Eat Drink Local week is a celebration of the local food chain, running statewide with all the Edible magazines in New York, in conjunction with restaurants, wine shops and wineries, breweries and beer bars, farms and food artisans, cheesemongers, bakers and all the people who feed us. In the city, the charitable beneficiary is GrowNYC. Other partners that will be helping promote the week include New York 1, I Love NY, New York Botanical Gardens, the New York Wine and Grape Foundation and Empire Merchants.
Participating restaurants are asked to:
– From Sept. 26 to Oct. 6, offer an Eat Drink Local week prix fixe or individual menu items at a roughly 15% discount. (We have partnered with Tasting Table and OpenTable to ensure these discounts are well publicized.)
– Feature the 11 ingredients of the day, either in the above menu item or elsewhere. This is an exciting new aspect of this year’s celebration, which will expand the market for local products (from cheese to bread, from veggies to meat), create cohesion among our restaurant partners, encourage repeat customers at the restaurants and give our media partners a daily hook throughout the week. Our friends at Meatless Monday are helping to promote the meals being served on both Mondays of the week–whole grains on Sept. 27, and squash on Oct. 4; learn more about their campaign and how they can help publicize what your restaurant is serving here.
– Feature New York wine, beer or spirits during the week, as you see fit.
– Consider mixing a cocktail with a spirit from our spirit sponsors during the week and beyond. This year’s spirit sponsors, which are making a donation to GrowNYC, include Crop organic vodkas, which are USDA certified organic artisanal vodkas produced in Minnesota from organic American grain growns and vegetables, including cucumber and tomato varietals; and Farmer’s organic gin, handcrafted in small batches from sustainably farmed American grain and carefully selected botanicals, including juniper, elderflower, lemon grass, coriander, and angelica root.
– Consider pouring our wine sponsors by the glass during the week and beyond. This year’s wine sponsors, which are making a donation to GrowNYC, include Bonterra Vineyards and Sterling Vineyards, two leading California organic wine producers.
– Provide us with one gift certificate for dinner for 2 to be used in week promotion.
– Include a check stuffer (that we provide) with checks during the week.
Restaurants that commit by July 15 will receive the following benefits:
– Be acknowledged in print advertising in Edible magazine.
– Be listed in e-blasts to Edible and GrowNYC/Greenmarket audiences (20K subscribers).
– Be listed on posters and other promotional materials at 50 Greenmarket locations and select partner businesses throughout the five boroughs.
– Be listed in the print/online directory of Edible magazine, including a 25-word listing with restaurant address, Web site, and listing of Eat Drink Local week offerings. See sample here.
– Receive complimentary ticket (value $250) to Sotheby’s heirloom vegetable auction on September 23.
– Receive an invitation to attend thank you reception for all partner restaurants.
– Enjoy a 25% discount on advertising in any Edible magazines in New York.
