Inspiration: Primo

Halfway up the coast of Maine, tucked into the little sailer's town of Rockland, is a wonderful restaurant called Primo.  At the beginning of our year-long, cross-country road trip, Lily and I had the pleasure of spending two weeks at Primo.  I staged in the kitchen, she helped in the gardens.  Our time at Primo was a game-changing restaurant experience for us. 

Primo has a small two acre farm where they grow their own herbs, flowers, and vegetables.  Each season they raise their own pigs in a pig pen, and they have 100 chickens laying eggs for them every morning.  Before the start of the season, Chef Melissa Kelly coordinates with the Head Farmer in planning when and which crops are planted from spring to fall.  As the seasons change, dishes come and go as certain crops are harvested, the menu is dictated by the garden.  

Anything left on a plate that is not eaten by customers is composted, and any food byproducts produced by the kitchen is fed to the pigs.  The term "food waste" is not applicable at Primo because there, food simply is not wasted.  Whereas most restaurants throw a lot of food away (some compost), Primo considers uneaten food byproduct a valuable resource.  The pigs get fattened on vegetable scraps, used stock bones/meat, they even love lobster shells!  At the end of the season in the fall,  the pigs are sent away to be slaughtered, and are returned to Primo.  Then they have a big pig dinner, and they cure a lot of pork over the winter months.  The next season they are able to serve some delicious house cured meats to their customers from the previous season's pigs.

Due to the importance of urban location for Linea's concept, we will not be able to have a garden, let alone raise our own pigs.  However, there are many farmers markets in urban areas.  We will not be able to have our own chicken coup, but there are plenty of local farms that produce delicious farm eggs.  Linea will not have written menus, only chalkboard menus that we can change easily.  I will shop at local farmers markets every morning, and Linea's menu will change frequently based on what is good and cheap.  We will compost as well - I hope to set up an arrangement with a local farm where we can send our compost.  Use everything, waste nothing. 

http://primorestaurant.com/

http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/

Also, read more about Primo on my old road trip blog, linked under "Further Reading" --------------------------->>>