As a chef, I know that buying locally and seasonally is not only better for flavor, but better for the environment and our health as well. In my experience, the best ingredients come from our local farms, and supporting those farms helps sustain our local economy and our climate. By creating more demand for their products,

we can drive the supply, encouraging large factory farms to change their practices and helping sustainably grown products become more widely available to all.

As a father and as executive chef of Wellness in the Schools, a New York-based non-profit that works in 200 schools with over 95,000 children, I know that feeding our children good, real food helps them stay healthier, and improves their ability to learn and focus. And by offering delicious and nutritious food we also help fight obesity, which leads to heart disease, diabetes and other early childhood diseases.

I am fortunate to be able to pay it forward as Sustainability Director of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. I work with our future chefs to improve sustainability and reduce waste in the kitchen and throughout the supply chain, wherever possible taking less from the planet and giving back more.

As a chef, serving the best-tasting, freshest food is paramount. As a human being, marrying that with a commitment to our environment, our climate, and our children is what drives me every day.