Chef Vikram Brings his A Game to a New Cookbook and a Family Meal

 Recipes from Rasika: Flavors of India Make for A Spiced-Up Cookout

The Sunderam family gathers over a Indian-style casual meal. In the background, a 1964 Airstream named Lucy.

By Susan Able, Photography by Tom McCorkle, Styling by Limonata Creative

Published Oct. 10 by Ecco, 336 pages. There are two book signings this weekend. Ashok Bajaj of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group has invited people to join in the celebration of this highly anticipated cookbook.

The first signing is Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 1 PM to 3 PM at RASIKA WEST END. The second book signing is Sunday, October 15, 2017 from 4 PM to 6 PM at RASIKA. RSVP to: rsvprasika@heatherfreeman.com by October 12th.

Chef Vikram Sunderam is a busy guy. Not only does this executive chef oversee the kitchens at Rasika and Rasika West End, (arguably two of the best Indian restaurants in the U.S.), but he also worked with owner Ashok Bajaj to develop the concept of the Knightsbridge group’s new gem and runaway success, Bindaas.

Menu items for Bindaas’ Cleveland Park diners are Indian street foods, authentic food truck cuisine that is served to the lunchtime throngs in Sunderam’s native city of Mumbai. Bindaas, which means “cool” in Hindi, offers a flavor-packed lineup of small plates served in a casual, buzzy setting. Just like in Mumbai, it’s food meant for the moment or to take with you, and the minute it’s finished you’ll start craving it all over again.

A new Bindaas is slated to open in Foggy Bottom this fall, so there’s no rest in the foreseeable future for Sunderam. But he’s thrilled to see the Bindaas concept take hold and that the cookbook he co-authored with Bajaj and food writer and chef David Hagedorn, Rasika: Flavors of India, will be released in October. Over two years in the making, the book has 120 recipes and beautiful photos that capture the colorful cuisine. “It was a very unique and novel experience,” he tells me. “The foundation for it is based on Ashok’s years of being a restaurateur. His anecdotes are engaging and really tell a great story. I think people are going to find it very special.”

Chef Vikram Sunderam relaxes in front of a vintage Airstream at a family cookout.

Sunderam takes time for himself with morning exercise and a daily reading or mediation before the dinner service. He lives in McLean, and cherishes his time with his family. Sunderam’s wife, Anjali, is an artist; his son, Viraj will start Georgetown this fall; daughter, Nidhi, graduated from Virginia Tech this year and has recently started her career in Chicago. So the summer included two sets of grandparents who made the long journey from India to see their grandchildren graduate from high school and college, and a road trip to help settle Nidhi in Chicago.

When they can, the Sunderams love to gather, and connecting over meals is one way to share time during the busy weeks. Anjali is usually in charge of the meals, and Sunderam explains that while the family eats and enjoys all cuisines—Italian, Chinese, Mexican—Indian food is chosen for family celebrations.

Anjali Sunderam handpaints glassware seen in this photo. @sovereigntreasures on Facebook for more information.

Sunderam was happy to share some of these family-favorite recipes that capture the flavors of Bindaas, Rasika and his native home, pulled from the new cookbook. I asked if home cooks ever get overwhelmed when trying to make Indian food at home, with the many and varied ingredients, spice mixtures and multiple steps somewhat unfamiliar to the average person here.

Sunderam flashed his easy smile and said, “First of all, that is what we did with this cookbook—we tried to simplify the language and methods so its easier to try the recipes. And hey, I believe in the possible. I think people will love taking this on as a project. ‘Come over tonight, I made food from Rasika.’ Don’t you think that sounds like fun?”

I do.

Chicken Kathi Roll

This a personal favorite of the Edible DC team. It is a spicy, addictive addition to a casual dinner, cookout or picnic. These rolls taste great hot or cold, and their egg-battered tortilla wrap is sturdy enough to pack, doesn’t become mushy and, trust me, tastes just as good the next day (yes, and it was breakfast). Worth the effort? Totally. - From Rasika: Flavors of India.

Makes 6 rolls

Filling:

¼ cup canola oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds     

2 cups finely chopped red onion

¼ cup ginger garlic paste

2 cups finely chopped tomato

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon deggi mirch    

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 pound boneless chicken meat, all fat removed, diced into ¼-inch cubes

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Thai green chili

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon chaat masala     

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the rolls:

6 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas

6 large eggs, beaten

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Canola oil, for brushing

In a heavy-bottomed casserole over high heat, heat ¼ cup oil until it shimmers. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the red onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger garlic paste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the odor of raw garlic dissipates, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and return the heat to high. Stir in the turmeric and cook until the water has evaporated from the tomatoes and the mixture looks mushy, about 5 minutes. Add the deggi mirch and coriander and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the Thai chili, 1 teaspoon salt, garam masala, chaat masala, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Set aside.

To start the rolls, beat together the eggs, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1½ tablespoons cilantro in a medium bowl. Keep by the side of the stove.

Preheat oven to 180°F.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Working 1 at a time, warm 1 tortilla on each side for about 30 seconds. Brush each side with oil and brown on each side for 30 seconds. Spread 2 tablespoons of egg mixture on the entire surface of the tortilla. Flip it over (some egg will come off) and spread 2 tablespoons of egg on the other side. Flip it over and let the egg cook for several seconds. Hold on an ovenproof plate in the oven while you repeat with the other 5 tortillas or chapatis.

To assemble the rolls, warm the filling and keep it warm over very low heat. Take a tortilla from the oven and place it on a cutting board. Spread ½ cup of the chicken filling on the bottom half. Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the tortilla into a log. Halve it diagonally and transfer to the oven while you roll the other. (Doing 2 or 3 at a time gets the job done faster.) Serve warm with Mint Cilantro Chutney. You can also substitute the chicken with lamb meat from the leg.

Mint Cilantro Chutney

This is an easy winner not only for your Chicken Kathi Rolls but for all sorts of things coming off the grill—chicken, salmon, lamb, burgers. Very easy for a big reward.

1¼ cups roughly chopped fresh cilantro, including stems and leaves

½ cup packed mint leaves

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh Thai chiles

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

Put all ingredients in a mini blender, NutriBullet or food processor and blend until smooth. If you are using a full-size blender, double the recipe so the blades can reach all the ingredients. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 days; you can freeze the extra for use within the next month. Note that for a creamier chutney, you can add 3 tablespoons of whole fat yogurt, but it can’t be frozen.

Pao Bhaji

Madly popular in Mumbai, Pao Bhaji is what Chef Sunderamhas called our version of a “vegetarian Sloppy Joe.” It’s on the weekend menu at Bindaas, and served aboard an Indian yeast roll, the Ladi Pao (the next recipe).

Serves 4

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

1 cup cauliflower florets

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

4 Ladi Pao (see headnote)

Masala

3 tablespoons canola oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 cups finely chopped yellow onion

2 cups finely chopped tomato

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

4 tablespoons pav bhaji masala, such as MDH brand

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Thai green chili

¼ medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

¼ medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

½ cup English peas (fresh or frozen)

2 medium Idaho potatoes, boiled, peeled, cooled and coarsely grated

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup water

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the carrots, cauliflower, ¼ teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain the vegetables and let them cool. Chop them finely by pulsing them in a food processor. 

Make the masala. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil until it shimmers. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and soft.

Stir in the tomatoes. Return the heat to high and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes have turned into a mashed consistency and most of the water has evaporated.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the ¼ teaspoon turmeric, pav bhaji masala, chopped ginger, Thai green chili, red and green peppers, peas, potatoes and chopped cauliflower and carrots. Stir to combine well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the butter, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 cup water and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro.

Serve hot in bowls with Ladi Pao and Kachumber on the side.

Ladi Pao

Ladi means “sheet” in Hindi and Pao means “bread.” Indian bakeries churn out dozens of sheets of these soft, fluffy yeast rolls daily, many destined for food trucks or restaurants to be served with Pao Bhaji. Some food historians believe the Portuguese introduced these soft buns to India, but wherever their origin, they are very popular for casual Indian dining.

Makes 20 rolls

4½ teaspoons (2 packets) rapid-rise yeast

3 tablespoons sugar 

1¼ cups warm (110°F) water

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 

⅓ cup instant milk powder, such as Carnation brand

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter 

1 large egg, plus 1 large beaten egg, for egg washing

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon milk

Put the yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ cup warm water in a medium bowl. Give it a stir and let it activate for 10 minutes, until it foams vigorously. 

Then, put the flour, milk powder, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with dough hook attachment. Run on low speed for 30 seconds to mix the dry ingredients. Turn the machine off.

Add the activated yeast mixture, 1 egg, softened butter and remaining ¾ cup water to the dry ingredients. Run the machine on medium-low until the dough comes together around the hook. Remove the hook, scraping any dough off of it and adding it to the bowl. Cover with film wrap and let it rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 

Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Dust the counter with flour. Dust your hand generously with flour to turn the dough out onto the counter. (It will be a little bit sticky.) With floured hands, knead it a few times until it is only a bit tacky.

Weigh the dough and divide the weight by 20. Then weigh out portions of that weight (about 2 ounces) and roll them into balls using the palms of your hands. Fit dough balls into the baking dish in 4 rows of 5. They will be touching each other. Cover loosely with film wrap and let the rolls double in size, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F while the rolls are rising. 

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with the milk. With a pastry brush, brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden, turning the pan around halfway through so they brown evenly. Remove the rolls from the oven and brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve in a breadbasket lined with napkins, folding their edges over the rolls to keep them warm. 

Mango lassi is a must have with spicy food. To make a serving for eight, blend 64 ounces of full-fat, plain yogurt, 2 cups of mango pulp, 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder, honey or sugar to taste and a couple of ice cubes. Voila!

All Systems Go for The Wharf Opening Kick-Off Oct. 12

New Water Taxi Previewed Today With DC Mayor and Media

By Susan Able, Edible DC

Hank's Oyster Bar will be launching their newest location at The Wharf, and owner Jamie Leeds could not be more thrilled to have her first seafood restaurant actually on the water! Her cheerful marketing team served up lobster rolls at the taxi preview, from left, Shane Mayson, Sabrina Zahid and Erin Lucas.

The Wharf may have felt like it was a long time coming, but the results are worth it. A tour of the new development from the water today was a great way to understand the enormity of the project, its design as a entertainment destination and just how much new access to the water DMV residents will have when it fully opens.

Think large scale; there is almost a mile of promenade for walking, sitting, shopping and eating. Twenty new restaurants, from casual to fine dining will help on the eating front and four public piers will provide access to the water by paddleboarding, kayaking and even room for docking boats. The developers envision activating the piers with fitness classes and yoga, as well as performers and musicians. 

And yes, the completed buildings hold today's urban neighborhood blend of office, residential, retail space and three hotels. We noticed a new Politics and Prose bookstore (yay!) and lots of other interesting small shops like District Hardware, Harper McCaw chocolate and a new version of the iconic fish market. We've been eagerly awaiting Fabio and Maria Trabocchi's Del Mar, and well as the Italian Market by Nick Stefanelli. Other restaurants scheduled to open soon are Mike Isabella and Jennifer Carroll's Requin, Belgian restaurant Florentijn owned by former Belgian embassy chef Jan Van Haute, Kaliwa by Cathal Armstrong, Mi Vida by Roberto Santibañez, Hank’s Oyster Bar, La Vie, Potomac Distilling Company’s Rum Distillery and our second outpost of Rappahannock Oyster Bar.

The Wharf will give DC new access to the waterfront for entertainment, living and working. By the numbers there are 1,375 residences, 800 hotel rooms, 335,000 sq. ft. of restaurant and retail space, 945,000 sq. feet of office space, and a 6,000 seat new concert venue. And, 2,500 underground parking spaces.

Not enough to do, right? The owners of the 9:30 Club are opening The Anthem, a concerts and events venue with a capacity of up to 6,000.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser was on hand to talk to the press and take a ride at the launch of the Water Taxi service from the new transportation pier at The Wharf.

The Water Taxi will leave from the Transit Pier and connect The Wharf to Georgetown and Alexandrian, and in 2018 will also go to National Harbor. We're so happy to see the water taxi employed to use the river as a transportation resource. You can enjoy the ride, take in the view and skip the road traffic. And even more good news that will help give access to one of DC's gems: A smaller jitney (it's free!) will make runs to always lovely Hains Point for picnicking, walking and biking.

A view of The Wharf from the water taxi as it cruised towards Alexandria.

For more information on this weekend's opening festivities and on the project, go to www.wharfdc.com

It’s the 10th Anniversary of Farm-to-School Week in Virginia!

As part of the Farm to School Week celebration, school children and families around the Commonwealth are invited to “crunch” into a Virginia Grown apple for “The Crunch Heard ’Round the Commonwealth” at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Photo courtesy of VDACS.

By Susan Able, Edible DC

This week, Oct. 2-6, Virginia celebrates Farm to School Week. The 10th anniversary for an annual program coordinated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) with support from many other statewide partners. Now in its 10th year, the program raises awareness of fresh, Virginia grown products available throughout the year.

On a typical day, Virginia’s K-12 public schools serve 313,796 breakfasts, 643,432 lunches and 10,782 after-school snacks, according to the VDOE. In fact, in a recent USDA survey of more than 1,300 Virginia schools, approximately half of their meals and snacks, on average, contain products from local produce, meat and dairy farmers. The Virginia Farm-to-School program connects schools directly with Virginia farmers and local fresh food distributors, giving school children greater access to fresh, local food and increased market opportunities for Virginia farmers.

“Having locally produced foods available in our schools sends a strong educational message to our students,” said Dr. Robert Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “Our students see that eating healthy local fresh foods is not only good for them, it’s good for the environment, it’s good for their community. This is a great opportunity to connect our great agricultural resources with another great resource — our students.” 

Does a Biologist Forage Juniper for Your Gin?

Made in the USA: DC's District Distilling Crafts Gin from Native Juniper

By AJ Dronkers and Susan Able, EdibleDC

Molly Cummings may be the only juniper forager in Texas who is making commercial gin.

A DC distillery that has created their craft gin program around native botanicals from Texas? Yes, that would be District Distilling on the corner of 14th and U Streets NW.

Unique in the gin industry? Yes, again.

"99% of gins are made from the common juniper which is harvested in Europe," explains District Distilling's co-owner Molly Cummings, who also happens to be a biology professor at the University of Texas and Forager-in-chief for District Distilling. She emphasizes to us, "Really, no other distillery is foraging at this level. We've made a pretty intense commitment to harvesting U.S. juniper, so it's likely we'll keep standing out in the in the spirits industry."

Speaking to Edible DC from London last week, Molly was showing her gin at tastings organized by the Distilled Spirits Council at an export promotion sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was thrilled at the warm reception by British gin experts. "Our Checkerbark Dry Style Gin is very much what you think of when you think of gin--juniper forward--so that evergreen taste and nose. We've gotten a terrific response to Checkerbark, but our WildJune, which we make as a Western-style gin and it is very different as we use those red juniper berries and 11 other ingredients including other botanicals and cinnamon, has really had a fantastic response. The British and European gin experts have been over the moon about it and it's a rush to have created something that getting that kind of response."

A handfull of Checkerbark juniper berries.

When juniper berries are ready for harvest, Molly hops in her pickup truck and heads to the Davis Mountains in southwest Texas to forage and hand-harvest two varieties of juniper for District Distilling's gin, the Checkerbark juniper and the redberry juniper. They are both quite different from each other. The Checkerbark tree, named after it distinctive bark, has berries that are green and angular. The wild red juniper puts out a juicier berry, almost like a tiny cranberry with a similar flavor. District Distilling's distiller, Matt Strickland, then makes three American-style gins with Texan juniper: Checkerbark Dry Style Gin named for the rare juniper with distinctive bark, the Checkerbark Juniper; WildJune, which uses the native wild redberry juniper, and Checkerbark Barrel Rested, a bourbon barrel-aged version of the Checkerbark Gin.

"I've got the best job of any of us," Molly tells us, referring to her siblings who pooled resources to launch District Distilling in 2016. Her brother, DC resident Michael Cummings and co-owner, is on point to manage operations. From the start, as a biologist and gin aficionado, Molly knew that local juniper could really differentiate their company's gin and also keep their commitment to using local ingredients. She's proud of the fact that District Distilling is the only distillery in the U.S. to build a gin program on hand-harvested junipers.

Checkerbark Barrel Rested American Dry Gin nestled in the nook of the tree that provided its botanical flavoring, the Checkerbark juniper.

Juniper berries are famous for their role in flavoring gin. The word gin is derived from the French genievre, or juniper. Another fact: Juniper berries are not real berries. They're cones with scales so miniature and packed down that you can't even see the scales — instead, they appear as round berries. There are some 60 species of juniper found around the world, growing in different ways: some as shrubs, low and sprawling; some more upright as trees. In North America, there are 13 indigenous species that grow wild. And only female trees have berries.

You can taste the Checkerbark Dry Style, Checkerbark Barrel Rested Dry and WildJune gins at District Distilling Co. 1414 U St., NW. Want to buy a bottle? The Retail Shop at District Distilling sells the gin or you can buy online.

A Recap: Waffles & Wellness

By AJ Dronkers. Photos by Rachel Maucieri

At Edible DC, we are invited guests to many food gatherings, (it's a tough job, right?), but we love to host events too, so we are always on the prowl for new ideas that will delight guests. That's why when Greenheart Juice Shop and Heirloom Catering partned to host a fall event called Waffles & Wellness, designed to be a local artisan maker sit down brunch, we knew we would be left spinning with design inspiration. Here's a photo recap of how they transformed an empty retail space. 

Overall catering, styling and design by HeirloomDC  @heirloomdc -- love the hanging glass bottles with flowers as a chandelier centerpiece. 

The mixture of lush and rustic works really well here -- in particular digging the menus done by @papercranecalligraphy.

Love their use of edible flowers throughout the meal. They got these from urban farm @littlewildthingsfarm -- you can buy their sprouts at Glen's Garden Market or the Bloomingdale Farmers Market.

Flowers by Darling & Daughters @darlinganddaughters adorn the build your own smooth bar by @greenheartjuiceshop.

@greenheartjuiceshop empty mason jars for guests to select their own smoothie fixings.

@greenheartjuiceshop

Furniture & Tabletop Pieces by Something Vintage Rentals @smthingvintage

Produce from Washington Green Grocer @greengrocerdc

(The event was hosted in the previous Kit & Ace Georgetown retail space. @kitandace.)
 

DC’s Fast Casual Eateries and the Sustainable Supply Chain

What Does It Take to Make a Commitment to Sourcing Local or Organic?

By AJ Dronkers & Susan Able -- Illustrations by Gavin Roarke

They have likely become part of your regular dining repertoire. Located seemingly everywhere, you walk by them, you crave them, and yes there are apps for that. Fast-casual eateries are on the rise across the region, and the DMV has been the birthplace for many shooting stars of the genre. Some that have seen national success include Sweetgreen, CAVA, Elevation Burger and &Pizza. Takorean, Beefsteak and Taylor Gourmet are seeing tremendous success and growing locally.

The rise of DC’s fast-casual segment mirrors what is happening nationally amid a shrinkage in all other restaurant categories, including full-service and fine-dining restaurants.

Part of the growth is attributed to popularity among millennials—a population that DC has attracted en masse. Demographic research suggests that the professional millennial cohort have demanding jobs, working more and therefore cooking a little less. They also appear to be the driver for demanding healthier, sustainable and/or organic food at an approachable price point.

Many of these brands emphasize sourcing locally and sustainably, and they are expanding rapidly. So how do they manage their supply chain to fulfill their initial mission, the one that helped them build a core of followers?

Sourcing local, sustainable and ethical food isn’t always easy. And we take for granted getting quality fast-casual food for around $10. How are companies able to deliver that when they have a mission to invest in better food sourcing? We decided to find out more about how local fast casuals were dealing with supply chain issues and we talked with the founders of two local food start-ups. After our conversations, it’s clear a lot of passion and dedication goes into creating fast-casual concepts that care. Their investment in small farmers, processors and even the transportation system means lower profits, but a long-term gain of better food, a healthier environment, eager new markets and a stronger community of loyal customers.

CAVA grill started here in DC in 2006 and has grown to over 21 locations across Maryland, Virginia, New York and now California. Their healthy fast-casual Mediterranean concept has helped make harissa and “crazy feta” popular at grocers like Whole Foods Market, which sells CAVA spreads in over 160 stores. CAVA’s expansion has been driven by substantive venture capital (VC) funding.

EDIBLE DC: Restaurant concepts are often a risk. Why do these VC firms see investing in fast-casual as a smart investment?

Brett Schulman CAVA COO

Brett Schulman (CAVA chief operating officer): They love that we are a mission-based, healthy-lifestyle brand, making a positive impact throughout our supply chain. All investors are seeing disruption in the world of food. Similar to when Whole Foods disrupted the grocery market, we have disrupted fast-food.

In 2016, CAVA announced a partnership with a local lamb farm called Border Springs out of Southwest Virginia. But that partnership really took work to figure out. We met and talked with Border Springs owner Craig Rogers, and we knew we wanted to work with this man who had so much passion, but it took two years to bring it to fruition.

EDC: How did sourcing local, grass-fed, antibiotic-free lamb come into reality?

Brett: What gets me so excited—we had two partners who were relentless in the pursuit of figuring it out: Craig Rogers and us. We had looked at a lot of different prices. Can we get it at a price that supports the farmer but also works for our customers? It took a lot of grit and passion to find the balance.

EDC: What were some of the obstacles after you identified Border Springs as a good fit?

Brett: The local meat processing side is a challenge. Small and medium meat processors have either closed or have been gobbled up. So even though the “buy local” meat movement has grown, there isn’t as much infrastructure to support the process. Another challenge was distribution. Distribution and transportation are some of the highest costs associated with goods. After two years, we found a processor that could process the lamb effectively at the volume we needed, keep humane standards, adhere to our standards and scale with the growth.

EDC: So with all of this “grit and passion” to make it reality, how do you stay profitable?

Brett: We have to sacrifice margin on some of our end, obviously. But our assembly-line service and other aspects of business where we save money means we can invest that savings into other parts like sourcing local.

Elevation Burger, a 100% organic grass-fed beef fast-casual, started here in Northern Virginia and has expanded to 60+ units including locations across the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Quatar. They are one of the largest fast-casual sellers of grass-fed beef in the country. AJ Dronkers sat down with co-founder and VP of Supply Chain Michael Berger.

EDC: Why was going with grass-fed beef so important to you?

Elevation Burger 

Michael Berger (Elevation vice president): We set out to change the industrial complex of beef agriculture. We do advocacy, recently testifying in Maryland in support of stricter livestock regulation around vaccine and antibiotic use that is resulting in resistant bacteria. Hans Hess, our founder, was working on Capitol Hill in late 1990s doing research on antibiotic use in livestock and the resulting human sickness from these superbugs. While there may not be a Whole Foods Market in rural parts of the U.S., we knew that there could be an Elevation Burger to provide people a good healthy product at the right price point. And ultimately, if we create enough market for organic beef, we could create change in our food system.

EDC: How do you source 100% organic grass-fed beef for so many locations?

Michael: We have a multi-country sourcing strategy. It was hard to find just one place that could handle our volume. We’ve had to help farmers get certified, and help educate producers on going organic in exchange for priority on product. We are buying from over 100 small beef farmers.

EDC: How does the sustainability and health consciousness of your brand resonate with consumers? Does it make a difference?

Michael: When we look at our data—how people make decisions on where they eat, it isn’t necessarily about the quality. Proximity, costs and taste play a large role. About a ⅓ of our guests are really responding to product attributes such as non-GMO, no hormones, organic, grass-fed, etc.

EDC: Tell me how these values play out in a franchise model. How do you guarantee the ethos of your mission, brand and values with new owners all over the world?

Michael: All our franchisees believe in what we are doing. For example, we have Muslim franchises and they are proud of our halal meat. Our expansions in markets where they don’t have access to clean meat attracts other investors. Or parents who said they opened their eyes to organic when they had kids. There are a lot of different burger franchises that you can buy out there—so we tend to attract people who really care about organic.

Beefsteak is the new veggie-centric fast-casual concept from Chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup. With five outlets so far, the concept at Beefsteak is similar to other multi-ingredient bowl fast-casual programs, where customers can design their own meal chosing from grains, to greens, to veggies and sauces. And while Beefsteak puts veggies “center stage,” it is not vegetarian with toppings in the form of cheese, chicken, eggs and salmon. Susan Able spoke to a man with one of DC’s great job titles, chief of produce, former farmer Bennett Haynes, about the challenge of keeping it fresh and local.

EDC: When a restaurant focuses on veggies as the main ingredient, what kind of pressure is on you to find the top-quality produce?

Beefsteak 

Bennett Hayes (chief of produce, Beefsteak): I was a farmer in New Jersey myself before I came to Beefsteak, so I love farming and growing things, and I used to grow for restaurants and work in kitchens during the winters, so I understood how restaurants work with menu development to make things profitable. My first goal was to understand Beefsteak’s food costs and supply needs. We definitely buy commodity produce, I’m not going to greenwash that—we go through 600 pounds of broccoli a week and the reality is that a lot of it is coming from California.

EDC: What bar have you set for buying local—what kind of importance does that have for you?

Bennett: So our local focus is buying stuff in season. We work with our broker to develop those relationships and I go to farm markets and bring in vendors to promote—like Toigo Orchards, who has great apples and also produces high-quality tomatoes.

Tomatoes are a good example of what we do with local produce. In season, from July to early October, we can source our tomatoes locally. Our goal is to access as much local produce as possible: fruit crops, apples, squash, butternut squash. Local sourcing hasn’t been part of our marketing—we’ve been more focused on promoting quality. But our brand is a work in progress and we’re still defining our purchasing program.

EDC: Can local farmers grow enough produce for Beefsteak?

Bennett: Yes, vegetable by vegetable. Opportunities are there for local growers who want to specialize. A farmer with a 50- to 100-acre farm can go big on something and see if that pays off. At the end of the day, the farmer needs to grow and grow revenue, so the question is, ‘What could work for wholesale?’ At the same time, restaurants beyond Beefsteak have to be open to what wholesale really means and need to accommodate what is in season. For example, we need to see turnips as sexy—they are available all winter long, they are not expensive and can be used in a lot of different ways. A brand like ThinkFoodGroup, our parent, can develop different ways to use these sustainable vegetables to make them interesting and fun menu items.

EDC: What kinds of things keep the chief of produce up at night?

Bennett: I have very big concerns about the future of agriculture; our model based on surplus is pretty flawed and we should get back to local, regional agriculture. Our goal? A 500-mile foodshed is something we are working toward. Highlighting the focus on our region’s top produce from Eastern Shore kale, to Carolina sweet potatoes, to Georgia stone fruit. The intention with creating a “chief of produce” role was to help drive these decisions about seasonality and promote great vegetables.