Dallas Celebrity Chef Franchesca Nor, owner of Dive Coastal Cuisine, has partnered with CEA Advisors, farm developers, to design and build a new indoor farm and greenhouse complex to supply her restaurant and catering business with hyper-local gourmet produce.
Hidden away on a recently purchased 7-acre property outside of Dallas, Franchesca's farm will focus on providing leafy greens, herbs, and other gourmet produce for the Dive Coastal Farm to Table menu.
The CEA portion of the project utilizes two 40' shipping container farms from Growtainer®. Each Growtainer has 480 square feet of multi-level growing area in a climate-controlled environment. In addition, greenhouses will be built on the property to expand production.
Farm-to-table
Franchesca said, "Our focus is on growing locally to reduce food miles, practicing sustainability, utilizing CEA and planet-friendly farming practices. We want to pamper our guests with the real farm-to-table experience that locally grown gourmet products provide."
Franchesca Nor (Photo credits: Dallas Observer)
Seeds for Franchesca's farm will be sourced from global breeders and suppliers. Their Basil seeds will come from Italy's oldest seed supplier, whereas lettuces, herbs, and other leafy greens seeds will be sourced globally as well. The selection of herbs includes Italian basil, Thai basil, and rosemary, amongst others, while Romaine lettuce, Salanova mix, and kale will also be grown. These gourmet products will enhance the skillfully prepared dishes served at Dive Coastal.
Long-time friends
Glenn Behrman, President of CEA Advisors, is a 50-year veteran of the horticulture industry. He and Franchesca became friends a few years ago when they unsuccessfully attempted to place a Growtainer next to Dive Coastal in Snider Plaza. While Highland Park embraced the idea, zoning laws and parking requirements prevailed, and the project didn't happen.
"By having the farm located near Dallas, the carbon footprint is greatly reduced since logistics in bringing the produce to Dive Coastal is minimized while also enhancing the quality, nutrient density, and freshness," he noted.
GreenTech Agro LLC / CEA Advisors
gb@cea-advisors.com
www.cea-advisors.com