On October 21, VSAG Marketing Director Jennifer Motruk Loy, gave the Washington Business Journal initial details about the second Founding Farmers location. The Journal’s BizBeat blog published news of VSAG’s plans to open Founding Farmers in Park Potomac, MD next Fall. The Washington, DC location opened September 18, 2008 and VSAG has signed a lease in Park Potomac, MD with the goal of opening the new location around that same time in 2011. VSAG will continue to manage Farmers & Fishers, Founding Farmers in Washington, DC and at this new location. More news to come.

Award presented to Founding Farmers General Manager Paul Chin-Fong by Mayor Adrian Fenty

Founding Farmers, the Greenest Restaurant in Washington, DC, was today named as one of only two restaurants in The District to receive the Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Award in 2010. The annual awards recognize outstanding businesses and organizations for their environmental stewardship, innovative best practices, pollution prevention and resource conservation.

“Founding Farmers was designed and built to minimize its impact on the environment through our mission of sustainable practices like recycling and composting, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and local sourcing whenever possible,” said Dan Simons, Principal of VSAG, the high caliber restaurant consulting and management firm for Founding Farmers. “We are honored to be recognized for our dedication to the environment and strive to lead the restaurant industry by example of responsible practices.”

The awards presentation took place at the K St. location of Busboys & Poets on Thursday, August 5. Read the Founding Farmers award-winning case study for more detail on the restaurant’s environmental practices.

Founding Farmers is the first and only restaurant in The District to receive LEED certification to date. Just six months after opening, the restaurant was named a Certified Green Restaurant™ by the Green Restaurant Association for daily operational practices to reduce waste, and in April 2009, the restaurant was awarded LEED Gold Certification status from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), for the commercial interior design of the restaurant.

Founding Farmers focuses on sourcing food and products that have been grown and harvested through sustainable agricultural methods, from the meats, poultry and produce, to the beverages, spirits and wines.

On Labor Day Monday (9.07) Founding Farmers Mixologist Josh Tugjnyam appeared on the WUSA9 morning show and prepared the official cocktail of Brazil – the caipirinha – in celebration of Brazilian Independence Day.   Founding Farmers Chief Mixologist Jon Arroyo is the DC Brand Ambassador for Cabana Cachaça the upscale double distilled Brazilian Rum that is the key ingredient in the caipirinha.  Jon was away on holiday, so Josh stepped in to shake up some great cocktails.   See the video for yourself, and the food demo with Farmers & Fishers Sous Chef Mario Pineda, who prepared the very popular Heritage Truck-style Fish Tacos. No holidays for busy restaurants!

Huh very cool….and guess which original LEED Gold, hip and casual farm-fed restaurant was included on his very exclusive list of top places to eat in DC?  That’s right…Founding Farmers!

VSAG is so proud that Founding Farmers is in this very distinctive group of dining establishments – some tried and true, some more classically DC than others, and still others like Founding Farmers, the new kids on the block that are turning heads!   Thanks Tommy!

Founding Farmers Uncorks Exclusive Founding Farmers Rye Whisky by Wasmund’s Custom Blend From Copper Fox Distillery of Sperryville, VA Celebrates Local Sourcing

VSAG proudly announces that Founding Farmers, Washington, DC’s eco-friendly restaurant with sustainable agriculture at the heart of the menu, has furthered its commitment to sourcing locally with the launch of Founding Farmers’ Rye Whisky Exclusively Hand Crafted by Wasmund’s.     The special distillation made exclusively for Founding Farmers, and only available at the restaurant, will be uncapped and celebrated with “Founding Farmers Whisky Week”, June 8 – 13, 2009. Read the rest of this entry »

On April 22nd, Founding Farmers and VSAG celebrated the official award and certification of the restaurant as LEED® Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).   With this award, Founding Farmers is the first USGBC certified restaurant of any type in the District of Columbia, and the first full-service, upscale-casual LEED Gold restaurant in the entire United States. Read the rest of this entry »