talk about it, some can fake it with locally recognized suppliers
that they might recognize but don't really know but only a few
can actually pull it off.
After my father told me about Vivian and Ben at Chef & The Farmer
in Kinston, North Carolina story boards flashed through my
mind like a bed time tale. Vivian's father, John Howard is a hog farmer
with significant acreage just outside of Kinston, her friend/ advisor
Ray Collier raises hogs in North Carolina too. After I arrived at
Chef & The Farmer this morning for an introductory chat, Warren Brothers
a Kinston farmer walked in to discuss the afternoon's vegetable harvest.
He wanted to know if they'd like flowers too.
The play's been written as I imagined it, the stage is set with tables
and chairs crafted from local pine, Kinston natives staff the kitchen,
the lighting's just right, Vivian Howard is the real deal. Vivian's husband
Ben makes the circle complete as he shares a calming sensibility. Ben's
the in house artist/ business man, walking tall, wearing the soft glove
with a firm hand.
As we toured about the restaurants dining rooms (3), kitchen spaces (3)
and wine shop, I was amazed. This young couple has experienced the joy
of designing and launching a dream restaurant. If the odds were against
them on the front end of their project, it looks like the tide has turned.
After 5 years of dedicated service the Chef &The Framer team is in place,
tables are active. The actors are hitting their marks, reciting lines on que
and reaching for the stars.
A review of the menu hardly makes it clear but each item comes
from a member of the community that quietly benefit from Vivan
and Ben's talent. Butterbean Hummus and pickled vegetables can
be sourced directly to Warren and the pita they share a plate with is
prepared from scratch in the open kitchen daily, I tried it and all is
fantastic. The Farmer's Wedge comes finished with Neuske's bacon,
ask a server about Neuske and there's sure to be a story.
Not to say that this restaurant has made life easier for the community,
life in the fields of North Carolina is honest and clean but no single
restaurant is going to make it easier. What this restaurant does do is
share a view, through new eyes that have a passion to do it a little
differently. With dignity and grace, day in and day out. If you visit
central North Carolina, don't drive past with out stopping in.
The Chef and The Farmer will make it time well spent.
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