Row 7 Sweet Garleek Takes Root in Chicago This Week

The chef-driven seed company Row 7 is using Chicago kitchens to show how flavor-first breeding can change the way we eat.

In a world where produce is bred for longer shelf life or easier shipping, Row 7 Seed Company is doing the unthinkable: breeding for flavor, instead. 

The seed company, started by Chef Dan Barber (Blue Hill at Stone Barns), asks a simple question that’s sparking a produce revolution. How do we make vegetables taste better? 

Row 7’s latest plus-up is Sweet Garleek. It marries the sweet, oniony flavor of leeks with the savory depth of garlic for a final result that’s the best of both worlds. Sweet Garleek is tender root-to-tip, unlike the often-discarded tougher greens of a traditional leek, for a vegetable that’s more delicious with less waste. 

This week, Chef Barber and Row 7 are taking Sweet Garleek on tour to restaurants and bakeries across Chicago. We caught up with Row 7’s President, Charlotte Douglas, to learn all about it.

EC: Row 7 is known for collaborating with breeders, farmers, and chefs in developing seeds. Can you walk us through how that process works—and where Sweet Garleek fits in?

CD: From the earliest stages, we involve chefs and farmers—more than 150 of them—in trials that influence which varieties move forward. They help us understand how an ingredient behaves in the kitchen, how it could inspire a dish, and what eaters and farmers are excited about. That’s what makes something like Sweet Garleek possible—not just the breeding, but the creative partnership that brings it to life.

EC: Why bring the Sweet Garleek tour to Chicago specifically—what makes this city the right place to showcase it?

CD: The city has such a dynamic food culture—one that pushes the boundaries of innovation and is also deeply rooted in the traditions and neighborhoods that have shaped its flavors over time. 

During Garleek week, Sweet Garleek will be featured on around a dozen menus, and it’s incredible to see how it’s been interpreted through the lens of different cuisines and the chefs’ creativity. The response so far has been incredible. Chefs are eager to experiment with something completely new, and they’re innovating around the whole plant. 

EC: Sweet Garleek is popping up on some of the city’s most acclaimed menus. Do you see this ingredient as something that will stick around for the long term?

CD: What we’ve heard from chefs—and I’d say the same as someone who uses Garleek all the time in my own cooking—is that it’s incredibly versatile, and it brings this unique depth of flavor to a dish. I think that’s what will give it staying power—not just on menus around the city, but in home kitchens as well.

EC: What role do you see Row 7 playing in shaping the next wave of restaurant–farm collaborations here in Chicago and beyond?

CD: Our hope is that this week is just the starting point for a much longer conversation. On Sunday, we’re bringing together regional chefs, tomato breeders, and farmers for a roundtable to dig into what these collaborations can look like. The goal is to bridge more of these partnerships around the country.

Get a taste of Sweet Garleek when the Row 7 veggie truck pops up at these Chicago restaurants: 

• August 22nd: Middlebrow, 4-7 p.m. 
• August 23rd: Del Sur Bakery, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
• August 24th: Lula Cafe, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

You’ll also find Sweet Garleek on menus from August 22nd to 29th at some of Chicago’s most acclaimed, quality ingredient-minded spots: 

• Avec 
• Beity 
• Cellar Door Provisions 
• Elske 
• Floriole 
• Lost Larson 
• North Pond 
• Pizz’Amici 
• Publican Quality Bread 

Sweet Garleek will be available nationwide, through Whole Foods Market and select independent retailers along with other seasonal varieties, including Upstate Abundance potatoes, Badger Flame beets, Honeypatch squash, and Koginut squash in the near future. 
Interested in growing your own crop? Shop the Row 7 seed collection online today.