Edible Delmarva: Spring 2018

From the Editor

At the risk of playing favorites, for me spring is the best season. All anticipation and renewal and hopeful uncertainty, along with delightful surprises that come in everything from the weather to our gardens to a renewal of our resolutions to live healthier. Much more suited than January for celebrating a New Year, if you ask me!

All across Delmarva, the first lettuce and radishes are popping up, farmers’ markets are re-opening, the waters are buzzing with activity, and our favorite places to eat and drink are setting up for outside dining. Spring is here, with a chance to start fresh and breathe new life across all aspects of our lives.

Chef David Banks has a fresh start planned this spring, with his name on the door of Banks Seafood Kitchen and Raw Bar in Wilmington. After years of successful partnership in area restaurants, he’s going solo with his signature attention to every detail on the menu. We are crazy in love with his beautiful food (that cover!) and can’t wait to see more of his new venture. Few chefs have had more re-inventions than Top Chef alum John Tesar. He’s not shy about sharing his opinions on any subject but is also touchingly reflective on his struggles and triumphs in a way we can all learn from. He’ll chair the 2018 Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch this year in support of Meals on Wheels Delaware, and with 25 great chefs on board and nearly 1000 guests it’s sure to be a memorable event. (P.S. Get your tickets now, they always sell out early!)

For the sheer joy of cooking and the pride that comes from making delicious food, nothing beats kids in the kitchen. Food champion Melina Hammer knows kids are capable of making far more than grilled cheese, and brings a fresh take on inspiring budding chefs with real food, real skills, and really amazing dishes.

Reinvention with purpose underlies everything about the Chesapeake Culinary Center, which serves as a hub of culinary activity in Caroline County. Opened in 2014 after a decade-long renovation, the Center serves the local school’s culinary programs along with providing incubator space and catering kitchens for local businesses. Seeds of inspiration planted here have already led to careers in the culinary field, with many students dreaming of returning home to live and work.

So as spring moves across our region, marking the season of renewal and inspiring all manner of fresh starts, we celebrate the fresh, abundant feast that is Delmarva. We cannot wait to see what delights the season has in store for us!