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Rooftop Gardens (and other gardeny projects): Do you grow anything on your rooftop? Or, really, do you grow anything yourself anywhere that you use for the restaurant? Give us the details.

Randy Zweiban's Profile Photo Randy Zweiban
Executive Chef/Owner
Province and Province Phoenix
Chicago, IL

We don't have a rooftop garden here but I do grow a few things in my garden at home that make their way here to Province. One of them is Lavender and we do a variety of things with it in the late spring and summer. One being a version of Limoncello and also a plum-lavender jam on our cheese plate.

Brian Goodman's Profile Photo Brian Goodman
Chef/Partner
The Greenhouse Tavern
Cleveland, OH

The rooftop at the Tavern is used to for a couple different things, a herb farm, and and my favorite place to grab a drink after a long day . We have been growing herbs such as parsley, Rosemary, thyme, and some cherry tomatoes we really use the tomato plants for the tomato nettles.

Mitsu Nozaki's Profile Photo Mitsu Nozaki
Pastry Chef
Urban Union
Chicago, IL

Unfortunately I do not grow anything here in Chicago. There is a lack of space for it. At my parents house in Florida we grow avocados, mangos, lemongrass, Thai basil, papaya, cucumbers, tomatoes, and Thai bird chilies. We use a lot of what we grow at the restaurant as well as to eat. It's a hobby of ours and it is very relaxing. I hope to one day start a garden here and do the same.

Susan Goss's Profile Photo Susan Goss
Executive Chef/Owner
West Town Tavern
Chicago, IL

No rooftopo but I do have a 3rd floor balcony stuffed with herb plants. A lot of the herbs end up at the Tavern because I always plant too many for me to use at home

Sean Sanders's Profile Photo Sean Sanders
Executive Chef/Owner
Browntrout
Chicago, IL

We have 9000 lbs of soil on our roof... In the season we grow parsley, basils, beans, watermelon, raspberry, strawberry, heirloom tomato, gooseberry, eucalptaus, lavender, shishito peppers, savory, pickles, oregano, wood sorrel, chervil, purslane, chives, tarragon, sage, nasturtiums, and marjorem just to name a few. It is a great joy to harvest our own produce in our restaurant.
(773) 472-4111

James Garrido's Profile Photo James Garrido
Media Marketing Manager
Hearty
Chicago, IL

We have a great rooftop garden with tomatoes, basil, squash blossoms, rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, and loads of other stuff that we use daily for our dishes (not has ingredients and garnishes)!