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Oct 02 2025
49

What Chefs Want advocates to get farm fresh foods into Kentucky schools

By | Local, Local and Specialty

Kentucky Department of Agriculture work multiple programs to connect local farmers with schools.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 1, 2025) – For nearly 30 years the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (DoD Fresh) has worked to increase access to farm fresh produce for school children through various funding sources.

Operating through a partnership between the USDA and the DoD Defense Logistics Agency, as well as the state distributing agencies in each participating state, DoD Fresh has programs in 49 states, including Kentucky, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. USDA does not impose a cap on the amount of USDA Foods entitlement used through this program and allocations may be changed on several dates throughout the year.

But even with the program, getting farm fresh products into schools can sometimes take an advocate. For Kentucky, that’s where What Chefs Want (WCW) steps in. As the state vendor for DoD Fresh, WCW delivers fresh, local fruits and vegetables to schools.

“Studies show farm produce from a local source has more nutrients than those that have to be shipped longer distances,” Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell said. “Healthier, more nutrient dense meals make for a child that is more focused, alert, and ready to learn. Partnering with What Chefs Want has allowed Kentucky schools to focus on nutrition closer to home, benefiting local farmers and school children alike.”

WCW, a family-owned foodservice distribution service created and headquartered in Kentucky, is one of the state’s dedicated partners for school nutrition. WCW works to help Kentucky and neighboring states’ schools procure fruits and vegetables from Kentucky farmers.

“Commissioner Shell and his team at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture have set the bar high – and we at What Chefs Want are responding with programs like none other in the United States,” said Anna Haas, WCW Local Food Program Director. “Together, we are ensuring more farmers, children, schools, and families across the Commonwealth can build a healthy farm to school economy through local food distribution.” 

WCW works with schools that want to divert some or all of their USDA Foods in Schools funds to the DoD Fresh program. Since the beginning of the 2025 school year, 504 Kentucky school locations have participated in the program, with 2,535 cases of Kentucky grown produce going to school cafeterias. By the end of October, at least 14 Kentucky farms and farmer aggregators will have participated including Barbour Farms, Barr Farms, Bosch Berries, Cornett Farm Fresh, Dennison Farms, Gallrein Farms, Goodin View Farms, Homegrown Direct, Kentucky Fresh Harvest, Mount Pleasant Acres, Stepping Stone Farm, Sustainable Harvest Farms, and multiple other family farms working under Farmers Alliance and H+H Farms. 

WCW provides a catalog of options for those schools including obtaining farm-fresh produce. Kentucky’s growing season from the first day of school in August through first frost in October allows for the purchase of farm-fresh favorites such as sweet corn, watermelon, red round tomatoes, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, green bell peppers, yellow onions, and red onions.

For October and beyond, WCW will also add from Kentucky farms sweet potatoes, winter squash, apples, and greenhouse-grown strawberries.

Schools wanting to add additional items outside DoD Fresh can also receive in their deliveries Kentucky farmers’ frozen fruit, frozen sweet corn, school-approved salsas and marinara sauces plus local meat, dairy, eggs, and broadline goods.

“When students know they can eat local farm-raised food, it enhances and raises student participation, which we have at between 80 and 100 percent,” said Jack Miniard, Food Service Director for Harlan County Public Schools and Appalachian Challenge Academy. “The flavor cannot be beat when it’s packed fresh, delivered fresh, with that great quality.”

Last year, Kentucky schools spent about $7 million in funding with DoD Fresh. In the past, most of that product typically came from out of state, but WCW is working to provide local options for schools and keep that money with Kentucky farmers.

The DoD Fresh contract isn’t the only way school districts are purchasing local produce. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is always working on ways to connect schools with local producers through KDA’s current Farm to School program.

To learn more about What Chefs Want and its local offerings, including for Schools, visit the What’s Local Now webpage at whatchefswant.com/local-food-now/ or email schools@whatchefswant.com.

To learn more about KDA’s Farm to School program, visit the Department’s website at kyagr.com/consumer/farm-to-school.html.

Sep 18 2025
48

Compostable Favorites for Takeout: Fiber Plates & TPLA Cutlery

By | Catering, Paper / To-Go

Takeout doesn’t just need to travel well—it needs to impress. That’s why chefs across the country are turning to World Centric® compostable fiber plates and TPLA cutlery. Our molded fiber plates hold up to saucy dishes and look good doing it, while our plant-based cutlery gives guests the feel of traditional utensils without the plastic. These aren’t just eco-friendly options—they’re tools that let your food shine, from kitchen to customer.

Molded Fiber Plates: Strong, Sustainable, and Versatile

Made from unbleached plant fiber, these molded plates are designed to handle just about anything your kitchen serves up. Available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, they’re perfect for entrées, sides, and everything in between.

  • Durable & Heat Safe – Withstand liquids up to 220°F and are freezer friendly.

  • Compostable – Break down fully in commercial composting facilities, turning into healthy soil.

  • Sustainable – Made from annually renewable plant fibers, with no petroleum wax or plastic lining.

From saucy ribs to hearty salads, these plates keep your food secure while helping you meet sustainability goals.

Plant-Based TPLA Cutlery: Strong Enough to Reuse

Cutlery is often the trickiest part of making takeout eco-friendly, but World Centric’s TPLA cutlery delivers strength, reliability, and compostability all in one. Made from plant sugars and minerals, these forks, knives, and spoons feel just like traditional plastic but without the petroleum.

  • Durable & Reusable – Won’t snap mid-service.

  • Options for Every Operation – Available individually wrapped, in kits, or in bulk.

  • Compostable Wrappers – Even the cellulose wrapper is certified compostable.

  • Trusted Quality – Certified by NSF, a global authority on food safety and sustainability.

Plus, the signature teardrop-shaped opening lets your customers know they’re making a better choice for the planet.

What Compostable Really Means

When we say “compostable,” it’s not just a buzzword. Certified compostable products:

  • Break down into water, CO₂, and organic matter.
  • Fully disintegrate within 90 days in a commercial composting facility.
  • Leave behind no harmful residues.

    That means a smaller footprint for your business and a healthier planet for all.

Why It Matters for Foodservice

Sustainability isn’t just good for the earth—it’s smart business. The disposable foodservice products market is projected to grow 3.8% annually, reaching $33.2 billion by 2027, with sustainable products leading the way. Offering compostable options shows your customers that you care about their values, while keeping your business ahead of industry trends.

A Partner for People and the Planet

World Centric® isn’t just about products—we’re about impact. As a Certified B Corporation, we donate 25% of profits to grassroots social and environmental organizations around the world, while also accounting for the carbon emissions from production to delivery. Every purchase helps fund real change for people and the planet.

Ready to make your takeout more sustainable? Choose World Centric® fiber plates and TPLA cutlery—durable, certified compostable, and designed with both your business and the environment in mind.

Central Region – World Centric

Colorado Region – World Centric

Southern Region – World Centric

Sep 04 2025
48

Why Local Matters to Our Chefs

By | Farm To Table, Local, Local and Specialty, Produce

Being in the food business for over 35 years, we’ve encountered lovers of local food across all sectors and walks of life, but the chefs we work with want local products for a few simple reasons. 

1. Our Chefs Want the Best Products.

Our chefs want local food sourcing – ingredients that come from trusted sources and travel short distances. Procuring the freshest ingredients just harvested from nearby farms, ranches, fishing boats, dairies, and cheese caves, sets their dishes apart with incredible quality and unique storytelling opportunities. 

Like Snowville Creamery in Pomeroy, OH, whose buttermilk we take to Biscuit Love in Nashville, TN, to make those biscuits rich and fluffy. 

At Café 1485 in Newnan, GA, Chef Darin Richard raves about the breakfast sausage, chicken sausage, and andouille we bring from Heywood Provisions, a premium butchery in Marietta, GA.  Chef Darin says:

“It’s the only sausage I will use! We have a few recipes that rely on Heywood. Sausage gravy for biscuits, meat lovers’ omelets, and of course we form sausage patties for plates. I also love the smoked andouille.” 

These are the kinds of fresh superstar products our chefs pride themselves on offering. 

We offer the traceability and transparency that make our chefs confident they are serving the highest quality product to their diners. The stops along the way from farm to table are few, simple and handled with care. 

2. We Make Buying Local Easy.

Our Sales and Customer Service teams know local. They are equipped with quick info sheets and regularly updated product lists to reflect the seasonality of local offerings. That seasonality can make coordinating directly with farmers tricky, but it’s also one of the things that makes serving local ingredients so special and exciting for chefs and diners. 

Think about spring ramps, summer peaches, and fall heritage-breed turkeys or foraged mushrooms. Those are the local, seasonal specialties that get everyone excited about dining. But hitting the farmers markets every morning or calling around while you’re supposed to be in the kitchen just to track down these ingredients can be a big-time commitment. Making sure the vendors meet your needs consistently adds another layer of work. You need reliable, ready access to local ingredients. That’s where we come in.  

Our education-driven approach means we work with small and medium-sized producers to get their products to the spec of our chefs, helping them through crop planning, and brand development.  

That means when chefs log into our ordering platform, all they have to do is check the local list and click to pick. Simple as that. Learn how to search for local products on our ordering platform in the quick video below.

3. Our Chefs Care.

They eat too. They’re leaders in their communities. They want to support other local food businesses and invest in the economy where they live and work.  

They have personal commitments to sustainability, nutrition, responsible practices in the supply chain, local food sourcing and more. 

Just like many of the diners they serve, our chefs are values-driven, and when they cook with the local food we deliver, they’re proud of the impact they’re making. Beyond local produce delivery, we help them reflect on and share that impact, by supporting them in tracking their local purchases for state Buy Local promotions and procurement commitments. We spotlight their efforts in shared marketing and messaging and share stories of partnerships between them and our farmers and food producers. 

University of Kentucky Dining is among our customers that have made local purchasing commitments. We work with them and other partners to help meet their goals.

Our chefs love local, and our Local Food Connection program makes sure they get it. 

If you want to learn more about the local products we offer, our local vendors, local produce deliver, and our Local Food Connection program, check out our Local Food Now page!