Louisville natives open locally-sourced, farm-to-table restaurant downtown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new restaurant is open in downtown Louisville focusing on locally-grown food.

Daniel Passafiume, a St. Xavier High School and Hanover College graduate, opened "In Season" this spring on West Main Street in the historic Hubbuch & Co. building.

He sources the majority of his ingredients from his own farm in southern Jefferson County. The menu offers healthy options like salads, stir fry and harvest bowls, and everything is made from scratch, in-house. There's the option to customize anything or order from a handful of signature bowls, which are designed based off what is currently in season, rotating at least four times per year.

"We started our own farm to kind of help learn what it takes to grow your own food and also to bring some varieties that we couldn't find around the area to the market," he said.

Passafiume said he was inspired by the concept of four-season farming and how that commitment can lead to more nutritious, locally-sourced food. He and his team grow lettuce and kale varieties, tomatoes, broccolini, strawberries, peppers, carrots, saffron flowers and more, all of which comes directly to the restaurant once it's harvested.

Daniel Passafiume, operator and co-founder of In Season.

"Most people don't realize the average thing on your grocery store shelf travels 1,500 miles to get there," he said. "So that really inspired us also to start our own farm and try to source as much locally as possible."

Passafiume comes from a family of produce men. His grandfather retired in 2018 from the wholesale produce company his family ran for more than 100 years in Louisville.

"We have produce in our blood. My ancestors — when they came over — that's what we did here," he said. "We're a family team. My dad has been in food service for over 30 years. My brother is a graphic designer, and he's really led all the branding and design. And my mom is the one who actually found the spot."

The 18-month project from acquiring the space to opening wasn't helped by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Passafiume said the time allowed them to refine the menu — with help from his wife — and beautify a piece of Louisville history, which included pulling up six layers of flooring to find the original hardwood.

In Season

"We're just so happy to be here and excited to see people," he said.

The restaurant is now open for in-person dining and offers pick-up and delivery options as well. There's also a brand new In Season app that allows customers to order directly from the restaurant.