Traverse City has been getting lots of national attention for it's food scene. It was even named Food City of the Year by Midwest Living. But the chefs and wine makers who've shaped this place say the story goes much deeper.
At the second annual Traverse City Food & Wine Festival, The Dish spent time with the people behind the plates. What emerged was deeply rooted to the land, the water, the farms, and the community that lies them together.
Veteran chefs like Eric Patterson of The Cooks' House talked about the decades long relationship with farmers, and one in particular he warmly refers to as "Heirloom Craig."
"We've been with the same grower for 15 years. He provides all of our heirloom tomatoes ... and he brings, between 250 and 500 pounds of tomatoes a week for about eight weeks straight, right around now," he said.
Newer voices, including chefs Cameron Rolka of Umbo and Sarah Bobier of Artisan, described a culinary community that welcomed them in and handed them the keys to the region’s bounty.
"I think they're very supportive. I have all these chefs in the community that mentor me... And likewise, they always come and show up and they're there for me to supporting me all the way through," said Bobier.
Rolka added, "And then just the access to the incredible produce and meat and everything like, that is here. I think it creates something kind of special."
Another voice, chef Adam McMarlin of Wren in Sutton's Bay put it like this: "A lot of the restaurants that have been here before me, like Cooks' House and Trattoria Stella and Tapawingo really kind of paved the way for what people are seeing when they come to town now, you know?"
You taste that closeness through the food. Whether it's cherries picked at peak ripeness, heirloom tomatoes delivered minutes from the vine, or wines shaped by the cold water surrounding Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas. You can feel it in the way chefs show up for each other in mentoring, collaborating, and celebrating what grows here.
As chef Tony Vu of The Good Bowl put it, Traverse City’s food culture is “by far” defined by its ingredients, and by the people who care for them.
It’s a place where the table keeps getting bigger, and it seems there’s room for whoever shows up next.
