However, amidst such a bleak scenario, a glimmer of hope in the form of a counter-reactionary movement to this dependency of restaurants on industrial agriculture is gaining momentum. An eco-friendly movement that preaches mindful eating and prioritizes the freshness and quality of the ingredients over the more monetizing aspects (quantity and longevity). This 'food revolution,' as some call it, is known as 'farm to table'. Though it has become hugely popular in recent years, 'farm to table' is not a novel concept. The concept was first applied nearly five decades ago, in a restaurant located in Berkley, California, named Chez Panisse. Started by Alice Waters, Chez Panisse provided the basic framework for what 'farm to table' would be.
Waters' fine-dining eatery was quite different from its competitors. Most other restaurants in that genre used different cooking styles and techniques in combination with unique sauces to make their dishes more exotic, often disregarding the importance of the freshness and quality of their ingredients. Waters, however, did quite the opposite. She bought all her ingredients from local farmers, even growing some of the produce herself, thus prioritizing quality over quantity of ingredients. The extra effort made by Waters paid off, as Chez Panisse is now a Michelin star restaurant, and Alice Waters is considered as one of the most influential modern chefs alive.
