Sheraton Fairplex is home to McKinley’s Grille, a restaurant specializing in “farm-fresh cuisine” grown at our on-site urban farm. Berries, apples, grapes, herbs, leafy greens, peppers, broccoli, squash and a number of other fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown throughout the year.
Fairplex isn’t the only event center moving towards the locally grown as a main food resource. It is a trend that is taking hotels, restaurants and even schools by storm, all working towards healthy, sustainable methods of growing crops.
McKinley’s Grille is fortunate to have ample space for a farm to grow right on property (the farm is currently 1/3 of an acre large and is currently being expanded). The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel restaurants Raya and enoSTEAK cook their dishes from locally grown produce as well. Other venues like the luxurious W Austin (Texas) search no farther than 50 miles to procure the best locally grown food and beverages.
The benefits of using locally grown ingredients are many. For venues like Fairplex, chefs and horticulturists work together to plan menus and know exactly what methods of farming are used to provide the healthiest, cleanest, freshest vegetables, fruits and herbs possible.
Rather than using foods that are shipped from hundreds to thousands of miles away, venues using local produce, meats and other foods have access to the freshest in-season ingredients, resulting in fresh, in-season dishes. Check out the video below for the techniques Fairplex uses at our local farm.
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