Food is foundational to culture. While farm-to-table culinary tourism has expanded greatly over the past several decades, the abrupt onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly reversed course overnight. In the U.S., many restaurants were shuttered for several months and subsequently had to alter their business model to reopen. Meanwhile, farmers that worked closely with chefs were vulnerable to dramatic changes in purchasing habits. Therefore, this study sought to explore the relationship between chefs and farmers and how the stress of the pandemic impacted these relationships. It also looked at the role of shared sustainability values on the farmer-chef relationship during times of stress. The study took place between October 2020 and March 2021 and involved in-depth virtual interviews with farmers and chefs. Preliminary results suggest that while working relationships are not always contingent on shared values, shared sustainability values can be critical in maintaining these connections during difficult times
