Now in their third year, the INDY's annual Food Triangles awards honor leaders in our food and beverage industry who go above and beyond the plate in their efforts to make our community more inclusive, more supportive, and more nourishing for everyone. All three of this year's winners challenge us to reconsider what we eat, where it comes from, and who gets to eat itnot to mention the wellbeing of those who grow it, prepare it, and serve it to us. One reason many people get into the food industry is that they have a deep, unyielding desire to feed someone, and each of this year's recipientsa chef, a farmer, and a restaurateurpossess this quality and demonstrate it through actions, not mere words. They're not just changing the way we eat. They're changing the way we're fed.
Chef Scott Crawford, who owns Crawford and Son and will soon open his second restaurant, Jolie, is a nationally acclaimed chef. But beyond winning accolades, the work that matters most to Crawford is Ben's Friends, an organization that supports food and beverage industry workers who are battling addiction. By founding the Raleigh chapter and sharing his own story of addiction and recovery, Crawford is helping to give industry professionals hope and resources to get sober and stay sober.
Tami Purdue, who grows fifty-five varieties of microgreens in an abandoned shipping container, is one of the most sought-after farmers in the Triangle. Microgreens are a prized ingredient among local chefs, but what Purdue really wants people to know is that they're also a nutrition powerhouse, and they're easyand sustainableto grow.
When Maggie Kane started Raleigh's first pay-what-you-can cafe, she had no experience running a restaurant. But through her work with people experiencing homelessness, she knew she wanted to create a place that not only fed people but also allowed them to dine with dignity. At A Place at the Table, every member of the community can order wholesome, scratch-cooked meals, with the option to pay what they can, monetarily or by volunteering.
