In Missouri, there are over 27 million acres of farmland and nearly 100,000 operating farms, each with its own purpose and products. Many farms across the state contribute to farm-to-table restaurants like William Coy's in Maryville.
Mitchell Cosby, the owner and head chef of William Coy's, started his culinary career at a farm-to-table restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. He was then offered the opportunity to create a farm-to-table in Maryville.
"After working there and seeing the quality of the food and just the difference in myself from eating that way for so long, I decided that's the only way I would cook," Cosby said.
The idea for William Coy's was sparked by a school project Cosby had while in culinary school. The name pays homage to his brother, William, who passed away when Cosby was 17, and Coy was his grandfather's name.
Since its creation in 2018, Cosby has worked with many farms for supplies. When first looking for suppliers for the restaurant, he started by just driving around looking for farms.
"I was just driving around the country looking for houses without power lines, and I would stop in, and I'd be like, 'Hey, you guys sell produce?'" he said. "It was really just like kind of a grassroots campaign getting out there and meeting the people, and then just slowly, over time, more people have found out about us."
Read the complete article at nwmissourinews.com
