Introduction to Edgewater Chef’s ‘Beach Bites’
EDGEWATER — A new Edgewater food business is making it easier than ever for neighbors to grab the perfect beach snacks. Smash Food Lab, founded by Andersonville resident Dustin Harder, operates out of a shared kitchen in Edgewater, offering a pre-order menu on weekends for neighbors to pick up — possibly while on their way to the beach.
About Smash Food Lab and Its Menu
Last month, Harder launched his first menu, called Beach Bites. Pasta salad, sandwiches and other snacks are all pre-packaged, meant to be eaten cold and perfect to take to the beach, he said. The entire menu is also plant-based, with several items also nut-free and available in gluten-free form. Menu items include piña colada bites ($6), bite-sized balls of coconut, pineapple, dates and cashews; Thai peanut pasta salad ($4 or $7), made with pasta, cabbage, peppers and zucchini and mixed with a peanut dressing; and the Tropical BBQ Tofu Sandwich ($13), which features grilled tofu glazed with barbecue sauce, topped with shredded cabbage and grilled pineapple on a ciabatta roll.
The Tropical Tofu BBQ Sandwich and Thai Peanut Pasta Salad from Smash Food Lab’s Beach Bites menu. Credit: Provided/Dustin Harder
Ingredients and Preparation
Harder uses fresh produce from local farmers markets and vegan foods from Chicago-based companies, like vegan mozzarella from Cheeze & Thank You.
Ordering and Pickup
People can place their orders every week before noon Thursday and then pick up their food 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Loaves and Witches, 6034 N. Broadway, or 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Edgewater Candles, 1050 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Harder prepares every order regardless of the weather; if the weekend turns out to be more rain than sunshine, the entire menu will keep in the fridge for a couple days, he said. And because everything is already packaged, the menu also makes for good lunch prep for those who bring lunch to the office, he said.
About the Founder
Harder has been vegan for about 15 years, he said. The lifestyle change started as a way for him to lose weight, but he ended up sticking with it as he learned more about the positive environmental impacts of veganism and realized how good he was feeling, he said.
Credit: Provided/Emily Teague
Inspiration and Goals
Harder used to work in theater, but he decided to go to culinary school about 10 years ago, he said. Since then, he’s worked as a private chef, written cookbooks, created a series called The Vegan Roadie that he described as “a plant-based version of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,’” and launched a podcast called “Keep On Cooking.” About a year ago, Harder and his husband moved to Chicago, settling in Andersonville. He said he decided to start Smash Food Lab after learning about a shared kitchen space at Loaves and Witches. Harder was also inspired to create a fully vegan menu after having difficulty finding vegan options while visiting the beach last summer, he said. But he hopes non-vegan eaters also enjoy his food. “My whole goal has always been to make [eating vegan] welcoming, inclusive and not an intimidating experience for people,” he said. “I’m not going to be the person who’s like, ‘I want you to give [meat] up.’ I’m going to be the person who says, ‘Great, you should have whatever you want to have. But also, how can I help you eat more vegetables?’”
Future Plans
Harder hopes to continue to develop new menus as the seasons change, he said. This week, Harder is running a special where orders over $40 will come with a free Smash Food Lab insulated cooler.
Conclusion
Smash Food Lab’s
