendee Candice Koopmeiners.

So no matter how much fresh produce you get, there is always a fresh way to cook it.

“I don’t know everything, I never will, but that’s one thing I like about this industry is you are always getting new products and new ways to do stuff, new techniques,” Chef Tomas said.