A Chef Plays Farmer – Living His Own Sustainable Food System
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(Guest Article written by Ami Beach-Shadle)
The concept of Farm to Table, in its purest sense conjures images of wholesome foods being plucked right from the garden and served directly to the table.
Quaint - and most of the time, an oversold as a marketing tactic.
What happens when a real chef wakes up every morning and practices what he preaches?
What happens when a Chef goes one step beyond lip service to preserving CT farmlands, and actually grows his own nutritious foods?
What happens you ask? Pure, unadulterated magic.
Chef Mark Shadle went out and bought himself a farm and has become one of the organic suppliers for his very own restaurant he co-owns in Middletown CT, called Its Only Natural.
Two years ago a historic farmhouse in Durham caught Mark's eye. He purchased the 270 -year-old property, known as the Newton Homestead, in February 2008. The Newton Homestead, now called Shadle Farm, is a country-lovers paradise complete with gigantic hearths, two barns and stonewalls reclaimed from the Newton family homes. There is a fresh stream that runs at the edge of the property that grows an abundance of fresh watercress year- round.
This two-acres Chefs Playground is a Mecca for mastering the Art of Nutrient-dense farming. Wait . . . nutrient -what?
Nutrient Dense Farming (NFD) aims to create a highly functioning soil ecosystem in which the crops that are harvested have a measurably greater quantity of broad spectrum of minerals, vitamins, phyto-nutrients and antioxidants than either conventional or many certified organic crops. Dan Kitterdge, Founder and Director of the Read Food Campaign has made it his mission of helping farmers succeed at producing Nutrient Dense Food all over the world- and Mark had the honor of studying with him and is applying those techniques at Shadle Farm moving forward.
To incorporate his love for farming and cooking, Mark along with his wife Ami, a holistic nutritionist, owner of the Colonics Institute. and impetus of the Detox and Divine Nectar Blogs, have created cooking classes at Shadle Farm, that will launch this spring 2010.
So who is this radical Chef guy? This Food Revolutionary?
Chef Mark Shadle credits his mother for his interests in slow foods and sourcing locally. "She was a great inspiration to me," he says. "We had an enormous garden. Part of my chores was to help with the gardens-watering plants, weeding, harvesting and snapping string beans." (SCORE ONE FOR MOM!)
Mark is largely self -taught, but he credits his mentorship under Chris Perdue at L'American while it was a prominent French restaurant in Hartford from 84'-89'. He worked with many chefs over the years, but credits Perdue and his mom the most.
A Middletown native, Mark started out at the original La Boca when he was a teen and then worked in a number of other restaurants throughout the state. His part time job at ION, "It's Only Natural" in 1989 turned into a full time gig when he bought the business from the original owner Ken Bergeron in 1993. believing that following a diet that is local and fresh -leads to optimal health and vitality.
Chef Mark continues to support eating locally grown foods whenever possible and a vegetarian diet to this day and through out his career Mark's extensive knowledge, hands on experience, deep respect for food and nature has made his approach to holistic cuisine completely unique and his own style!
Chefs of the world take note! In the time before Mark Shadle there were farmers, and then there were chefs.
Now there are Chermers. Or would that be Farfs?
To book a reservation for Chef Mark & Ami's Dinners @ Shadle Farm, Mark Shadle @ 860-983-3831 or Ami @ 860-989-5020.
