Bell, Book & Candlerestaurant in the West Village is using its roof to grow sixty percent of its ingredients via energy-efficient Aeroponic growing towers. Led with Chef John Mooney’s locavore beliefs, Mooney’s initiatives transcend the typical local farm-to-table restaurant. By growing vertically, Mooney is able to control what goes into each vegetable, with a contained water system and no soil – meaning no additives or pesticides are necessary. Furthermore, since Bell, Book & Candle is self-supplying, fruits and veggies are picked at their peak and used immediately, rather than being stored for long periods of time. A carbon neutral pulley brings each day’s harvest down into the kitchen to be turned into mouth-watering dishes such as Roasted Heirloom Pumpkin Soup, Rooftop Mixed Green Salad, and Gin & Tonic Wild Salmon with caramelized cauliflower. Any produce that isn’t sourced from above is instead purchased from a cold-weather greenhouse in nearby Lancaster, PA. But it really doesn’t get any fresher than rooftop-to-table!
+ Bell, Book & Candle
Photo © (Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)
