West Side Market In Cleveland, OH, Celebrates Its Centennial
Locally grown and produced food items were celebrated for 100 years of service to local, urban community.
Cleveland, OH’s, largest public market, known as the West Side Market, celebrated 100 years in the community on Nov. 6. The market’s yearlong celebration was wrapped up with a gala fundraiser in which prominent national and local chefs concocted some of their best appetizer dishes for a crowd of more than 700 people. The fundraiser will help with future market renovations.
What is regularly the produce aisle, turned into several chef stands that offered delicious samplings such as roasted capon with foie gras, as well as Chinese braised pork ribs in black bean sauce, among others. Patrons were wined and dined as they made their way from the produce section to the main market where they continued to chat, eat, and drink before heading to the event’s tent later that night, where local councilmen, Cleveland’s mayor and TV personalities sang praises to the Market’s importance in the community. Cleveland’s own Iron Chef, Michael Symon, as well as Cleveland’s chef Jonathon Sawyer, named Food & Wine’s Best New Chef, delighted the crowd with their food creations, making themselves available for quick conversation pieces while cooking and serving the crowd.
Local brewery, Great Lakes Brewing Company, located just down the street from the West Side Market, debuted its new Butchers Brew during the event.
It was the one night where the importance of connecting people to community through produce was celebrated. Cleveland’s West Side Market, is not only a place to get a wide array of fruits, vegetables, pasta, nuts, meats, and cheeses, it is also a centralized location where people gather to exchange locally produced goods. It is possibly the city’s most important landmark.
Located on the busy corner of a West 25th and Lorain Road, the market dates back to the mid-1800s and is home to more than 100 vendors. According to the West Side Market’s site, patrons can find a wide array of produce, meats, and dairy at prices up to 30% lower than grocery stores. But, aside from lower prices and food selections, the experience of finding yourself in such a sensorially and ethnically diverse environment while shopping for basic needs, is priceless. To do so under a mid-19th Century roof, is amazing. And to think that this has been going on in an urban center for 100 years is unbelievable.
As Councilman Joe Cimperman said during the event: “We want our future generations to be able to experience gems like these in our community; it is a dream only possible through the efforts of our local producers.”
Click here for our photo coverage of the event.
Melendez is Managing Editor and Online Editor, Horticulture Group, Latin America, Meister Media Worldwide.
Comments (0)
