When Farm-to-Table Isn’t Enough: Chef Molly Levine on the Hidden Cost of Good Food

Farm-to-table might sound good on a menu—but what does it actually mean in practice? And who’s paying the real cost of “good food”?

In this episode of One Bite is Everything, host Dana DiPrima talks with Chef Molly Levine of Westerly Canteen about the complex, often invisible challenges of sourcing locally, paying workers fairly, and keeping a restaurant alive. From the legacy of Chez Panisse to her Airstream kitchen in the Hudson Valley, Molly shares why walking the talk on food values is far harder—and more important—than most diners realize.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why "farm-to-table" has become more marketing than movement—and how to tell the difference
• The impossible balancing act between paying farmers, supporting workers, and staying in business
• How chefs can (and do) quietly compromise their sourcing—and what it takes not to
• What it really looks like to write a menu based on what farms can produce, not what’s convenient
• Why small changes by consumers can ripple across the food system

Resources & Mentions:

• Westerly Canteen – Molly’s project focused on seasonal, farm-connected dining.
• Molly Levine on socials and Westerly Canteen too
• For Farmers Movement – national initiative supporting small American farms
• Dana DiPrima on socials

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One Bite is Everything is co-produced by Sonia Dhillon, with original music and sound design by Russel Chapa.