Ep. 24 – Harvesting Connections: A Convo on Sustainability in Food Service
In this episode of the 5-in-20 podcast, I had an enlightening convo with Chef Alex, who is currently the operations manager at Harvest, a dining venue located within Rutgers Dining at the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health (IFNH). And someone I would consider a trailblazer for sustainability.We chatted about her concept of "Happy Kitchens" and the unique dining experience at Harvest. The focus is clearly on building connections with both customers and staff. Chef Alex emphasizes a holistic approach to sustainability that incorporates social and economic factors in addition to environmental concerns. The social aspect is too often overlooked. She also stresses the importance of education in fostering a passion for sustainable practices within the culinary industry. I also love their approach to having a plant-forward menu without being restrictive to plant-based foods.






