THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE ’ RE TELLING PEOPLE WHERE THE PRODUCTS ARE COMING FROM .

FOR JIM BARNHART , SUSTAINABILITY STARTS IN HIS BACKYARD .

Barnhart , executive chef of the Hotel at Oberlin , spent his childhood on his family ’ s 7-acre plot , harvesting and preserving heirloom vegetables , berries and grapes . He ’ s using all those skills at his restaurant , even during the tough Ohio winter months when fresh , local – and affordable – produce is difficult to procure .

His customers are a mix of visitors to Oberlin College , a private liberal arts school , and locals whose palates share Barnhart ’ s Midwestern appreciation for the freshest produce – and are willing to pay a premium , knowing that they are supporting their neighbors . “ The core business is the community ,” he says , reeling off sources for stone fruits , root vegetables , indoor-grown lettuce and kale , eggs – and butter that he says is at least as good as a fancy European variety – all within a few miles .

“ The most important thing is that we ’ re telling people where the products are coming from ,” he says . He focuses on Midwestern fare for his customers , who want to see “ classic food done really well ” and approachable flavors , which could mean deviled eggs with homemade sweet pickle relish . Barnhart spends from US $ 75 to US $ 150 per week on lettuce , about twice what he would pay for California stuff . The difference ? “ The lettuce

I ’ m getting is beautifully crispy and harvested for me tonight and delivered tomorrow morning ,” he says . “ Instead of the money leaving the community , he adds , “ it could take two days for that dollar to come back to you .”

The relationships make up for his small operation ' s lack of buying power . “ What ’ s good for the farmer is going to be good for us because our businesses will grow together ,” Barnhart says . It also means that farmers put aside their best produce for him , and when there ’ s a bumper crop , he can make relishes and preserves that add a burst of flavor to a winter menu .

Most important to the bottom line , he says , is knowing when an item is at the peak of freshness and most reasonable cost . He meticulously revises a calendar of produce to keep track .

Another cost-saving tip : “ Make sure your pickle jars seal ,” he says , noting that he lost about US $ 25 worth of onions recently to faulty lids .

56 hotelsmag . com January / February 2017