Partner Spotlight: BRAISE
One of the joys of being a small farm is getting to source to local “farm to table” restaurants. Chef Anthony Jiminez, or ‘AJ’, has faithfully worked with Spade & Plow’s Farmer Sam for a number of years now. While no, AJ isn’t riding the tractor or pullin’ up turnips with us (though maybe he’ll join some day!), he’s playing a pivotal role in keeping food local and we couldn’t do what we do without people like him. He’s the owner and executive chef of Braise in Willow Glen (check it out here if you’re in charge of date night!). But, of course, he didn’t start out there, and a long journey of experience and trials landed him in the ‘farm to table’ restaurant business. From southeast asian fusion, to classic french and southern comfort food, he’s done it all. With just 5 years of cooking experience and the heart of a young chef, AJ went to a professional culinary institute in Campbell to start perfecting his craft. From there, he continued his career and eventually was introduced to his first farm to table operation at Parcel 104. We’re so glad that AJ got farm-fresh hooked and never looked back!
In this new cooking scene, AJ learned about all the different local varieties of greens, beans, tomatoes, you name it.
At Parcel 104, he worked with farms to understand what was in season and determine how to best prepare local produce for his customers. Eventually the general manager invited him to be the opening chef at a now well-known restaurant in Willow Glen, “The Table.” His journey with farm-direct, varietal specific cooking continued as he enjoyed updating the fresh menu often with new creative plates. Can you spy any S&P produce in AJ’s dishes below?
“As a chef, it feels like your responsibility to shop local and keep it close to home with everything you order.”
At this point in his career, AJ found great satisfaction in sourcing his dishes with local, fresh food. And we find equal satisfaction in eating it up! He acknowledges that, “living in this area makes it easier to do because of how accessible produce is year round.” A few years later, holding a ‘plate-full’ of experience and passion for the industry, AJ and an old buddy from high school decided to open their own restaurant. That’s where Braise comes in- drum roll please! With a welcoming door and cozy atmosphere in the heart of Willow Glen, Braise has the same local, seasonal, community driven mission at the heart of everything AJ does.
“It’s all about building community and relationships with each other. And that's just part of the process of having a restaurant, passing these stories on to the guests we see so they can know who we’re working with and where their food is coming from.”
The biggest difference about this type of restaurant, AJ explains, is that you get to work directly with the farms you’re purchasing from, and give them feedback about their product that ultimately helps both you and them. “Like, for example, maybe the lettuce season this year just wasn’t that great.”
Thank goodness AJ tells us not only when our lettuce could use some work, but also when our crops are lush and delicious for Braise dishes (yes, that was a tongue twister). This year, he’s been especially fond of using Spade & Plow’s radicchio in salads and root vegetables for pickling. It’s a full circle, this farm to table process, and we couldn’t continue farming without Aj’s ‘table’ side of ‘farm to table’.