As Executive Chef at Rosewood Miramar Beach, my favorite weekly ritual is going to the Montecito farmer’s market. I have been lucky to work in some beautiful and unique places in the world, but there is a magic to Montecito and its abundance of seasonal produce and incredible local farmers and fishmongers. At the farmer’s market I would almost always find a new source of inspiration and return to the resort with a fresh and creative idea to serve our guests.
When you’re a chef, you find joy and passion in providing for others and you continue to find ways to do so even in the most difficult of circumstances. As soon as we closed our dining outlets at the resort for in-restaurant dining, I knew that we needed to use our skills for good. My colleagues and I re-purposed our beachside service food truck and introduced #MiramarOnTheMove, a food delivery service that began as our way of providing complimentary meals to our frontline essential workers and first responders in Montecito and Santa Barbara.
We began with operating the truck from Monday through Friday, visiting the Montecito Post Office, San Ysidro Pharmacy, Montecito Fire Department, Vons Pharmacy on Coast Village Road and American Riviera Bank Montecito Branch, among others. Now we are preparing and delivering fresh lunches during the week to those in the care of the Santa Barbara Mental Wellness Center and United Way Santa Barbara, as well as delivering canned goods to local animal shelters and providing families in need with essential care supplies.
Beyond the food truck, our team at the resort spent last week carefully preparing Easter meals and baskets to go. We were thrilled by the response from families who ordered the baskets for their celebrations at home. And we’re now turning our attention toward Mother’s Day and in addition to taking orders, we are donating 50 special meals to mothers who work as first responders and health care professionals. These women are our heroes and we’re proud to thank them for their efforts and bring a bit of joy to their families in a way that’s safe and convenient for them.
It’s an honor to support those in need during these difficult times, to continue to serve this community and to do what we can until the day we can meet in the farmer’s market again.