# farm to table

idiom · CEFR B2 · General-service

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/farm-to-table
Updated: 2026-09-29

## Meaning

Relating to a social movement or business model where food is sourced directly from local producers without passing through distributors or wholesalers. It emphasizes freshness, seasonal ingredients, and supporting the local economy.

## Examples

- We decided to eat at a farm to table restaurant because we wanted to try the local vegetables.
- The chef prides himself on a farm to table approach, often visiting nearby orchards to select the fruit for his seasonal desserts.
- Critics argue that while the farm to table ethos promotes environmental sustainability, it often results in a price point that is inaccessible to lower-income communities.

## Origin

The term emerged alongside the organic and local food movements in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, gaining significant cultural momentum through chefs like Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. It was popularized as a reaction against the rise of highly processed, industrialize food systems, focusing instead on the traceability of ingredients from the point of production to the point of consumption.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.