Novio’s Bistro, in Bangor, is constructing a 1,500-square-foot heated greenhouse to leverage the locally sourced produce concept through the winter.
The Bangor Daily News reported that Novio’s owner Bob Cutler and Chef Dustin Cyr plan to grow 80% of the produce they serve at the restaurant within eight months.
“If you believe like I do, and like Dustin does, in cooking with the best possible ingredients, it’s a no-brainer,” Cutler told the BDN.
Both have extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Cyr plans to use a hydroponic system to grow some vegetables, and raised-bed system for others, along with supplemental lighting.
“Plants will be pest-free, disease-free. They’re clean [because they’re not grown in dirt] and you get more plants per square foot,” Cyr said.