Logan Mitchell had a busy summer. She and her husband-slash-business-partner Gary McIntire run Collins & Coupe, and they officially opened Tablespoon in North Park this week. Plus, she joined Zero Foodprint as the organization’s first outreach manager.
“I’m the first on-the-ground person,” Mitchell explains. “San Diego is a big market for us … We have [more] farms than any other county in the country, if not the world.”
Zero Foodprint is a nonprofit organization originally founded in San Francisco in 2015 by Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz, the folks behind Mission Chinese, The Perennial, and Commonwealth Restaurant. In 2019, Leibowitz was nominated for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur, Myint won the Basque Culinary World Prize, and in 2020, the James Beard Foundation named Zero Foodprint the Humanitarian of the Year.
Funding comes from government grants and partner donations, and since the group’s inception, it has assisted with eliminating over 104,000 tons of CO2, funded 126 farm projects, and dispersed over $2.6 million in grants.
Although the organization is a national group, San Diego’s large quantity of farms and big population uniquely positions the county to make a difference in the movement towards regenerative farming and legislation that supports farmers, Mitchell says. “Because of the number of farms, we have a lot more support here than a random place in say, Idaho,” she adds.
Among the org’s California-based projects is the Compost Connector grant program, which helps cities and counties comply with California State Bill 1383, which took effect in 2022 in an effort to reduce organic waste.
“We provide grants to farmers to buy compost,” she explains. “It’s getting to the places it needs to go now, rather than the landfill.”
While most of the group’s funding comes from the government, Mitchell also works with local bars, restaurants, and other food and beverage partners to help spread the word about Zero Foodprint’s goals. Local partners include 31ThirtyOne, Kingfisher, and Wayfarer Bread, who generally commit to donating one percent of proceeds to Zero Foodprint (but individual support does vary depending on the business, Mitchell says).
The vast majority of climate change is exacerbated by huge corporations rather than individuals or small businesses. But Mitchell says that every little bit does help, especially when it comes to keeping local farms afloat. “If we lose more farms the way we’ve been losing them, they’re going to be gone,” Mitchell says. “And if no one is maintaining that land, or they build more buildings and it becomes dead soil, it’s too expensive to start again.”
Businesses interested in supporting Zero Foodprint can apply for membership here, individuals can make contributions or nominate a business here, and farmers can apply for grants to implement regenerative farming practices here.
Want to learn even more or connect with Mitchell and Myint directly? Bivouac Adventure Lodge is hosting a free watch party of Myint’s TED talk on Tuesday, September 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. Tickets are free, but RSVPs are encouraged, and Myint will be on hand to talk about the program and how to get involved.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Second Annual Sabor Del Barrio Returns This Sunday
’Tis the season for neighborhood food festivals, and Barrio Logan is next Sunday, September 8, from noon to 3 p.m. The self-guided food and culture tour features over 40 vendors, including Provecho! Coffee, Jaguar Paw, Lia’s Lumpia, Liberty Call Distillery, Mujeres Brewhouse, TJ 664 Birrieria, Todo Pa’ La Cruda, and a whole bunch more. There will be tacos. There will be art. There will be lowriders. Tickets are $40 until the day of, when they jump to $50. Get yours now.
Beth’s Bites
- You had me at honey. Savage Bee-Ches in Old Town is the county’s first boutique honey shop offering small-batch honey. Founder Kemi Pavlocak, one of the few Black woman beekeepers in the country, says she hopes to bring the rural apiary tradition to urban consumers to introduce a new generation of honey lovers to the wide diversity of flavors. Sounds bee-licious.
- After 10 years in North Park, Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream will close its doors on Sunday, September 8. The ice cream may be gone, but the flights of mini-cones will live in our hearts forever.
- Chef alert! Christopher Osborne is the new executive chef at Moe’s in Mission Beach, after working in kitchens like Cowboy Star, the Pendry Hotel, and Mister A’s. He says he’s putting together a winter menu, so stay tuned for what new signature plates he comes up with.
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