T

he phrase “farm-to-table” is used as ubiquitously in modern restaurants as forks and knives. Despite the prevalence of those three words, however, the reality is often exaggerated ​— ​perhaps referring to an ingredient or a couple of dishes on an otherwise expansive menu. (And their constant utterance is becoming grating to the ears of restaurant regulars and food writers like me.)

But the widespread movement ​— ​in which chefs aspire to deliver fresh, regionally grown, often organic produce, meats, and more to their diners’ plates ​— ​continues to have primarily positive effects: Small farms now thrive as once-invisible growers approach celebrity status; everyday diners care more about the food chain than ever before, increasingly rejecting environmentally questionable, corporate-scale farming; and, when in the hands of capable chefs, the resulting meals are reliably delicious.