Triad Eats

There are a lot of reasons to use local goods when operating a restaurant it promotes good will in the community, it keeps farmers and growers employed, and it harkens back to wonderful chefs like Alice Waters (Chez Panisse) and Peter Hoffman (Savoy).So while farm-to-table restaurants are nothing new, there is a new twist in the Triad thanks to Lucky 32 restaurant and their strong alliance with local and sustainable partners one of which has recently been in the news.Tim Russell started raising Malaysian fresh water prawns three years ago on his Caswell County farm (which used to be dedicated to tobacco growing). This year he celebrated his largest harvest to date and was able to sell a portion of his “catch” to Executive Chef Jay Pierce of Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen for use on the restaurant’s menu.Russell hopes to increase production of the prawns (which are described as “sweeter” tasting than shrimp) to help achieve a promise to his now-deceased sister that their land would be repurposed and once again become sustainable.And with the alliance that Pierce has in place with local providers, it seems like it’s a pairing that was meant to happen.