With turmoil and tariffs in the news and a climate of economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to seek out produce grown close to home.
Supporting local isn’t just a trendy hashtag; it’s a mindset and way of life. When we eat at restaurants where chefs collaborate with producers and home cooks become mindful of where our food comes from, it circulates money back into our communities, creates jobs, and minimizes environmental impact.
“It is so much more than just looking at local,” says Chef Gabrielle LeGuerrier of Gourmet Gab Fine Dining Experience in Halifax. “It’s about sourcing from thoughtful, sustainable farmers and suppliers focused on producing small-scale delicious ingredients. You can taste the difference when you purchase ingredients grown and produced within a few miles of you. Small-scale also often means rare and exciting. It’s a win-win. Farmers are some of the hardest-working people I know. I’m so proud to tell their stories at the table at every single interactive Gourmet Gab event, and I feel it’s essential to give them credit for what they produce and grow for me on the plate.”
Chef Kim MacPherson’s vision for Lupin Dining & Pantry in Musquodoboit Harbour, N.S., revolves around the art of cooking with hyper-local, seasonal ingredients of the highest quality. At Lupin, simplicity is key, allowing the ingredients to take centre stage. This approach requires refined skills and a commitment to getting ingredients from nearby farmers and growers.
“Sourcing locally has been my priority since I started working in kitchens,” says MacPherson. “I grew up in farm-to-table restaurants, where it was common for farmers to drop off fresh vegetables just hours after being harvested. That deep-rooted connection to fresh, seasonal ingredients has always been second nature, especially having grown up on a farm. Growing my produce for our menus allows me to experiment with new varieties and flavours.”
For MacPherson, the experience extends beyond just sourcing. It’s about building relationships with farmers, shopping at farmers markets and engaging with producers to discover what’s in season, what’s at its peak, and what’s new. It’s in these moments where she’s forged lasting connections with some of her favourite suppliers, like earthy lion’s mane mushrooms from Maritime Gourmet, delicate pink oyster mushrooms from Mushaboom, crisp, flavourful apples from Noggins Farm, Roma Cheese and its rich, creamy Taleggio, Oulton’s humanely and sustainably raised duck, and fresh sea asparagus from local foragers. Each ingredient tells the story of Nova Scotia’s diverse food scene.
Chef Michael Smith lives that mindset too. An advocate for P.E.I. seafood and produce, he showcases the region’s world-class oysters at his Fireworks Feast at the Inn at Bay Fortune. The ember-roasted oysters smothered in house-made butter and farm-grown lovage testify to the quality ingredients, the timeless tradition of Island cooking, and Smith’s commitment to elevating the authentic flavours of P.E.I.
“Sharing local food ingredients at your table has always been a powerful way to connect with the community around you. Your family’s flavours are another family story, too,” says Smith.
Chef and owner Chris Aerni of Rossmount Inn in Chamcook, N.B., says the essence of Rossmount’s food is rooted in a sense of place. “When we say local, we mean as close to our kitchen garden as possible, whether the neighbouring woods, the shores of Chamcook, and the wider Charlotte County.” The seasons shape Aerni’s menu, which means it’s constantly evolving.
In spring, it includes vibrant greens from Little Eden vegetables, rich Wabanaki maple syrup, and delicate sunchokes and chervil from the inn’s garden. As the seasons shift, so do the ingredients: “Wild blueberries from Granite Town Farms, wax beans from Troy’s Country Market, or fiddleheads, goose tongues, and spruce shoots that are foraged,” says Aerni.
Aerni has seen a shift in how people dine. “Even the more exotic ingredients, once reserved for export markets, are beginning to find their way to local tables,” he says. “Sea urchins, a true delicacy in the Maritimes, are often exported, but I believe we’ll start seeing them more in our local fish markets. The same goes for caviar, Acadian Caviar produces an exceptional product, and I foresee it becoming more prominent.”
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