Local Provisions is Gainesville’s newest farm-to-table bar and grill located in Tioga Town Center. The newly renovated restaurant features an open dining concept that utilizes fresh air, natural light, and plenty of greenery. The menu is still evolving as their team works to create delicious, in-season dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. Plus, you can dine at Local Provisions guilt-free as they go the extra mile to practice sustainability by composting food waste and providing recyclable to-go containers.
Executive Chef Brody Russell, Victoria Liu, & Front of House Manager Tyler Dern together at Local Provisions.
The Man Behind the Menu
From oysters to charcuturie to poke, Local Provisions’ menu takes locally sourced ingredients and transforms them into high-quality and intriguing dishes. Developing such a diverse menu is no easy feat, but Chef Brody Russell was up for the challenge.
Chef Brody Russell with an impressive charcuterie board for 20 - available on the dinner menu!
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Chef Russell’s journey to the Gainesville area was spontaneous and a bit unconventional – but packed with experiences that led him to be the great chef he is today. His first experience with cooking came from cooking for himself and his brother, which led to working in kitchens as a teen. After attending the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Russell changed routes and went to culinary school before finishing his undergrad.
But what made him make the move from St. Louis to Gainesville? Well, a couple of friends with an affliction for the Florida Gators decided to hop in a car and start a new life in Gainesville – so, Russell took a leap of faith and joined them.
After leaving St. Louis, Chef Russell came here and never left. Once in Gainesville, he threw himself into the restaurant business – starting off at Ember Steakhouse, he went on to work as a chef for a sorority house and as a chef at The Keys before landing at Local Provisions.
Now, as the man behind Local Provisions’ menu, Chef Russell uses his diverse experiences as inspiration for his dishes. With heavy influences from his travels within the United States and overseas in France, Chef Russell is able to create an intriguing menu using farm-fresh ingredients.
For many of the dishes, Russell proudly says, “I don’t have a single ingredient coming from outside of 30 minutes away in any single direction - so there’s a lot of goodness and greatness coming out of the soil that our farmers are doing.”
Chef Russell’s favorite dish on the menu is the Salmon and Dill Cream dish featured on their dinner menu. The dish features a filet of Atlantic salmon served with a dill cream sauce finished with butter – the description alone sounds like a dream. If that doesn’t reel you in, this dish was also inspired by a dish from a Michelin star restaurant in France. If you’re ever in the area, consider trying some Local Provisions favorites!
How Local Are These Provisions Really?
Okay - we’ve talked about local and farm-fresh a lot, but exactly how local are we talking? Well, it seems as fresh as it can get as many ingredients are picked up from local farmers and put on the table within the week. Chef Russell has used his time in Gainesville to build relationships with local suppliers and farmers to provide the freshest ingredients possible.
“I’ve since become really good friends with the people at Haile Farmer’s Market. I go there every Saturday, pick up ingredients for that day, and that’s what we’re cooking with – whatever comes out of the ground that week.” – Chef Brody Russell
Freshly harvested oyster, shucked and served at Local Provisions!
One great example of Local Provisions’ fresh ingredients are their oysters. Their menu currently offers two oyster dishes: Oysters on the Half Shell and Oyster Cuchor. The first is served raw over ice while the latter is served broiled over raw topped with citrus, balsamic, tomato, and basil. The delicious Bluepoint oysters they use come straight from a farm in Apalachicola to your table.
“Every time you eat oysters in this restaurant, you’re eating yesterday’s harvest.” - Chef Brody Russell
The use of local ingredients means the menu will be constantly evolving to adapt to changes in available ingredients - as the seasons change, so will the menu! With a great appreciation for the local community, Chef Russel uses his passion to introduce locals to new flavors and dishes they haven’t tried before.
A visit to Local Provisions offers more than just fresh food, you’re also supporting the local community in the process! The restaurant partners with a local composting company to recycle their food waste into nutrient rich soil for farmers. Striving to build on the “neighborhood vibe” of Tioga, Local Provisions is enhancing our area every step of the way.
Comments