Microgreens making a huge hit at the George R. Brown Convention Center
Ever wondered where the succulent, buttered shrimp in your entrée comes from? Or perhaps, what city your spinach was picked in? What if you had the opportunity see the process from start to finish? Well, that’s exactly what the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) has done with their hydro garden program.
On level 2 of the GRB and in the level 3 tasting kitchen, reside three Farmshelf microgreen grow boxes that contain four different items in each container. The grow units feature vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers, such as chamomile, marigolds, purple viola, astro arugula, red butter lettuce, bib lettuce, Red Oak lettuce, Romaine lettuce, red-veined sorrel, chives, dill, mint, and amaranth. The produce from this onsite green oasis is used in preparing meals for both client site visits and special events. This farm-to-table experience has become a popular movement by providing consumers with the knowledge of the food’s origin, quality, and freshness.
Thanks to Farmshelf, Levy Catering now has an interesting and convenient way to care for the facility’s new grow boxes.
“They are a fairly new company, so the personalized service they offer is a huge help since I enjoy growing the food I prepare,” Levy Executive Chef Dominic Soucie said. “The units are all attached to Wi-Fi, which makes them easy to monitor from any location. I have access to all the water reports, so that I can ensure the plants are getting the nutrients they need, and they are also monitored via camera so that a specialist can notify me if they think something may not look right in our unit.”
In addition to the grow boxes, Levy has also implemented another green initiative – the #GRBees. Since 2018, guests have been able to view the facility’s garden of bee colonies from a second-floor balcony. The colonies were installed as part of the GRB’s commitment to sustainability and a way to introduce local products – in the forms of dressings, sauces, and dessert items – to clients, guests, and visitors. Levy hopes to have a harvest of honey soon, so that a secondary harvest can be done in October before the hives’ winter preparation in early November.
