Locally Sourced Meals: Does Sudbury Need A Sustainable Restaurant

I'm a restaurant guy for coming up on 40 years. I'm also a Sudbury resident for 20+ years. I really feel there is a need to a farm-to-table restaurant in Sudbury with a broader community purpose. We have 29 Sudbury, Conrads, Bullfinch's, Da Vinci Bistro and of course Lotus Blossom and Lavender. What we don't have is a place to get locally sourced meals with a culinary edge, learn about sustainable cooking and develop leadership skills for our youth.

My thought is to provide a couple things. First, as much locally sourced meat, produce and grains as possible. This would likely mean a somewhat limited, but changing and unique menu (yes, beer and wine). A goal of something new and exciting every visit; grown by our neighbors. Second, provide limited healthy cooking instruction during the dinner hour. Essentially, learn how to take the ingredients we have sourced and create the meal we are serving. This could be a special occasion experience for couples only. Lastly, some leadership development for students. At one point, I coached LS varsity hockey and I have been teaching graduate-level leadership courses at Northeastern University for over 11 years. I have some contacts at LS, but haven't explored this too much and it wouldn't be a "day one" thing. However, I think it is an opportunity to develop the leadership skills in juniors and seniors as they help run the business.

The site I love is 5-15 Concord Road. It has been vacant for a long time; since Citibank left. There is plenty of parking, lots of windows and easy access. What I need to understand is how Sudbury residents feel about such a restaurant. Is this somewhere they would visit once a month or more? Are they willing to pay a premium for a local, farm-to-table meal? Would they be interesting in learning how to make these types of meals? Does a restaurant with a purpose beyond food (leadership development of our kids) resonate? Along with these questions, I am interested in how the community would respond to a Kick Starter campaign to fund such a place.

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