In a news release today the LEE Initiative Restaurant Reboot Relief Program announced its list of farm partners in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.
Earlier this month, Chef Edward Lee, in partnership with The LEE Initiative and Maker’s Mark, announced the ambitious Restaurant Reboot Relief Program, which is committing at least $1 million to purchasing food from sustainable farmers in 16 regions and giving that food directly to restaurants in those areas.
Today, The LEE Initiative announces the farm and restaurant partners in Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and Tennessee. “These farms are supplying the kind of food we want to be cooking, serving and eating and it’s our responsibility to support them,” says Lee.
The farm partners in Kentucky and Southern Indiana are:
Groce Family Farm
Black Soil: Our Better Nature
Freedom Run Farm
The restaurant partners in Kentucky and Southern Indiana are:
The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery, Chef Kristen Smith (Corbin, KY)
FOKO – Logan Street Market, Chef Paco Garcia (Louisville, KY)
Four Pegs Beer Lounge, Chef Chris Williams (Louisville, KY)
Great Bagel & Bakery – Boston Road, Chef Lara Swan (Lexington, KY)
Pints&union, Chef Joe Phillips (New Albany, IN)
Maker’s Mark has been an integral partner in LEE Initiative efforts to date, and the distillery is pitching in, too.
“At Maker’s Mark, we’ve worked with the same family farm to produce the grains for our bourbon for over 60 years, so we understand exactly how important it is to support local farmers,” said Rob Samuels, eight-generation distiller and managing director of Maker’s Mark. “At Star Hill Farm, the home of Maker’s Mark, we’ve created our own sustainable farming system, managed by our staff – most of whom have family farms of their own – to push flavor forward and make a true farm to table experience for our guests. We’re thrilled to be able to provide some of what we grow to local restaurants along with The LEE Initiative, as part of our long-standing commitment to helping the restaurant industry.”
The LEE Initiative also has partnered with Audi of America, which has provided 32 vehicles from Audi and Silvercar for the use of relief centers across the country.
The Restaurant Reboot Relief Program will run for at least a year.
