How to Find the Best Produce at the Farmers Market, According to Chefs

Among the very few that are open all year round, invariably it will have that lovely, tempting produce in summer—well, at least it will be more conducive for the whole experience that a community has to offer. Not a soul knows about the charm of high-season farmers markets more than the ingredient-oriented chefs.

"As much as every second counts in the kitchen, the other half of it is a matter of balance," Maeda says. "And this place shouldn't be doing the energizing, but the opposite."

"Of course, there's always something you may be missing from the first-of-the-season, but I want to go to the market and look at the product before I actually ever buy it," she says. "I'm not in a hurry to get it on the menu."

This is the same reason Carter gives for getting up early. It gives him a chance to talk with farmers before they get too busy. Soul and Smoke got its start at farmers markets, he says, and once they set up their booth, he would walk around before the rush.

"That's how I became familiar with the farmers," he explains. "I would stroll around asking, 'Can you tell me about these peaches? What about those apples? They often provide me with insights and warnings, like how the white strawberries will only be available for a few more weeks.

If you're eager to get your hands on the season's first slender stalks of asparagus, you might even have a chance to grab them before the chefs do, as they typically prioritize consistency and bulk."

This is beneficial for the chef, who appears to cook with kohlrabi at least half the time and exchange it easily with purple-top queen turnips, which come into the kitchen from time to time. For that matter, sometimes it is really the seasonal crop that sparks a run to the farmer's market. From that, we can gather some information about what might generally be considered a seasonal item at that period, which might spare us in certain situations while looking for certain items on our list.

The farmer or vendor—in case there is a doubt—would really appreciate it if you were to ask the question. You could either discover your favorite green or find out these roots are edible and taste just like scallion chips when tempura fried." He says, "I would never have learned that if I hadn't developed the curiosity about the thing, just going on the product, touching those big, juicy roots."

Restaurants have a symbiotic market relationship with their suppliers—suppliers of much more than just fresh veggies.

"That's another thing; you've got to know the market's got the freshest whatever you're going to get. Fresh meat, proteins, cheese, snacks, coffee," Carter spills. "I want them to know an entire family meal can be purchased through the market, all from the little mom-and-pop shop, right into a local or neighborhood showcase."

This is where the mega-insulated bag comes in. "I take my Yeti bag, which is also huge and durable," Carter says. "Otherwise, I'm making two or three trips to the car."