Chef Jamie Simpson is a passionate ambassador for using “every part of the plant, from root to tip," and since the beginning has maintained minimal-waste policies in the kitchen as part of an overall mission at the CVI.

Born and raised in Chicago Tristan left the city in pursuit of a chapter with few distractions and a focus on quality vegetables and relationships with those responsible for them. “If you change nothing other than the quality of your ingredients, the quality of your experience will change.”

Dario first learned cooking skills from his grandmother who took care of him and his sister until he was fourteen while their parents worked to offer their children a better life. Even though he enjoyed cooking, he wasn't sure he wanted to be a chef. He had dreams of becoming a scientist or an engineer because of his love of science and math until he caught an episode of Master Chef on The Discovery Channel and his whole world was turned upside down. 

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