**History and Establishment**:
– Founded as a worker collective on January 3, 1973
– Emerged during the natural foods and Farm-to-table movements
– Original goal was dishes made of local, sustainable food
– Established in the Dewitt Building in 1970s
– Decor included wooden tables, mix-matched chairs, and tie-dyed curtains
– Founded to promote sustainable farming and eco-friendly food systems
– Operated collectively with equal pay and shared responsibilities
– New ownership in 2022 for a more vegan and sustainable menu
– Moosewood Restaurant Location: Situated in the Dewitt Building at 215 N. Cayuga St
– Located in the southeast corner of the building
– Decor included barn board wainscoting and wooden furniture
– Founded to feed the community with sustainable food
– Emphasized the importance of locally sourced ingredients
**Cookbooks**:
– Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook: Self-published in 1974 by original staff members
– Lists favorite cookbooks as sources of inspiration
– Features vegetarian recipes and acknowledgments
– Included titles like ‘Diet for a Small Planet’ and ‘The Joy of Cooking’
– Created to share original Moosewood recipes with readers
– Moosewood Cookbook: Initially self-published in 1974, revised in 1977
– Compiled, edited, and illustrated by Mollie Katzen
– Highly influential vegetarian cookbook with multiple editions
– Contributors listed on title pages
– Published by Ten Speed Press in California
– Moosewood Collective Cookbook Series: Started in the late 1980s
– First cookbook titled ‘New Rec’ published in 1987
**Ownership Transition**:
– Explored selling during the COVID-19 pandemic
– Danica Wilcox acquired ownership in 2022
– New menu focuses on vegan, local, and sustainable options
– Consideration to reintroduce fish dishes in the future
– Shift towards highlighting regionally available produce, grains, and dairy
**Awards and Recognition**:
– Winner of the 2000 James Beard Foundation Award (Americas Classics: Chef and Restaurant Awards)
– Recognized as one of the most popular regional destinations
– Six nominations for James Beard Foundation Awards for Moosewood Collective cookbooks
– Two cookbooks won James Beard Foundation Awards
**Other Notable Vegetarian Restaurants**:
– Chez Panisse
– Greens Restaurant
Moosewood Restaurant (January 3, 1973–present) is an American natural foods restaurant in Ithaca, New York. In 1978, the original founders sold the restaurant to the staff, who became "The Moosewood Collective." In addition to producing a number of cookbooks (by the Moosewood Collective), The Moosewood Restaurant won the America's Classics award from the James Beard Foundation in 2000, which recognized it as "one of the most popular regional destinations."
Moosewood Restaurant | |
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Restaurant information | |
Owner(s) | Danica Wilcox |
Food type | Natural foods (vegetarian, vegan) |
Street address | 215 N. Cayuga Street |
City | Ithaca |
State | New York |
Postal/ZIP Code | 14850 |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 42°26′29″N 76°29′56″W / 42.44139°N 76.49889°W |
Website | moosewoodrestaurant |