Grocery shopping. For some, it can certainly be seen as a daunting task that needs to be dealt with on a perpetual basis. However, for those of us who get a kick out of picking out the perfect apple, staring lovingly at different cuts of meat and fish in the display case, or finding some new weird and wonderful product from the farmers market or the prepared foods section at Trader Joe’s, grocery shopping is just plain fun. No matter how you view the experience, it’s something we all have to do to get food on the table. And believe it or not, when they aren’t cooking on TV, writing a cookbook, or behind the helm of a restaurant kitchen, that includes professional chefs, too.
We had the chance to chat with some of our favorite chefs at the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival in the Bahamas about where they do one of life’s most basic chores (or pleasures). From big-box stores to local markets, it really came down to finding places and products that spark joy and don’t constantly break the bank. Celebrity chefs — they’re just like us!
Glenn Rolnick
For Glenn Rolnick, the director of culinary operations for Alicart Restaurant Group, which includes New York Italian mainstay Carmines, the treatment of the fruits and veggies at a grocery store, or those that come from a local grocery delivery service, is what helps dictate where he does his grocery shopping. Especially for someone who does a lot of cooking with produce in his own home, the fresher said produce is, the better.
“I like FreshDirect. I like Fresh Market,” said Rolnick. “I roast a lot of vegetables for myself, and I always like to get [to] a market that’s always turning over their produce.” As a New Yorker, Rolnick also appreciates a good local favorite, like Gristedes, especially if the locations are regularly turning over the produce and aren’t too large.
Alon Shaya
In a food paradise like New Orleans, Alon Shaya, chef and owner of Saba, has no shortage of big, well-known restaurant options if he’s looking for a sit-down meal. However, when it comes to grocery shopping and cooking at home, he leaves it to a family-run grocery store in Metairie, a community a few miles west of the French Quarter, to have one of just about anything and everything he could be looking for. After more than 75 years in business, Dorignac’s is undoubtedly living up to its “one stop food center” tagline.
“We have a place called Dorignac’s … and it’s like an old, family-run grocery store that has not changed for a long time,” said Shaya. “Every time we go shopping there, we’re able to get everything we need in one spot. And the ladies at the counter, at the register, are really sweet.”
Michael Symon
Having a quality farmer’s market close by (or even not that close) is great for someone who wants fresh, top-notch produce while simultaneously supporting local businesses. For Michael Symon, TV chef, owner of Mabel’s BBQ, and all-around grilled meat enthusiast, you may assume that his preferred shops consist of meat, meat, and more meat without a second thought. But when asked about where he does his grocery shopping, he said it was a tough decision to make. Ultimately, his local farmer’s market won out. “I’m currently in love with the Venice Beach Farmers’ Market,” said Symon. “It’s just produce for sale … it’s very small and chill.”
While a large farmers market is certainly a wonderful treat, Symon is fan of his smaller market, complete with its relaxed California vibe. The best part? There’s not a food truck in sight, so the focus is purely on the fruits and vegetables.
Kardea Brown
In addition to quality, finding a reliable grocery store that doesn’t charge an arm, a leg, and a full paycheck for a week’s worth of food is the best-case scenario. When asked about where she does her grocery shopping, Kardea Brown, known for her comforting South Carolina-influenced recipes, gave us a straight to the point, no-frills answer: “Harris Teeter. Great prices.”
A predominately East Coast grocery store chain owned by Kroger, Harris Teeter has a reputation for having a wide variety of products at affordable prices, not to mention its top-notch prepared foods and bakery section. If you’re lucky enough to live anywhere near one of Harris Teeter’s more than 250 locations ranging from Delaware to Florida, it’s an ideal choice. How can you argue with Miss Delicious herself?
José Andrés
If you know, you know: Shopping at Costco is a spiritual experience. For José Andrés, chef, restaurant owner, and director of World Central Kitchen, Costco is his wife’s favorite place to shop, and Andrés himself feels it’s an untapped resource due to its incredible selection of wines from Bordeaux.
However, Costco isn’t the only store that has a hold on Andres’ grocery shopping habits. Whole Foods certainly gets the job done, and thanks to insight from his daughters, Trader Joe’s is yet another store he frequents to discover new and different items. “And the good thing is that you go, and they have things you never saw before,” said Andrés. “And you’re like, ‘Where did this thing come from?'” Andrés is another chef who relies on his local farmers market, too, making it a weekly shopping stop.
JJ Johnson
JJ Johnson, chef, cookbook author, and owner of fast casual rice bowl chain FIELDTRIP, has his grocery shopping down to a science, relying on different stores to fulfill different needs for his kitchen. He starts with Costco, which he noted “is great for bulk items and high-quality meats,” before heading over to Trader Joe’s for its hard-to-beat selections of snacks and frozen foods, at similarly hard-to-beat prices.
Citarella is a New York City grocery store known for its incredible fresh fish selection, and Johnson takes advantage of exactly that, stating point-blank: “Citarella is the best spot for fresh fish.” Last, but certainly not least, in his grocery shopping adventure is none other than the farmers market, which he said has the best produce and eggs, not to mention unique finds from local vendors.
Michael White
A true New Yorker when it comes to his grocery store choices, Michael White of BBianco Hospitality is doing his grocery shopping at three of the city’s big names: “I love to go to Whole Foods, Wegmans, or Citarella because I can find everything in these three spots!”
While Whole Foods and Citarella have had several locations sprinkled around New York City for many years, Wegmans is more of a newcomer that has joined the city from the suburbs; the chain is known for its quality store-brand products and incredible prepared food section. With a location in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and another in the Noho neighborhood of Manhattan (and a second Manhattan spot planned) it’s another great addition to New York City’s grocery scene. For White, the question is simple: Why go anywhere else when these three stores have everything you need?
Geoffrey Zakarian
When chef and cookbook author Geoffrey Zakarian isn’t cooking on TV, working on his next cookbook, or helping with the planning of City Harvest’s annual Summer in the City event, he’s here, there, and everywhere doing his grocery shopping. Zakarian’s a busy man, but we were able to chat with him over the phone about his favorite spots.
“I’m all over the place,” said Zakarian in terms of his grocery habits. “I buy a lot of stuff online, specialty products and stuff like that.” Additionally, he goes to stores like Trader Joe’s for inexpensive, quality items like flour or olive oil, as well as Fresh Market for other kitchen goods and Publix for his essentials and houseware needs.
When it comes to sourcing quality meat, Zakarian is understandably picky, working with a few different online retailers that he knows and trusts from the restaurant business. And for frozen beef and pork, it’s Wild Fork, a purveyor of frozen meat and fish that ticks all the right boxes when it comes to quality and price. “It’s a Brazilian company. They’re really the first or second largest purchaser of cattle in the world,” noted Zakarian. “So they have Sasso chickens, they have Kobe, they have wagyu, they have everything … I do a lot of damage in that store.”
