57: Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead in Providence

In this episode of the Find Dining Podcast, we speak with Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead, the James Beard Award nominee and three-time Cochon 555 champion who will deliver the keynote address at the first Taste Trekkers Food Tourism Conference. We talk about his journeys as a chef and cheese buyer, the importance of the farm-to-table movement, and the proper way to dig for clams. Find out more about the Taste Trekkers Food Tourism Conference Visit the Farmstead Inc. website Matt is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont Matt was a cheese buyer for the Formaggio Kitchen in Boston Kate Jennings is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, Napa Valley Paul Bertolli and Michael Tusk are two California chefs that influenced Matt The Wall Street Journal featured Matt in this story on buttermilk National Public Radio featured Matt in this story on happy pigs Matt has filmed an episode of PBS' Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking with Boston chef Ken Oringer Matt won the Cochon 555 competition three years in a row Shouts out to Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats in San Francisco and Jamie Bissonnette of Coppa in Boston Matt's former Chef de Cuisine Benjamin Sukle just opened up Birch to rave reviews Food for Thought: Q: What piece of equipment is used when digging for Quahogs (clams)? A: A bull rake. Out of the Frying Pan Picks: Favorite Place to Buy Pork: from Pat McNiff of Casey Farm and Blackbird Farm at the Hope Street Farmers' Market Recommended Cheese: Harbison from the Cellars at Jaspar Hill Chefs Who Have Influenced Matt: David Miles of the New England Culinary Institute, Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca, and Ihsan Gurdal of Formaggio Kitchen Admired Rhode Island Chefs: Beau Vestal at New Rivers, Derek Wagner at Nick's on Broadway, Matt Genusio at Chez Pascal, Benjamin Sukle at Birch, James Mark at North