The ‘Green-Thumb Chef’: Niven Patel Takes ‘Farm-to-Table’ Into His Own Hands

At his trio of acclaimed Miami restaurants, the rising chef serves globe-trotting fare with homegrown produce, meticulously curated, cultivated, and harvested at his own farm

At Mamey, named after the tropical fruit, the island-themed menu is inspired by Patel's travels around Asia, Polynesia, and the Caribbean. Courtesy of Alpareno Restaurant Group

A cook sliced into an heirloom tomato and threw half of it in the trash.

It was a thoughtless act committed routinely in kitchens around the country—but chef Niven Patel saw it as an opportunity to teach his team about the effort required to grow and harvest ingredients.