Talking Local Food with Bluebeard Co-Chefs John and Abbi Adams

John and Abbi Adams
(Photo courtesy Edible Indy)

Did you know you can find fresh produce from the downtown gardens of Growing Places Indy on the menus of some of your favorite local restaurants? 

For the first in a series of Indy chef profiles, John and Abbi Adams, co-chefs at Bluebeard in Fountain Square, share why they love Growing Places Indy and buying local:

What's your food philosophy?
Our food philosophy is about taking the best ingredients available at the moment and preparing them using proper cooking techniques to maximize each individual ingredient's flavors. Our cuisine stems from different types of inspiration that could come from a meal we've had, our childhood, places we've worked, something we've seen or read about or simply what our farmers had ready for us. We cook with the season and find that it guides through our ever-changing menu and allows us to stay inspired to create new dishes every single day.

What has been your most memorable meal?
Our most memorable meal was a progressive dinner we had in NYC. We began in Korea Town with Korean BBQ. We then headed to a Sake Bar Haggi in Times Square, where we ate uni, calf's liver sashimi, chicken skin skewers and drank lots of sake. Next was the Spotted Pig in Greenwich, where we had had duck rillettes, mackerel sashimi, duck fat fries and chicken liver toast. For dessert, we went to the Lower East Side for cheese and wine at The Inoteca on Ludlow. We had truffled rochetta and drank an unfiltered Chardonnay from outside of Piedmont, and I can still remember how magical the pairing was.

Why do you buy local from Growing Places Indy?
We source from Growing Places Indy for several reasons. We support their mission using urban farming to promote sustainable agriculture and healthier eating practices to people in our city. We have a personal relationship with the organization and find that it allows to interact better with them and even have things custom grown for us. Lastly, the quality is super high, and we know that the product will always be the best that they can produce. The offerings change all the time, and I find that I'm always excited about what's new. But, consistently, we order the micro greens. They make our plates look beautiful and add a fresh, pungent accent to them while even adding some nutrition.