“Farm to Table” campaigns are making significant strides to reveal how food reaches our table. It runs hand-in-hand with “Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer”. By learning about our farmers, we consumers are beginning to realize the superstar status our humble growers have rightfully earned. We’re beginning to explore and augment more stream-lined transits for their crops to reach our meals. And more importantly, we understand more and more how our food choices matter.

But what kind of change can happen at those tables? Could our food choices matter more? Mary Ellen Diaz, Chef-Director of First Slice has connected the farm to the table but has lingered around it long enough to know there’s room for more.

Dreaming Bigger
Sometime while acting as Chef at Printer’s Row and North Pond and Corporate Chef for Lettuce Entertain You, Diaz began to ask how she could use her talents for those in need. Inspiration came from Jane Addams Hull House community kitchen, so off and on, she volunteered with homeless shelters and organizations. She catered whole foods that often stood in stark contrast to some of the other offered choices that were highly processed, high-sugar foods. It was four years ago that she stepped out and created her very own community kitchen.

Diaz made more room at the table by creating First Slice. The organization sells subscriptions for weekly deliveries of restaurant-quality, three-course meals. The proceeds fund the same wholesome food for individuals living hungry, homeless, and disenfranchised in Chicago communities. As her dream began to unfold, she joined forces with organizations whose values aligned with hers, ones that offer social and health care services with no strings attached and organizations that included specific outreach to Chicago’s homeless youth population.

Keeping it Real
These important, fortuitous alliances have been just the tip of the iceberg. This last fall, Howard Area Alternative High School reached out to First Slice for help with their meal programs and, coincidently, low attendance. “We’re bringing the students and teachers together, to plan and prepare meals,” Diaz says about this food connection, “They’re working together so intimidation—on both sides—is being broken down. Students want to go to school and attendance is up.”

Another significant development has been the First Slice Pie Café on Ravenswood at the Lillstreet Art Center. Now anybody passing by can give the first slice of their dollars to the organization’s cause. There, they can learn about how the delicious food they’re eating is powerful. Clever signs around the dinning room say: “Fight Hunger. With your Fork.” “Comfort food for you, Comfort for others.”

It is an astounding model campaign that is generating a lot of excitement and press, including Food and Wine and, coming soon, a spot on Rachel Ray’s show. Despite all this buzz and growing opportunity, Diaz is still out on the street with trays of home-cooking catered to her guests’ tastes. This is her priority. In conjunction with The Night Ministry (who celebrates their 30th year of service on Chicago’s nighttime streets), every Tuesday night on the sidewalks of Halsted and Belmont, she serves up her dream.

What Really Happens
This last Tuesday was a “Festival of Lights” celebration. Two long lines of luminescent white paper bags led to a sidewalk dining area, standing room only. Diaz and volunteers arranged a serving line of salad, beef burritos, salsa, rice, greens with corn, chicken rice soup, hot chocolate, home-made candy, and granola snacks packaged in containers hand-decorated by grade-school volunteers. And when the evening’s first plate was served, Diaz was off. She mixed and mingled, bantering with people who had obviously become her friends. One made a point of genuinely telling her, “This food is good.”  

Diaz features vegetables and also hides them wherever she can. Nutrition mainstays, she finds that fresh vegetables are not often found in a homeless person’s diet—where they are most needed. “That’s how’s I’ve always cooked,” she says, standing back from the crowd, “When I plan a dish, I start with a vegetable and then figure out how to fit meat in as a side.”

Despite how good-tasting her food offerings are now, they were once much like the innovative dishes she served at North Pond: “But I found they couldn’t relate to the food,” she comments, “So I found out what they wanted and that’s what I serve.”

Let’s Give
When asked about the organization’s area of needs, Diaz names the “Soul Food” food pantry bus. Organized with Pilgrim Lutheran School, First Slice has designed a traveling cold- and hot-food pantry that would better reach areas of need in the city. So they’re hosting a Fun Run on March 31, 2007 to generate funding (For more details on sponsorship, call 773-447-4824).

Diaz also makes a call for more volunteers. First Slice needs help with both prepping in the kitchen and serving on the street. Not to intimidate new-comers, Diaz has adopted an easy work system to accommodate a revolving door of volunteers. In the past, companies have sponsored nights, sending their own employee man-power.

All are welcome to volunteer their hospitality talents. See for yourself what really happens. Your toes might get cold but you’ll get to meet who sits at the table and your heart, I daresay, will be much-warmed too.

Mercedee Renz, Goodness Greeness