WHAT:
On Tuesday, Sept. 25, Bon Appétit Management Company will show 200,000 diners at its 400 cafés across the country what a 100 percent local meal tastes like. But before any morsel makes it to the plate, each café’s chef will embark on a treasure hunt for the best local ingredients within a 150 mile radius of the café. Join Chef Leon Trevino of St. Edward’s University for a culinary adventure of epic (and local) proportions as he scours the countryside for seasonal Texan treats and crafts recipes for works of local culinary art. The Eat Local Challenge is the largest coordinated national event designed to encourage Americans to Eat Local. www.bamco.com/website/eatlocal.html

WHY:
With organic food awareness at an all-time high, the Eat Local Challenge will illustrate why eating foods grown in the local community is even more important than eating organic. Consumers will learn how far food travels to reach the average American plate, understand the consequences of food choices for the local economy, and taste how the freshest, peak-season foods inspire chefs to heights of culinary excellence.

WHERE:
The 400 Bon Appétit Cafés in 29 states include: St. Edward’s University – and hundreds more colleges, corporations and specialty venues.

WHO:
Bon Appétit Management Company is an onsite custom restaurant company for colleges and universities, corporations and specialty venues across the US. They have built their business around socially responsible food sourcing practices and in 1999 launched a company-wide initiative to buy extensively from local farmers and artisan producers.  

INFO:
Regional information and direct contacts for Bon Appétit chefs and farmers gladly provided. To learn more about Bon Appétit Management Company: www.bamco.com