Chef Doug Hudson comes to us after two celebrated stints in Colorado: Executive Chef at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 (Breckonridge, CO.) and heading up multiple outlets at the Park Hyatt (Beaver Creek, CO). This four-diamond property nabbed the Hyatt Hotel of the Year award during his tenure. Before this, Doug worked at several farm-to-table restaurants, including his own wood-fired concept, ABLAZE.
Why are you excited about T47?
"I get excited about the idea of offering a more thoughtful approach to dining and entertainment. Being a part of an innovative business, giving our guests a unique experience, and taking our environmental impact into consideration, all of these goals speak to me. I enjoy the opportunity to partner with great local farmers and artisans, and to challenge everyone involved, ourselves most of all, to take our sustainability practices a step further. This kind of transparency and leadership can change the food industry. And let’s face it, it just tastes better."
Where does your passion for food come from?
"I really enjoy the community-focused aspect of what I do. I love spending time working on farms, learning about sustainable growing, biodynamic farming, humane animal husbandry, beekeeping, you name it. This interest stems from growing up on a hobby farm in the rural midwest. I tended the garden, planted over 2,000 trees, and learned to care for chickens, ducks, horses,and pigs. Sustainable food and fun find their way into my downtime too. I enjoy hiking, foraging, collecting spring water, fishing, hunting, and viewing wildlife with my wife, Elicia, and our 3 children."
Our chefs hit the road to personally find passionate producers who shared Table 47’s value of great-tasting, planet-friendly food. They found farmers pursuing sustainability at every level of their operation — leading to happier people, healthier crops, greater yields, and richer products. It’s a virtuous cycle that leads to better tasting food and a better world.
Table 47 is proud to be a platinum-level Ocean Friendly Restaurant.
WHAT IS AN OCEAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANT?
In response to increased plastic pollution in coastal zones and the ocean, the Surfrider Foundation created the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program.
The goals of the program are to help reduce plastic waste, eliminate the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, a type of plastic that is typically used for inexpensive, disposable
products (cups, plates, ‘clamshells’, etc.) and to encourage restaurants to use more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices to help protect the coasts through conservation efforts.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE AN OCEAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANT?
Restaurants must meet all four of these basic criteria:
And a minimum of three criteria from the following:
Restaurants who meet all 10 of the criteria are recognized as a Platinum-Level Ocean Friendly Restaurant.
Puyallup, WA
Run by Agustin, Amy, and their two children, the Four Elements Farm in Puyallup is truly a family affair. After 15 years in the commercial farming world, Agustin and Amy Moreno-Sills chose to make their lifelong dream of running a local, sustainable, family farm into a reality.
Their dream opportunity came in a 123-acre plot of farmland in the Puyallup valley that would eventually become the 56 farmable acres of the Four Elements Farm. At the time it was a diamond in the rough, overlooked after years of hosting the growth of pumpkins, flower bulbs, blueberries, Christmas trees, and cattle - just to name a few. But Agustin and Amy knew that with practices that nurture the soil, this would continue to be a perfect spot for growing healthy food.
Through a routine of composting, planting cover crops, and proper crop rotation, with no shortage of passion, hard work, and love, Agustin and Amy have brought the land back to life. In fact, Amy was awarded Farmer of The Year 2017 award from the Tilth Alliance for her relentless efforts to regenerate the soil on the property.
Today Four Elements Farm grows beautiful, delicious and sustainable crops, including cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, kale, onions, u-pick blueberries and much, much more. All the produce grown at the farm is USDA certified organic. Four Elements is also certified Good Agricultural Practices (GAPS) farm, meaning they participate in voluntary audits that verify the health and safety standards used while fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored.
Now that they’ve built the farm of their dreams, they’re building relationships with the public to spread the goodness. They offer farm share options through their CSA program, and by partnering with businesses like Table 47 they are able to offer fresh, local produce to you, as well.
Our chefs immediately connected with Agustin and Amy at Four Elements because of our shared passion for sustainable local foods, building community, and being mindful in work. As farmers, Agustin and Amy are resourceful, creative, and treat every aspect of their job with respect and care. They have developed a culture of mindfulness that our chefs are inspired by and seek to incorporate in their dishes.
Get started with your own CSA box from Four Elements Farm here: https://www.fourelementsfarm.com/
Gig Harbor, WA
The owners of Rusty Wheel Pig Farm in Gig Harbor, love their pigs - and we love them for it! Paul and Kim Fisher (owners) invited our chefs to meet their beloved pigs first-hand.
On their small 5-acre farm, Rusty Wheel raises up to 35 pigs at one time and produces non-GMO feed for chickens and pigs.
During the tour, our chefs were amazed to watch as Paul approached the pig pen and they all rushed out to greet him - eager for his attention. It turns out that Paul takes great pride in his pigs and ensures each one is given a name and lots of love every day... and the pigs know it.
Paul explained that every litter of piglets is pasture-raised and remains together as a family unit throughout their lives. They’re given an open, comfortable environment to roam and enjoy a diet of non-GMO feed and organic vegetables from the farm’s garden, helping them grow up healthy and happy.
As a family-owned operation, the Fishers ensure above all else that the pigs’ quality of care is never compromised. In fact, during the tour, Paul showed off his latest project: building a large 2-story stable specifically for his pigs, to provide them with additional shelter and comfort.
There is a long list of preferred qualities that Chef Doug looks for when choosing farms to partner with - one of the most important being the standard of care provided to the animals. After chatting with the Fisher family and meeting their happy, healthy pigs, it was an easy decision to make to partner with Rusty Wheel Farm.
Learn more about Rusty Wheel Farm here: http://rustywheelfarm.com/
Gig Harbor, WA
From the beginning, our chefs have worked to build connections with local farmers so our guests could enjoy great responsibly-sourced food that has a positive impact on our planet. Some of these connections were formed on the spot at Table 47, including our partnership with Adam of Adam's Mushrooms.
Since meeting Adam, we’ve been using his locally grown and foraged mushrooms in some of our favorite dishes. So, recently we sat down with Adam to learn more about what it takes to become an expert!
His story begins in Scotland, after hearing an inspiring speech by American Mycologist, Paul Stamets. Stamets is a known Medicinal Mushrooms advocate, with celebrated speeches on mushrooms, and their save-the-world medicinal capabilities, like eco-restoration.
Fascinated, Adam began studying Fungiculture on his own. At the time, he lived in an international community in Findhorn, Scotland, working at a local community kitchen.
In the evenings when the kitchen closed, he utilized the space to practice cultivating mushrooms. He laughs, remembering the funny looks he was met with from passerbyers - but he kept experimenting day after day, perfecting his growing skills which would eventually lead to starting Adam’s Mushrooms.
Adam met his wife Astrid while living in Scotland, and their mutual passion for growing mushrooms eventually led them back to his childhood home in the Pacific Northwest. The question then became: what do we do now, and where would we would find supplemental income while starting his own business?
The answer came from a combination of his passion, knowledge and local resources. By turning to their abundant backyard surrounded by woods, expansive beaches and tall mountains he found tons of forageable food, as well as a niche for his business. In turn, Adam’s resourcefulness and sustainable practices have guided his journey, and helped him create fruitful partnerships, including our own!
Now, years later, he and Astrid have a baby girl named Agnes, and their mushroom business is thriving. Adam continues to strengthen his connections within the community, and Table 47 is thrilled to be one of them.
You can find Adam’s booth at various farmers markets in the South Sound, and his mushrooms in many of our seasonal dishes, year round! Bon appetit!
Learn more about Adam's Mushrooms here: http://www.adamsmushrooms.com/
