Sourcing the Best Locally Grown Tomatoes

“We would not be able to celebrate the heritage, that is good Italian cooking, without tomatoes. The ethos of all things Italian is putting what’s grown right in your backyard and bringing it directly to your table.” – Christopher Gawronski, Executive Chef RPM Italian

August marks the prime time of heirloom tomato season and for the first time ever, RPM Italian is celebrating with a specialty Tomato Fest menu filled with dishes featuring each region’s finest locally-sourced tomatoes! 

Sourcing the highest-quality tomatoes from local farms is the true secret to crafting stand-out tomato dishes, and each RPM Italian restaurant does just that.

 

RPM ITALIAN CHICAGO

When peak season arrives in the Midwest, Butternut Sustainable Farms in Sturgis, Michigan is the go-to source for natural, premium heirloom tomatoes at RPM Italian Chicago. Butternut Sustainable Farm is dedicated to a chemical-free food system with the conservation of energy, water, and resources as their primary focus. Additionally, they use a very careful crop husbandry of growing similar plants like marigolds, basil, and shiso to help protect the tomatoes from pests, diseases, and other harmful elements as they develop. 

During off-season, RPM Italian Chicago will source their tomatoes from Marengo, Illinois’ Nichols Farm & Orchard. Nichols Farm & Orchard uses a hoop house farming technique which is the process of creating a warmer environment for crops under a covered structure called a hoop house. This allows these tomatoes to grow naturally during off-season conditions. 

RPM Italian Chicago Reservations 

 

RPM ITALIAN D.C.

On the East Coast, RPM Italian D.C. sources their tomatoes from Path Valley Farms, an Amish farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Across the property’s 20 farms, Path Valley Farms harvests fruits, vegetables, and other herbs with farmers relying on horse and buggy to navigate the 2-3 miles of farmland. To maintain the freshness of their crops they consistently use organic practices to grow all of their produce. In addition to serving RPM Italian, Path Valley Farms supply more than 50 D.C. restaurants across the entire city.

RPM Italian D.C. Reservations

 

RPM ITALIAN LAS VEAGS

At RPM Italian Las Vegas, heirloom tomatoes are sourced just around the corner from Munak Ranch in Paso Robles, California. For 47 years, husband & wife Ed and Pearl Munak have been harvesting farm fresh produce on their land, initially specializing in apple farming, then honing in on crops more attuned to the harsh California heat, including heirloom tomatoes. To this day, their tomatoes are harvested through sustainable production methods, using no pesticides or fertilizers in the growing process.

Supporting local farms is an essential part of RPM’s philosophy. Chef Christopher Gawronski explains that “we would not be able to celebrate the heritage, that is good Italian cooking, without these tomatoes. The ethos of all things Italian is putting what’s grown right in your backyard and bringing it directly to your table.”

RPM Italian Las Vegas Reservations 

Join RPM Italian from September 5 – 11 for Tomato Fest, where these hero ingredients are showcased in limited-time dishes including Green Zebra Tomato Granita, Heirloom Tomato Crostata, Tomato Focaccia di Roma, Brandywine Tomato Acqua Pazza, and Golden Pomodoro Ragu.

RPM Italian isn’t the only RPM restaurant that features these locally sourced tomatoes! You can find them hidden in many dishes across all the RPM restaurants. Join RPM Steak and RPM Seafood to see how they put their own spin on this cherished summer ingredient. 

RPM Steak Reservations 

RPM Seafood Reservations