San Francisco consumes an estimated 7 million restaurant meals a month, one of the highest rates per capita in the country. Most of that food comes from industrial distributors whose global supply chains create pollution and disconnect communities from the seasonal, regional food around them.

Taking Root is a two-part project aimed at creating more place-based community connection and reducing carbon emissions by getting more Bay Area restaurants to source locally. We are designing a farmer's market delivery service that lets chefs order from several local farmers in one place, lowering the barrier to sourcing locally and a certification program that makes those farmer-chef relationships visible to diners through a storefront sticker, a card with their meal, and an online directory of certified restaurants.

Each half reinforces the other: easier sourcing brings more restaurants in, and diners choosing certified restaurants funnels business their way, creating pressure for more restaurants to participate. We are partnered with Foodwise, the nonprofit behind the SF Ferry Building farmer's market, building on their existing market-to-chef program.