James Beard Award winner Jimmy Schmidt wants to disintermediate the current terminal market distribution system.
If you’re a chef or a farmer, don’t worry about committing the economic lingo to memory. Schmidt’s vision sounds complicated for a big reason: he’s trying to bring greater efficiency to annual food purchases by chefs, a market that’s in the tens of billions of dollars. And it’s an area that’s very prone to wastefulness.
Schmidt’s new project, the FoodShed Exchange (FSX), connects chefs and mindful food producers, creating a reliable and transparent market between them. By removing the intermediaries (the “middle men,” as they are often known), farmers can more nimbly respond to the needs of restaurants while making higher profits, while chefs get to purchase food that’s fresher and vetted by the FSX community. It all takes place on the FSX’s web and mobile–based marketplace, home to freshly butchered meats, oils, spices, and more.
There’s also a media component: the FSX Journal, a subscription-based resource where culinary professionals can learn more about FSX-approved products and where food writers and academics contribute their expertise.
What’s more, FSX is currently holding its first annual Wagyu Giveaway Contest, featuring four Wagyu beef–themed prizes, including an entire steer packaged and delivered right to your restaurant. Learn how to enter.
Visit foodshedexchange.com to see how FSX connects great chefs to primary food sources. Chefs and purveyors can join here.
