What it means to be “Farm-to-Taco”: Q&A with Chaia

With creative and resourceful menu planning, Chaia has been a RescueDish star for years. The veggie-loving taco restaurant, which started as a farmer’s market stand in DC, has been so popular that it’s about to open its third brick-and-mortar location in Bethesda. We chatted with co-founder Bettina Stern about minimizing waste and weathering a pandemic, all while keeping things taco-licious.

Bettina Stern, co-founder of Chaia. (Portrait by Jen Chase.)

Tell me about your “Farm-to-Taco” approach.

I believe that vegetables are the most labor-intensive part of cooking; hence why vegetables are the most luxurious items on our plates! Also, most restaurants do not have the time or wherewithal to deal directly with farmers and producers; most farmers and producers don’t have the infrastructure to do their own sales, marketing and delivery.

At Chaia, we do the bulk of our vegetable sourcing from our region. It is difficult to be farm-to-table, but it is possible. The average restaurant works with 300 ingredients, we work with around 50 at any given time. We buy as much as we can locally and organically … and we’ve forged these farm and partner relationships because it’s the right thing to do. We aim to be part of a food system that makes sense for both the farmer and for the consumer.

Folks think that they need a story on almost everything on their menu. At Chaia, we celebrate local and seasonal vegetables, but we rarely mention their provenance - assuming that our customers will come to understand and trust that we are always pursuing the best products.

But consumers also have to take ownership. Growing local and sustainably with water conservation and zero-carbon footprint is nice if you can do it. It’s also quite expensive. It is challenging because consumers are used to inexpensive food. The only path to greater transparency in our food system is consumer activism. Ask questions. Be prepared for the answers.

What inspired you to use herb stems in your signature green rice?

Being a food waste warrior starts by asking how we can repurpose our kitchen scraps in a new way to make our dishes more complex, louder, and more delicious.

Chaia’s green rice dish is made with blended cilantro, including the stems. (Photo by Amanda Mason.)

I hear that pickle juice makes it into some of your dishes as well?

It does. We love it in a lime-brine dressing that is perfect with summer greens.

These upcycles are so brilliant. Does anything go to waste in your kitchen?

Not much!

Will the pandemic lead to any lasting changes in how you operate?

Our operations since the pandemic have gotten tighter and smarter. We are very happy about this.

Can you give an example of how the pandemic has made your operations tighter and smarter?

We have negotiated favorable new rent structures with our landlords and improved labor costs, inventory controls, and operations. We introduced new menu items designed to hold up well for meal delivery. We began commissary operations from our downtown location to support Georgetown's more significant sales/smaller kitchen constraints. We entered into several opportunistic partnerships, such as:

Feed the Fridge - making an average of 170 meals per week at $6 per meal to Chaia

Feed the Fight DC - meeting the needs of healthcare workers, EMT, and police during the most challenging days

As a fast casual restaurant, how do you keep your packaging sustainable?

We pay for it. Compostable packaging is more expensive. We have used it from the very get-go.

Take your outside trash elsewhere. Chaia is committed to composting. (Photo by Amanda Mason.)

What tips do you have for home cooks who want to waste less?

Buy less. Shop more frequently - in smaller bursts.

Anything else you’d like to share about sustainability at Chaia?

Yes, we care intensely about sustainability, and composting, and the environment, and eating less meat to save the planet. But the thing we care about most is that our tacos taste damn delicious. Because then, all the rest is possible!

Stems-and-all preparation of the green rice at Chaia. (Photo by Amanda Mason.)

Ok, let’s get weird for a second. If you were a taco, what kind of taco would you be?

My "spirit taco" is currently on the menu right now which makes me very happy! It is the Roasted Eggplant with goat cheese, salsa de jalapeño crudo & mint.

Stern is all about minimizing waste and stretching ingredients in her home kitchen too. One way she does that is with infused waters. Check out how she rocks cucumber peels and herb stems in this recipe on EatOrToss.

This conversation was conducted over email and has been lightly edited.