Orlando’s Culinary Community Unites To Champion Florida’s Bounty at thegoFLA Manifesto Signing July 28 at East End Market
Putting the freshest, most sustainable local food on the plates of diners in Greater Orlando is the goal of goFLA, the Greater Orlando Food Leaders Alliance, Central Florida’s first coalition of chefs and food advocates formed to promote farm-to-table cuisine and boost the region’s culinary reputation.
Noted Chef Norman Van Aken, known as the founding father of New World Cuisine and featured chef at award-winning Norman’s at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, will kick off the group’s first public event – a signing of “The goFLA Manifesto” to create awareness of the group and its goals.
Local farmers and chefs who are committed to sourcing locally will gather at 6:30 p.m. July 28 at the Apex at East End Market, 3201 Corrine Drive, Orlando. Among the organization’s founding chefs are seven James Beard Foundation “Best Chef” semi-finalists: Kathleen Blake, Rusty Spoon; Kevin Fonzo, K Restaurant; Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert’s; Brandon McGlamery, Luma on Park and Prato; James and Julie Petrakis, Cask & Larder and Ravenous Pig; Hari Pulapaka, Cress Restaurant; and Henry Salgado, Txokos and Spanish River Grill, among other leading area chefs.
Members of chef-driven goFLA, including restaurant owners, writers, suppliers, artisans and promoters, are pledging to increase sourcing of local ingredients; to encourage and support the growth of small farms and artisan producers; and to promote the remarkable bounty of Central Florida's fields, waters and producers. The organization has begun promoting Florida’s abundance through Twitter and on Facebook via the hashtag #SunshinePlate.
The signed goFLA Manifesto permanently will hang in the Apex at East End Market as a tribute to the region’s growing interest in supporting local farmers, fishermen and other local food producers, and to “honor the remarkable resources of the Central Florida food basket by telling the story of who we are, of the power of what we do, and why we do it here,” the document reads.
The group was originally brought together in a "boot camp" co-organized by the James Beard Foundation and the Chef Action Network which was designed to focus on issues unique to the Greater Orlando culinary scene. The initial enthusiasm has spread to encompass many of the area's most talented chefs.
"The James Beard Foundation applauds this initiative by chefs and other Central Florida food industry professionals to raise consumer awareness about the need to support the local, artisanal culinary food movement and the restaurants and businesses that celebrate the best of the best in their region," said Kris Moon, senior director, Strategy and Development for the James Beard Foundation.
Contact sunshineplateorlando@gmail.com for more information.