Here's What Actually Happens at a Farm-to-Table Restaurant

Lauren Berlingeri is a model, fitness junkie, and wellness entrepreneur, and eating healthy is a huge part of her life—but these days, it can be really confusing to figure out what “eating healthy” even means. One minute, everyone’s throwing chia seeds and kale into their smoothie bowls; the next, they’re ditching grains and going vegan.

That’s why Berlingeri aims to keep healthy eating simple by seeking out seasonal, locally grown foods. Fruits and veggies begin losing nutrients as soon as they’re picked, so fresh produce that’s grown nearby and eaten quickly is best for your health (not to mention the environment). Plus, fresh foods taste better.

Berlingeri hunts down restaurants nationwide that serve farm-to-table cuisine. In this video, she visits Rosemary’s, one of New York City’s trendiest restaurants. Executive chef Wade Moises grows and harvests most of his own vegetables and herbs in the restaurant’s rooftop garden—a unique feature in an urban jungle like New York.

Together, Berlingeri and Moises pick radishes, young garlic, snap peas, and, of course, rosemary. Using these straight-from-the-garden ingredients, Moises teaches Berlingeri how to prepare one of his signature dishes, a pasta primavera with a rainbow of veggies and homemade pappardelle noodles. The result: a nutrient-packed dish that’s bursting with rich flavors you can only get from ultra-fresh ingredients.