The phrase of “products with purpose” is finding its way into more news stories, more discussions within a company—including at The Chef’s Garden and the Culinary Vegetable Institute—and into more conversations with customers.

At The Chef’s Garden, we’ve been talking about sustainability in agriculture for a really long time—and doing far more than just talking about it, putting our philosophy into daily practice. We’re encouraged to see how this subject is becoming a key part of the conversation about the future of food and, as the discussions continue, the language we use about food and sustainability naturally keeps evolving.

Creative chefs from all around the globe are using edible flowers in their soups and stews, salads, desserts, candies, flavored oils, vinaigrettes, drinks and much more. At the Culinary Vegetable Institute, our team uses them in tinctures and bitters to create unique cocktails and mocktails. And, although usage of these flowers is clearly experiencing a well-deserved surge in popularity, culinary flowers have been used for centuries.