For our one-year birthday, we welcome to our new website home. We hope you love it. We sure do.

It's mid-century and modern: sweetly echoing the long-gone banner newspaper era with elegant, clean, tasteful 21st century design.

Our stories and photos fit hand-in-glove here, both function + design strolling together like a walk on the beach.

It's accessible, inviting, friendly with no airs. More cattle than hat.

Kinda like us.

Many moons ago, three of us were each walking around this city, each with our own tiny dancer of a dormant idea:

Hmm. Wouldn't it be kickass fun to launch a media startup on local food?

You know the rest of the story: friends of friends introduced us, a team formed (Kerry H., you were there from day one), a vision shared, the glue held. In 2022 and 2023, we spent months breathing this into life, a gestation marked by immense creativity, a few dead-ends, a lot of faith and even more laughter.

"Fall in love with local food," we told friends and partners.

One year ago this week -- August 19, 2023 -- we published our very first Food as a Verb story with these words.

Now, 109 stories later, we say the same words:

Thank you.

Let us set the table for you again.

Because Food as a Verb has always felt like a table to us.

A really long, gorgeous table decorated with lots of grace and heaping plates of food and cups that never go empty.

Anyone and everyone has a seat.

Our table would have lots of laughter.

Lots of good folks – well-known and underground ....

... telling such good stories, with such good-hearted love.

Personally? We three were desperate for such a table.

Mainstream media wasn't building one. In fact, it does the opposite.

So, we threw our hats in the ring: hells yes, we'll do what's never been done here.

We'll start our own.

One year ago, we invited you to join us, as we began to (re)-introduce you to some of our most talented and creative farmers and chefs.

Folks offering something mighty special in this city.

My stars, so many of you responded.

You are hungry for the same table we are.

From out of the woodwork, you showed up in support. From friends: how can we help? From strangers: we love your work. Open arms. It has been open arms on top of open arms.

We will never forget your generosity.

Because of you, Food as a Verb -- planted small -- began to grow.

We believe we've stumbled onto something quite precious.

Media that uplifts.

Media that dignifies.

Media that tells the stories of such good people doing such noble work.

Our table? It can also turn urgent and heavy, pounding with attention and on underreported issues:

• Devastating farmland loss.
• The near-complete lack of farmers of color.
• The growing food + medicine desert in east Chattanooga
• Empty refrigerators and too many bills.

Food as a Verb was the sole media outlet to report start-to-finish on the state's $7.2 million federal grant mistake. And, thankfully, its remedy.

(And there's more reporting just around the corner.)

We've lost track of how many days we leave a farm or restaurant, just shaken and stirred, speechless at the beauty of what we've witnessed.

Along the way, we've met some really good cows.

And tasted the work of some of the finest chefs around.

And bore witness to the noble work of everyday people keeping their communities alive and healthy.

Food as a Verb always feels like a gift.

One we're offering you.

And one that you offer back to us, in return.

Most of all?

We've made some dear friends.

This coming year? We've got some big plans, with a special series in October and an end-of-year gift in December.

But first? We want to party.

On Thursday, September 26, come join us at Cherry Street Tavern, where the Bohannon brothers and Cherry Street's chef will serve a local meal sourced from Main Street Farmers' Market along with drinks, music, swag and big hugs. It will be a night to remember.

More info coming soon.

Until then, make yourself at home here.

You've heard it before; we'll say it again.

Thank you.

Without you, there's no us.

All photography by Sarah Unger (sarah@foodasaverb.com)

All design by Alex DeHart

All words by David Cook (david@foodasaverb.com)

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities? Email us: david@foodasaverb.com and sarah@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.