Have You Heard Of Green Organic?
The boarding meals at our school will make you drool
Whitney Kemac and Brea Hallen
Maharishi School boarding students have been eating in style with seasonal, vegetarian, meals delivered to them by Green Organic. Green Organic is a local and sustainable catering service created out of Fairfield, Iowa. They provide regularly scheduled meals with the convenience of delivery right to your door!
Green Organic has a passionate commitment to sourcing fresh, organic and local ingredients. Green Organic is dedicated to seasonal cuisine and sustainable lifestyle. They’re doing their part to improve the environment by utilizing reusable glass containers, wooden boards for catering and reusable bags.
The founder, Whitney Kemac and sous chef, Brea Hallen (who is also a Maharishi School alumni) have answered some questions about catering to our boarding students. You can find more pictures of their delicious food on their Instagram @greenorganicfairfield.
How did you come up with the idea for Green Organic?
Green Organic started when all the restaurants in Fairfield shut down during COVID 19. A family friend posted an ad in the Next Door App looking for homemade meals. Having just moved to Fairfield in December and looking for work, this was something I was excited about and could do while taking care of two young children.
I was able to cook and deliver homemade meals with my kids and maintain minimal contact with my client. I created a versatile menu of organic ingredients, based on the client’s taste and using whatever I could find from the empty grocery aisles. I created signature sauces, dishes and recipes that would be delicious and healthy-using local ingredients I was able to source during a time when sourcing food was a little scary.
I asked if the client wanted it in some sort of Tupperware and he said “Oh, no no don’t put it in plastic”, so I delivered in a reusable glass container the client could just clean and set out at the next delivery time. Very quickly my experience with hospitality and culinary arts, love and passion for food came through in the dishes- and word of mouth set off a chain reaction. I now deliver for 30 special clients, honoring their dietary restrictions the best I can. I am so grateful to have found an amazing team who have come together and believe in the future of Green Organic.
What sort of meals do you have planned for the boarding students?
Our Catering Manager & Sous Chef Brea Hallen and I meet together, test and brainstorm new dishes and flavors we think all would enjoy. The students receive meals from our Fall Menu which you can also check out on our website www.
Where do your ingredients come from for those meals?
We source produce from Bob’s Barn (who sources special organic bulk produce for us), Stout’s Market, Fairfield Farmers Market, RPA Garlic Farm, Jorge’s Organics, Tim’s Garden at 8th & Grimes, our Greenhouse at the Depot, our family and friend’s gardens/backyards, Hyvee & Everybody’s Whole Foods. Foraging is a constant process, but our mission is to support local farmers and work with seasonal, fresh ingredients.
We have a very culturally diverse group of students in the boarding program, do you plan on 
experimenting with meals from all over the world to accommodate this?
Definitely, creating a multicultural culinary experience is REALLY important to me. Since moving from New York City where you can really get that experience right at your fingertips, it was something I missed a lot from my hometown.
The concept for the food is Farm-to-Table World Cuisine, at Green Organic we call it “Farm-to-Door” since most of our meals for Meal Delivery and Catering are delivered. I believe food brings people together and a significant way to connect and learn about different cultures is through food.
Brea and I are working on a little questionnaire for the students to get to know a little more what kind of foods they miss the most from their homes.
Do you feel like Green Organics is gaining support from the Fairfield community?
Green Organic was truly created for the Fairfield community. I honestly never pictured myself becoming a Chef, I don’t have classically trained culinary experience. But I am very passionate about hospitality and the food/beverage industry. I am always learning and I am very grateful to have a 
job during this time when so many people in the industry are struggling so much.
I was really impressed with how abundantly produce grows in Fairfield coming from a concrete jungle, and my feeling was-Fairfield really needs a Farm-to-Table dining experience. The delivery option has really seemed essential for many of my clients who either don’t cook, or want to get a break from cooking. Thank you Fairfield, I am honored to provide you with this service, and I only hope the business continues to grow and reach more of the community.
Find out what a day in the life of a boarding student is like, click here.
To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.
To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
To read more about boarding at Maharishi School, click here.
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