Many of the menus at Barona Resort & Casino start from the ground up —- literally. The resort, located in the East San Diego County city of Lakeside, relies on its on-site Chef’s Garden to supply produce to several of its restaurants. The garden also serves as the hub of Chef de Cuisine Duncan Firth’s (pictured left) environmentally layered approach to managing his kitchens. Firth says his entire staff takes pride in using what they grow on Barona’s menus, translating seasonality directly to the customers’ plates each day.

The Chef’s Garden at Barona grows more than 20 varieties of vegetables and herbs, and also doubles as a guest attraction, with tours and tips for aspiring gardeners staying at the resort.