Chili is personal. Every chef has a version, and the best ones taste like where they come from. What Chefs Want’s Local Food Connection program helps make that happen: Farmers produce. Chefs create. We connect. We partner with small and medium-sized farms and food makers across our regions, handling the distribution and sales so growers can focus on growing and chefs can build menus around ingredients with a real story. To show what that looks like in a single bowl, we took the same dish on a road trip through three of our regions, building each chili from local products available right now. In the Central region, River Valley Red brings together Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana farms along the Ohio River. Down South, Sea Island Red pairs Lowcountry heirloom peas with Georgia chorizo and Florida datil heat. In the Rockies, Mile High Green is built around Colorado’s own Pueblo chile. Each one comes with a chef’s playbook, menu ideas, and the item numbers to make it your own. Pick your region and start cooking.
Every fall, the smell of roasting chiles drifts across Colorado. This year, we built a chili around it.
Milberger Farms’ Pueblo chiles are the backbone: meaty, thick-walled, and roasted until smoky. Add River Bear smoked turkey and bacon, and roasted Star Farms butternut, and you have a green chili that’s built from Colorado farms and food makers from start to finish.
Who’s in the Pot?
Milberger Farms — Pueblo green chiles, frozen for year-round consistency.
River Bear — smoked turkey and sliced bacon for smoke and body.
Golden Organics — organic sunflower oil to start the pot.
Star Farms — butternut squash, roasted and folded in.
Rice’s Lucky Clover — Colorado honey to round out the heat.
Royal Crest — sour cream to cool it down.
Infinite Harvest — micro cilantro to finish.
The Chef’s Playbook
No recipe here — just the building blocks. Take them and make the bowl your own.
Fat and smoke: Render River Bear bacon (#23052) in Golden Organics sunflower oil (#19869) and keep the fat for everything that follows.
Green chile: Milberger roasted Pueblo (#28422) is the base.
Protein: River Bear smoked turkey (#22928), pulled or diced. It’s already smoked, so it only needs time in the pot to soak up the chile.
Body: Roast Star Farms butternut (#36914) on its own until caramelized before folding it in.
Balance and finish: A spoonful of Rice’s Lucky Clover honey (#35848) tames the heat. Top with Royal Crest sour cream (#08134) and Infinite Harvest micro cilantro (#20679).
One Pot, Five Menu Ideas
Smothered burrito: The Colorado classic. Wrap fillings in a Raquelitas red chile flour tortilla (#35178) and smother it in green chili.
Green chile nachos: Raquelitas cantina chips (#35174), chili, sour cream, and sliced fresh Pueblo.
Cornbread skillet: Bow & Arrow cornmeal (#35584) baked in cast iron and topped with chili.
Green chili and grits: Ladle it over Bow & Arrow white grits (#28121) for brunch.
Vegetarian version: Skip the meat, use Hazel Dell shiitakes (#19845) and extra butternut for body, and start the pot in sunflower oil.
Put it on your menu
Every item above is orderable through What Chefs Want’s Local Food Connection program. Open Cut+Dry, go to Local Produce under Browse Catalog, or filter by region to find local items. Need a large or standing order? Talk with your sales rep to make sure stock is set aside.
From the Carolina Lowcountry to St. Augustine, the Southern coast has its own pantry. This fall, we pulled it into a chili.
There are no local tomatoes or onions in our catalog this week, so we built a chili that doesn’t need them. Georgia chorizo and applewood bacon bring the color and smoke, Ellijay shiitakes bring the meatiness, and heirloom Sea Island Red Peas stand in for kidney beans. A datil pepper from Florida adds heat that is fruity, bright, and very local.
Who’s in the Pot?
Heywood’s Provision Co., GA — bulk chorizo and applewood slab bacon form the backbone.
Ellijay Mushrooms, GA — shiitakes for deep, savory body.
Marsh Hen Mill, SC — Sea Island Red Peas, a Lowcountry heirloom, plus yellow grits to serve it over.
Magnolia Hill Farm, FL — datil peppers, the signature heat of St. Augustine.
Georgia Olive Farm, GA — extra virgin olive oil to start the pot.
Southern Swiss Dairy, GA — heavy cream for a cool, tangy finish.
Sweet Grass Dairy, GA — Gouda for grating over the top.
Legacy Greens, FL — micro cilantro and micro leeks to finish.
The Chef’s Playbook
No recipe here — just the building blocks. Take them and make the bowl your own.
Fat and smoke: Render Heywood’s applewood bacon (#38422) in Georgia Olive Farm olive oil (#36038–36044), then brown the chorizo (#38423) in that fat. The chorizo’s paprika and chile give the pot its red color without tomatoes.
Meaty body: Ellijay shiitakes (#35539), seared hard in a hot pan before they go in so they brown instead of steam.
Peas: Marsh Hen Mill Sea Island Red Peas (#33918). They cook faster than most dried beans and hold their shape, so keep an eye on them.
Heat: Magnolia Hill datil peppers (#29223) with Florida/Georgia green bells (#35406). Datils are very hot, so start with one and taste before adding more.
Sweetness: NC sweet potatoes (#39466), roasted separately and folded in at the end.
Finish: Southern Swiss heavy cream (#33544). For a crème fraîche-style topping, stir in a spoonful of buttermilk and let it sit at room temperature overnight. Top with grated Sweet Grass Gouda (#31648), Legacy Greens micro cilantro (#36412), and micro leeks (#36415).
One Pot, Five Menu Ideas
Chili and grits: Ladle it over creamy Marsh Hen Mill yellow grits (#38471) finished with Sweet Grass Gouda.
Cornbread skillet: Dayspring Farms cornmeal (#33601) baked in cast iron and topped with chili and micro cilantro.
Stuffed sweet potato: A whole roasted NC sweet potato split and filled with chili and cultured cream.
Mushroom-forward vegetarian: Skip the meat, double the shiitakes, and add Dream Big Farms lion’s mane (#36464) or chestnut mushrooms (#36466).
Breakfast bowl: Chili over grits with a fried egg and sliced datil for brunch service.
Put it on your menu
Every item above is orderable through What Chefs Want’s Local Food Connection program. Open Cut+Dry, go to Local Produce under Browse Catalog, or filter by region to find local items. Need a large or standing order? Talk with your sales rep to make sure stock is set aside.
The Ohio River ties Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana together. This fall, so does a pot of chili.
As the weather cools, our Central farm list shifts from summer peppers to hard squash and pumpkins. That overlap is the sweet spot for chili. Late-season peppers are still coming in from Kentucky, and fall squash is arriving from Indiana. Pair them with Kentucky beef and Indiana chorizo, and you have a bowl sourced almost entirely from farms and food makers within a few hours of your kitchen. The Ohio River ties Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana together. This fall, so does a pot of chili.
Who’s in the Pot?
Dennison Farms, Horse Cave, KY — yellow and red onions and jalapeños form the base.
Lobenstein Farm, St. Leon, IN — blue hubbard squash, roasted and folded in for sweetness and body.
Obenchain Farms, Hawesville, KY — frozen sweet corn, picked at peak and ready year-round.
Snowville Creamery, Pomeroy, OH — crème fraîche for a rich, tangy finish.
Queen City Farms, Williamsburg, OH — micro cilantro to top it off.
Kentucky ground beef and bacon, Indiana chorizo, and Kentucky chili powder, smoked paprika, chipotle blend, smoked salt, and sorghum round it out.
The Chef’s Playbook
No recipe here — just the building blocks. Take them and make the bowl your own.
Base: Dennison Farms yellow and red onions and green bell peppers, (#19227, #21992, #25600).
Protein: Ground beef from Black Hawk Farms (#55361) and Indiana chorizo (#23856). Start by browning the meat.
Body: Lobenstein Farm blue hubbard (#21479). Roast the hubbard hard on its own so it caramelizes before it hits the pot.
Heat and smoke: Dennison jalapeños (#22841) plus Kentucky chili powder, smoked paprika, and chipotle blend (#22525, #97164, #35510). Bloom the spices in fat before any liquid goes in.
Sweetness: Obenchain Farms sweet corn (#36230), added near the end so it keeps its snap.
Balance: A little Kentucky sorghum and Kaiser’s sliced pickled banana peppers (#93514, #90544) right before serving. Finish with smoked salt (#96002).
One Pot, Five Menu Ideas
Loaded nachos: Shagbark corn chips (#30964), chili, Country View pepper jack (#33309), pickled jalapeños, and a drizzle of crème fraîche.
Cornbread skillet: Weisenberger cornbread (#92224) baked in cast iron and topped with chili, and micro cilantro.
Hubbard bowl: Chili served in a roasted blue hubbard half as a fall feature.
Vegetarian version: Skip the meat and bacon, and add Kentucky sweet potatoes (#25810) alongside the hubbard.
Chili-cheese fries: Chili over fries with melted pepper jack.
Why crème fraîche?
It stays silky in a hot bowl instead of breaking, and its gentle tang cuts through the smoky chipotle and rich chorizo. It makes a weeknight chili feel like a menu item. Snowville’s Creme Fraiche is made exclusively from milk supplied by cows tested to have only A2/A2 genetics, this premium cultured cream provides outstanding quality and versatility for both sweet and savory applications.
Put it on your menu
Every item above is orderable through What Chefs Want’s Local Food Connection program. Open Cut+Dry, go to Local Produce under Browse Catalog, or filter by region to find local items. Need a large or standing order? Talk with your sales rep to make sure stock is set aside.
Edible Ohio Valley took a real look at what it actually takes to make local food work, not just in theory, but on a day‑to‑day, operational level. The piece highlights our Local Foods Connection program as part of that bridge between farms and kitchens, digging into the logistics, relationships, and infrastructure it takes to consistently get regional product where it needs to go. It’s a strong reminder that supporting local isn’t just a mindset, it’s a system that has to function at scale for chefs, schools, and institutions to rely on it.
“Supporting local takes more than good intentions. It requires consistent planning between farms, customers, and distributors to get the right products in a predictable timeframe.”
If you care about where your food comes from and how it actually gets to your kitchen, this one’s worth the read. Click the image below to read the full article!
What Chefs Want’s take on the shifts shaping menus in the year ahead
The pace of change in food and beverage hasn’t slowed. If anything, 2026 is shaping up to be a year defined by high-functioning ingredients, bold flavor work, and a return to timeless cooking foundations. For chefs, these trends signal new ways to design menus that are both practical and full of character. Below is a look at the movements gaining momentum and how WCW can help keep kitchens stocked for whatever comes next.
1. Powerhouse Protein
Protein is still ruling the conversation, but the story is getting more nuanced. Consumers want foods that satisfy, support wellness goals, and feel like a treat at the same time. That means protein is showing up in classic formats and unexpected places.
For chefs, this opens a lane to build dishes that feel indulgent without drifting into the overly heavy. High-protein desserts, savory takes on protein-packed breakfast bowls, and globally inspired preparations of plant-based proteins are becoming more common.
WCW can support this shift with a wide range of animal and plant proteins, along with specialty items like mung bean for operators who want to test out new formats on limited-time menus.
2. Gut Health and the Fiber Foothold
Fiber is having its moment again, and diners are paying attention to how certain ingredients make them feel. Prebiotic roots, functional beverages, and fiber-enriched pantry staples are fueling interest in foods that support digestion without sacrificing taste.
Chefs can tap into this movement by using more whole-grain pastas, legumes, fermented products, and produce-driven sides. Beverages with prebiotic add-ins or fiber-rich snacks for grab-and-go programs fit neatly into the trend as well.
WCW offers everything from ancient grains and specialty beans to kombuchas and fermented ingredients, making it easy to layer digestive benefits into recipes without reinventing the wheel.
3. Ancestral and Traditional Ingredients Make a Comeback
Tallow, heritage fats, and techniques rooted in older culinary traditions are returning. Diners are curious about the flavor and texture that come from ingredients their grandparents used, especially when paired with modern plating or refinement.
Chefs can bring depth and nostalgia to menus with tallow-fried potatoes, butter-forward sauces, vinegar-driven condiments, or house-made tonics. These ingredients pair well with simple preparations that let the natural character shine.
WCW sources a range of premium fats, global vinegars, and traditional pantry staples that help chefs explore these throwback flavors with consistent supply and quality.
4. Smarter, More Functional Beverages
Drinks are now expected to work harder. Consumers are gravitating to beverages that provide focus, calm, energy, or nourishment.
For chefs, this can influence both nonalcoholic programs and daypart expansions. Think house-made adaptogen lattes, RTD functional drinks at the counter, prebiotic spritzers, or hydration-focused mocktails that feel elevated but still practical.
WCW’s beverage lineup includes options designed for wellness-focused drink programs as well as ingredients to craft signature functional beverages in-house. We also have a line of dealcoholized wines, Maison Noel de France, that preserves the wine’s original structure, nuance and character, while removing the alcohol.
5. Flavor Innovation: Sweet, Spicy, Savory Layers
The boundary between categories is fading. Chefs are experimenting with combinations that blend sweet with spicy, tangy, or savory components.
This presents an opportunity to rethink sauces, glazes, desserts, and even beverages. Highlights include chili-spiked sweets, layered vinaigrettes, or desserts featuring unexpected spices. Global ingredients like gochujang, Aleppo pepper, and Chantico agave syrup fit squarely into this shift.
WCW’s global pantry makes it simple for chefs to test new combinations and introduce bold signatures that stand out.
6. Mindful Indulgence and Justified Choices
Consumers want to indulge, but they want to feel good about it. That has sparked interest in sweets and snacks made with straightforward ingredients like honey, fruit concentrates, maple syrup, and minimally processed chocolate.
Chefs can respond with pastries sweetened naturally, desserts with transparent ingredient stories, or premium treats built around craftsmanship and clean labels. A focus on balance can keep menus appealing to diners looking for something satisfying that still aligns with their values.
WCW carries a range of natural sweeteners, artisan chocolates, and premium baking ingredients that support this shift toward honest, simple indulgence.
7. Time and Occasion-Based Formats
More diners are eating in micro-moments: during commutes, between meetings, or while unwinding alone. Products tailored to these small, specific windows are on the rise.
For chefs, this can mean rethinking portion sizes and packaging. Single-serve desserts, snackable proteins, grab-and-go bowls, and comforting offerings designed for “me-time” can help operators capture occasions beyond traditional mealtimes.
WCW helps kitchens build these formats with ready-to-eat items, portioned proteins, convenient packaging options, and premium bases that hold well for grab-and-go.
8. Sustainability, Ethical Sourcing, and Transparency
Diners want to know where food comes from and how it was produced. That includes a renewed interest in animal welfare, regenerative agriculture, and heritage production methods.
Chefs can lean into storytelling here. Dishes built around pasture-raised meats, traceable seafood, small-batch dairy, or region-specific produce help meet guest expectations and strengthen brand identity.
WCW’s vendor partnerships, local sourcing programs, and transparent product information make it easier for chefs to highlight integrity and sustainability throughout the menu. You can easily find our Local options via our ordering app or visit our What’s Local Now page to see a list of local produce that is ready for you now!
9. Rediscovery of Dairy
Dairy is regaining ground, particularly in wellness-leaning formats like probiotic dairy drinks, cultured products, and high-protein dairy snacks.
Chefs can refresh dairy applications with kefir-based dressings, cultured-cream desserts, whipped butters, or yogurt-forward sauces. Combining classic dairy flavors with modern nutrition cues is a strategic way to meet demand.
WCW continues to expand access to premium dairy lines, specialty cheeses, and cultured products for chefs ready to explore this return-to-real movement.
Global Behavior Themes Shaping 2026
Across these ingredient and format trends, several broad consumer patterns are influencing how diners choose food:
Relaxed sociability – More guests are gathering casually, often earlier in the day. Coffee bars, brunch offerings, and lighter social plates align well with this shift.
Time for me – Self-care minded diners want comforting, nurturing food moments. Warm beverages, personal-sized treats, and calming flavors support this trend.
Vitality and longevity – Diners are looking at food as a long-term investment. Whole ingredients, functional add-ins, and balanced preparations appeal to guests thinking about tomorrow as much as today.
Justified choices – Value still matters, but diners don’t want to compromise on flavor or ethics. Chefs who communicate sourcing and intent help build trust.
WCW’s assortment, flexible ordering, and focus on service give chefs room to test ideas, respond quickly, and keep costs aligned with demand.
Attribution
Thanks to Olivier Geyer for contributing to this blog! Based on insights from Innova Market Insights, FoodNavigator, Whole Foods Market, Forbes, Food Business News, Grocery Business Magazine, Nasdaq, IFT, The Food Institute, Better Homes and Gardens, Business Insider, and other food and beverage industry sources.
Small Business Saturday reminds us why we do what we do. Every week we get to stand in the middle of a network built on trust, care, and real craft, connecting the growers, makers, and family run farms we admire with the chefs and customers who value their work. These relationships go beyond transactions. They carry stories, roots, and pride, and they show how much stronger our food community becomes when small businesses lift each other up.
Sunsprout Farms
Central Ohio
Sunsprout Farms is a family owned sprout producer in Central Ohio that has grown from a tiny operation in 1982 to a thriving North Linden facility serving everyone from small groceries to major distributors. They grow fresh, pesticide free sprouts year round with a small, dedicated team.
What does it mean to you to see your products featured in local restaurants?
It means a lot to us…we love seeing the sprouts we grew on the menu and our plates! And it’s inspiring to see that our small family farm, with the support of wholesalers like What Chefs Want, is able to have a place alongside much larger corporations in the food system.
As a small business, what are you most proud of?
We’re proud of being able to keep our food safety and quality control programs top notch, putting our resources into what matters. We love providing safe, good paying and dare we say enjoyable jobs for our crew.
What’s something you’d like chefs or restaurant partners to know about your work?
We really strive to have the best quality sprouts available – we watch inventory closely and only ship out sprouts we expect to last as long as can be expected – please give us a try, and please reach out to us with any questions or concerns, no comment too small – we welcome feedback!!
Morning Fresh Dairy
Bellvue, CO
Morning Fresh Dairy is a fifth generation family farm in Bellvue, Colorado, producing all natural milk from cows raised and cared for on the same land since 1894. They focus on sustainable practices, healthy homegrown feed, and minimal processing to deliver fresh, hormone free milk to local families.
What does it mean to you to see your products featured in local restaurants?
Knowing our products are featured in local restaurants is a great source of pride for Morning Fresh Dairy. Being connected to our community and seeing our products in shops we frequent ourselves keeps us motivated to create the best-tasting, freshest dairy available. Great tasting food starts with great ingredients – and we are proud to be a part of this!
As a small business, what are you most proud of?
Morning Fresh is dairy done right, and we are very proud of that fact! As a 5th-generation family-owned & operated farm, we are dedicated to producing all natural milk through regenerative agriculture practices, high-quality cow care, and our state-of-the-art processing facility.
What’s something you’d like chefs or restaurant partners to know about your work?
Since 1894, Morning Fresh Dairy has been deeply rooted in our Northern Colorado community! Our beautiful farm is located in Pleasant Valley and is a hub of activity, with our Howling Cow Café storefront, holiday events, year-round dairy tours, scenic disc golf course, and more!
Greener Roots Farm
Nashville, TN
Greener Roots Farm is Nashville’s first commercial scale hydroponic vertical farm, growing pesticide free, herbicide free, GMO free herbs and leafy greens year round for local restaurants and grocers. Using state of the art indoor systems, they save 90 percent of the water and land of traditional farming while producing ten times the yield in under 50 miles from farm to plate.
What does it mean to you to see your products featured in local restaurants?
Our team, our family, and our friends live and eat in the communities where our products are used. To be a small part of the successes of these restaurants and sharing local, healthy greens is what we do this for.
As a small business, what are you most proud of?
We are most proud of the quality and consistency of our products that we get to deliver to our customers week after week. We take pride in the farms, processes, and culture that allows us to be successful each day.
What’s something you’d like chefs or restaurant partners to know about your work?
We are grateful for the opportunity to be in your kitchens and on your dishes, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. Meals gather people around the table for all different reasons – food is the great connector!
Gourmet Soy Foods
Granite City, Illinois
This tofu producer started in Granite City, Illinois in 2010, using simple, Non GMO American grown soybeans to create healthy, flavorful products. They pair traditional tofu making principles with precise, tech driven production to ensure consistent, high quality results every time.
What does it mean to you to see your products featured in local restaurants? It’s incredibly rewarding to see local restaurants sharing our products. The innovation and creativity shown by local chefs is fantastic.
As a small business, what are you most proud of? We are most proud of the partnership with the businesses and people we’ve met.
What’s something you’d like chefs or restaurant partners to know about your work? We continually work with local chefs to incorporate tofu into new innovative dining experiences. Reach out and let us help you incorporate tofu as a healthy option in your menu.
Weisenberger Mill
Midway, KY
Weisenberger Mill is a six generation family mill in Midway, Kentucky that has produced flour, cornmeal, and grits on the same creekside site since 1865. They keep everything in house and stick to old fashioned methods, creating slow milled products with richer texture and flavor that chefs trust.
What does it mean to you to see your products featured in local restaurants?
Very proud! We work very hard to make the best quality products.
As a small business, what are you most proud of?
Our continued commitment to consistent quality for over 160 years.
What’s something you’d like chefs or restaurant partners to know about your work?
Being a small family-owned business is more than a job, it’s a way of life.
As you plan your next menu, take a moment to explore the small businesses that help keep our food community strong. You can find all of these partners in the ordering app, or visit our What’s Local Now page to see every local option available in your area. A few extra seconds of searching can bring real impact to the farmers, makers, and family run operations who put so much care into what they do. Supporting them keeps flavor close to home, and it keeps all of us connected.
October was Farm to School Month, and the Local Food Connection team at What Chefs Want saw real movement where it counts: on the ground, in schools, and in the fields.
Across Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio, schools purchased $219,738 worth of local products through our programs. That’s a 253% increase from last October. The message is clear—school food leaders want fresh, local ingredients and are making it a priority.
DOD Fresh Drives the Growth
Much of this growth came through the DOD Fresh program, which makes it easier for schools to order and receive local produce. In just one month:
5,225 cases of local products were shipped to schools through DOD Fresh in these states, up 804% from the previous year.
Total DOD Fresh sales reached $104,062, a massive increase over last October.
Bringing in Colorado schools’ participation adds over $203,778 on local spending through DOD Fresh—an additional 5,499 cases!
Standout Performance Across Our Schools
In Kentucky, schools used both DOD Fresh and commercial accounts to source over 3,400 cases of local food, totaling $88,844 in sales. That’s a 403% jump from the same time last year. Vendor participation is also on the rise. In just one year, the number of local vendors grew from 4 to 15, and schools had access to 18 different produce options, from apples and strawberries to squash, kale, and onions.
Indiana schools weren’t far behind. DOD Fresh orders increased by 1,110%, with over 2,600 cases of produce delivered and more than $53,000 in sales. The state also added more producers, growing from 3 local vendors to 5.
We’re just getting started serving local in Illinois schools, which used DOD and other funds to purchase 306 cases, or $7,718-worth of local.
Out west, Colorado schools, which we also serve through DOD Fresh and commercial accounts, ordered 7,400 cases of local products during October.
What’s Fueling This?
Access and variety. Schools had more choice, more support, and more reasons to say yes to local. In October, we offered 18 kinds of local produce in each state through DOD Fresh and many more items across categories through other avenues for ordering, including on-bid and through micro-purchasing. From tomatoes apples, and potatoes to grains, dairy, and meat, local options were not just available—they were popular.
Don’t Miss Your Window
If your team is looking to keep or expand local purchasing next year, now is the time to act. Funding allocations for the next school year are due in some states as early as mid-December. Once that deadline passes, the window to plan with those dollars closes. Make sure your school is set up to take full advantage of what local can offer.
Let’s Keep It Going
The numbers from October show what’s possible when farmers, food hub and distributors like us, technical assistance providers, and school nutrition teams work together. The Local Food Connection team is here to help schools build on this momentum year-round. From product variety to vendor partnerships, we’re ready to make next year even stronger.
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.
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!
