Q&A with the Chef:

Michael Altenberg opened Bistro Campagne in the summer of 2002 with a full commitment to using organic products and supporting the sustainable agriculture movement. Mercedee Renz, the newest addition to GG’s marketing team, sat down with him to find out more.

Mercedee Renz: When did you start going organic and why?
Michael Altenberg: Let me count back. It was about fourteen years ago when my oldest child was diagnosed with leukemia. I wanted to find the cleanest produce, meat, and fish. Thinking back to that time in Chicago—these things were extremely difficult to find. But I worked for it and the more I ate at home like this, the more I wanted to be transparent at work. I was feeding parents-to-be, children, and elderly who may or may not be struggling with their own illnesses. I wanted to make a conscious effort to bring them the best as well.

MR: What are the advantages of going “local”?
MA: The food’s fresher, brighter, and more flavorful. It supports farmers and our local economy directly. In going local, fossil fuel use is reduced and so is pollution. With local food, I’m bringing in, frankly, a better product for my customers, my kids, and myself.

MR: So what are the disadvantages?
MA: Small farmers have a tough time accessing the city. Just because they’re a good farmer doesn’t mean they’re a good marketer or distributor. It’s cost-prohibitive for them to drive into the city and it takes up their time. Plus, the disconnect of information between farmers and the end users—be it restaurants or distributors—requires constant education. I try to help with this by lecturing at Eco-Farm and the Upper-Midwest Farm Conference. Small farmers don’t always know how to pack product correctly or store it correctly, so they endure a loss. The farmer’s hit with all these losses and costs and must then compensate with higher prices that I end up paying.

MR: Do you emphasize local over organic? Or in other words, would you purchase product if was grown locally but not certified organic?
MA: I will only use organic. If it’s locally organic, I’m there. Because of the long-lasting relationships I have developed with my farmers, even if I can cut costs on an item by going for a California product, I can’t do it. But I won’t make an exception if a local farmer isn’t certified. Lots of farmers complain about the cost of going organic but there are small certifiers that cost little compared to others. Yes, it requires more work to find them and then to maintain the paperwork for inspection. Anyone would love to just open a business and not have to pay for licenses and insurance or wait for inspections from government officials. I’d love to be able to play music during dinner and not pay an extra fee. But these extra procedures create accountability and trust. To me, it’s worth it. Despite my education, I can’t know everything that is going on. I am a cook and a small businessman. I’m not a certifier and so I trust third-party certification.

MR: Now be honest, do you like working with Goodness Greeness?
MA: I do. Goodness Greeness is putting out a local agriculture initiative. They are the only truly certified organic purveyor in the Chicagoland area. I enjoy my long-standing relationship that goes back to the beginning of Goodness Greeness. I honestly feel their attention and intentions are in the right place—I trust the company. I also enjoy that over the years, as Goodness Greeness has grown, they have made it increasingly easier for me to run a business with clean products. Without them, it would be cost-prohibitive to be organic.

MR: How organic is your restaurant?
MA: I’d say it’s 95%. Even though it’s my goal, it’s just impossible to 100%.

MR: How realistic or reliable are farmer’s markets for chefs?
MA: They aren’t. My impression is that chefs who claim to support them are just looking for good PR.

MR: What kind of local market hotspots and farms do you recommend?
MA: You as Goodness Greeness may not want to hear this—but CSA’s are great. I don’t know if you can still get into Angelic Organics but there’s Henry's Farm as well. At Angelic, Tom Spalding runs an amazing education center where you can bale hay, watch how they apply the biodynamic mix, visit happy livestock, and see the composting process take place. Growing Home City Farm is at The Green City Market. This farm is doing wonderful things for ex-convicts—teaching them to farm and cook so they have ready skills when they re-enter the work-force. I also enjoy the private events at Kinnikinnick Farm; if you call Dave Cleverdon you can reserve a place for their outings and dinners. Garfield Park Conservatory and the Chicago Agriculture Highschool both offer ways to get involved. My favorite of all, though, is The Growing Connection. They’re affiliated with the UN World Hunger task force and they teach families in Ghana, Mexico, Kenya, Nicaragua, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. how to grow their own produce organically with The Earth Box. Here in Chicago it’s affiliated with the After School Matters program.

MR: Well thank you Chef for taking the time to share all this valuable information with us.
MA: It’s my pleasure.

MR: Well thank you Chef for taking the time to share all this valuable information with us.
MA: It’s my pleasure.