Biography:

Vivian Howard is a farm girl originally from Deep Run, NC who expects the unexpected but occasionally still finds herself surprised. Her smile, laugh, and loving nature are straight from the sweet strawberry patch. Vivian built her culinary career in New York City where she worked with the likes of Wylie Dufresne (wd-40) and Jean George Vongerichten (Spice Market). ‬But don't let the farm girl fool you; when you see that wrinkled brow, and her eyes turn stormy, remember that she expects nothing but the best from her ingredients, her cooking, herself, and everyone around her. Vivian takes great pride in the fact that 70 percent of the foodstuff at Chef and the Farmer is local, but she's even more proud of her twins Theo and Flo.

Biography:

Ben, Vivian’s husband and business partner, is a self-described “North Shore Jew from Chicago, living on a hog farm in North Carolina.” He is a painter who worked in restaurants to supplement his artist’s salary, and met Vivian when they both served at Voyage in New York City. Shortly after meeting Ben, Vivian told her roommate that he was “kind of arrogant” but thought he would make a significant impact on her life. Ben says that it was Vivian’s beauty that initially drew him in, “cause I’m a pretty visual person.” Ben runs the front of the house and has made it his mission to transform his staff into wine experts. 

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Marinda Lane is one of those wonder women who returned to farming to generate additional income for her family. The pure bred Black Angus cattle reared on Lane Angus Beef Farm is an essential part of Chef and the Farmer’s “whole animal’ program. With eight generations of farming under her belt, it’s safe to say Marinda knows her beef.

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Michael serves as editor of Little, Brown and Co., one of the nation’s oldest and most respected publishing houses and future home of Chef Vivian’s inaugural cookbook. It’s rumored that he’s both a ‘sandwich coach’ and a ‘beard enthusiast, but never at the same time.

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David Black is the president of the David Black Agency, specializing in representing a wide array of narrative non-fiction in subjects ranging from sports, business, history, politics, fitness, and memoir to any subject area that might spark a personal passion...Ehht emm including Vivian! David represents a number of New York Times best selling authors, including journalists, politicians, athletes, chefs, and cookbook writers. Before forming his own agency in 1990, David was an agent at Sanford Greenburger for 5 ½ years. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife, son, and dog.

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Excerpt from Bit & Grain "A Chef's Town": “I’ve eaten all over the country and the food we are producing in Kinston, as a whole, is so on point. It’s bangin’, it’s so good,” says Joe Kavanaugh, who is helping to expand Kinston’s palate with Olvera Street Taqueria where he serves up tacos, burritos, enchiladas and more. With unexpected offerings like catfish and scallop verde ceviche tacos, Joe brings North Carolina influenced, West Coast flair to downtown Kinston. 

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John Silver spent a week on Brothers Farm creating a series of beautiful scenes which prominently featured two of your favorites, Warren and Ms. Lillie. Check out a few of his pieces from the show at the Buy Local Gallery in Kinston, NC

Biography:

Hailing from Institute, NC, Lillie has been helping out on Warren Brothers' farm "since forever.” A woman of all trades, Lillie does everything from picking to taking produce to market. Like her mama, Mary Vaughn, Lillie loves to cook. Her grilled chicken is highly prized, dressed with a closely-guarded, NC-style barbeque sauce. Warren is a regular fixture at her dinner table and has asked often after the recipe. But, he says, “Lillie told me that if she told me the recipe, she’d have to kill me."

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Warren, who supplies the restaurant with everything from flowers to sweet potatoes, comes from five generations of farmers. Warren and Vivian share a unique farmer-chef relationship. He gives her the freedom to ask him to plant a specific crop, but Warren can trust that she will remain flexible. “It might not work out with that particular plant. Vivian knows that because she comes from a farming background.” Everyone knows him around town by his bare feet. “There is something about having my feet in the dirt.” When this easy-going, barefoot farmer isn’t tending to his crops, he is likely to be camping and fishing in beautiful Beaufort, NC. 

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