For Immediate Release:
Sept. 30, 2008

GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up serves locally produced food, wine and helps local food banks

AUSTIN – In an effort to help local food banks serve a growing number of Texas families, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples asked Texans to dine out on Wednesday, Oct. 1, as part of the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up, presented by Farm Credit. The inaugural event celebrates locally produced foods and the expanding Texas wine industry, with many participating restaurants donating a portion of the day’s proceeds to Texas food banks.

“I am excited to celebrate restaurants that serve fresh, local ingredients and quality Texas foods through the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up,” Commissioner Todd Staples said. “I’m also proud to announce that many of the day’s proceeds will benefit Texas food banks in support of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Texans Feeding Texans initiative. I will enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner tomorrow at GO TEXAN Restaurants and hope other Texans will join me in doing the same.”

For the event, participating restaurants will offer special Texas menu items, a fixed-priced Texas meal, a Texas food and wine pairing or a Texas wine list. In addition, the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up serves to kick off Texas Wine Month in October.

Eateries taking part in the Restaurant Round-Up are all members of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s GO TEXAN Restaurant Program, an initiative launched in January 2008 dedicated to getting more Texas items on more Texas menus. To qualify, establishments must be located in Texas and serve Texas products. The program also highlights the benefit of buying local:

• Consumer confidence in food – consumers know where the food comes from;
• Fresher products and longer shelf life – locally grown produce is usually picked the same day it is bought and therefore lasts longer;
• Lower costs – restaurants save in fuel costs associated with transportation when they buy locally, and consumers often realize those savings.

For a complete list of participating statewide restaurants, news updates and other information about the event, visit GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up .

Photo attached suggested caption: Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples is calling for people across the state to participate in the GO TEXAN Restaurant Roundup on Oct 1.

Texas Department of Agriculture Seeks GO TEXAN Restaurants to Participate in First-Ever Statewide Dine-Out Day on Oct. 1.

AUSTIN, Texas – July 11, 2008 – The Texas Department of Agriculture is looking for chefs and restaurant owners who buy local to “bring Texas to the table” by offering a special Texas menu, food and wine pairing, or Texas wine list on Wednesday, October 1 as part of the inaugural GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up.

Texans will be invited to dine at their favorite GO TEXAN Restaurant to enjoy the foods and wines from the Lone Star State during the first-ever statewide dine-out day, with proceeds benefiting local food banks.

Launched in January 2008, the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program already has signed up more than 300 establishments such as Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, the Bill Miller Bar-B-Q chain and the landmark Driskill Grill in Austin. To qualify, establishments must be located in Texas and serve Texas products.

“The GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the restaurant owners and chefs who care about serving the freshest local ingredients and who pride themselves on Texas quality,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said.

The GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up also kicks off Texas Wine Month in October.

Restaurants interested in becoming a GO TEXAN Restaurant and participating in the October 1 dine-out day can go to www.GOTEXANRestaurantRoundUp.com for more information.

GO TEXAN Restaurants receive:

• Connections to local products and growers
• Inclusion in GO TEXAN directories, Web sites, printed materials, advertisements, e-zines, calendars and newsletters
• Branding opportunities through GO TEXAN logos on menus, printed materials and a GO TEXAN window decal
• Discounted rates to exhibit at events and festivals spotlighting Texas cuisine and discounted advertising rates for print publications

AUSTIN - Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples today announced that, only four months after its inauguration, the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program has reached a milestone of 274 members. Commissioner Staples made the announcement at the Driskill Grill in the historic the Driskill Hotel.

"These initial members recognize the importance of serving up their entrees with a side of Texas pride," Commissioner Staples said. "When GO TEXAN Restaurant Program members connect with area producers to serve locally grown, seasonal products, the consumer enjoys the freshest ingredients possible and the state's economy is strengthened."

The new GO TEXAN Restaurant Program allows restaurants to join the GO TEXAN marketing program, the Texas Department of Agriculture's comprehensive campaign promoting the products, culture and communities of Texas. The innovative program encourages restaurants to use locally produced items, which not only recognizes Lone Star State quality but also - in this time of rising fuel and food prices - helps control costs by keeping transportation distances to a minimum. The Driskill Hotel is one of the program's newest members.

"Having the oldest established restaurant in Austin, it's only natural for the Driskill to embrace the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program that connects our culinary staff with local growers and producers," Executive Chef Jonathan Gelman said. "At both the Driskill Grill and the 1886 Café & Bakery, we carefully select products and prepare menus that provide our guests with fresh, innovative cuisine that reflects the diverse food traditions of our city and state. With this program, the Texas Department of Agriculture has shortened the distance and reduced the amount of time that it takes to get the food from farm to table."

For a $25 annual fee, members receive assistance in sourcing locally produced items; use of the GO TEXAN brand on menus and other printed materials; and inclusion in high-profile events, publications and other activities promoting member establishments to the public.

Chefs and restaurateurs across the state noted the value of the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program.

"It's quite simple why I joined the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program: to help close the gap between our restaurants and the grass-roots farmers who are producing the finest, freshest ingredients available. We want to showcase to our customers why we're so proud of our local farmers!" - Jason Dady, chef/owner of The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills, BIN 555 Restaurant and Wine Bar, and TRE Trattoria, San Antonio

• "I was excited to hear about the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program because I have always strived to buy local, seasonal products at home, and now I am able to incorporate this commitment into my professional life as well. Whether I'm visiting the farmer's market on weekends or forming a partnership with a Gulf fisherman, I love that I can do my part to save the environment and support local suppliers while still providing our guests with the freshest, most flavorful ingredients out there."

• "I like most all things ‘Texas' and appreciate what TDA does to promote Texas and her products. I appreciate a program that points specifically to the Texas restaurant industry and those of us who spend our days there."

Make sure to mark your calendars for Oct. 1, 2008. On this day consumers will be invited to dine at GO TEXAN Restaurant Program establishments, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting food banks across Texas. Look for more information later this year about this exciting event.

For details about the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program or to inquire about membership, go to www.gotexan.org or contact Sarah Riggins at (512) 475-1663 or sarah.riggins@tda.state.tx.us.

The GO TEXAN Restaurant Program allows restaurants to become part of the GO TEXAN program, which promotes the products, culture and communities of Texas. The exciting new program encourages restaurants to use locally produced items and provides an easy way for consumers to identify restaurants that call Texas home.

"This a great new marketing tool for restaurants across the state. Our unique Texas culture is going straight from the farm to the restaurant table. Members who sign up can partner their quality offerings with the GO TEXAN brand," Commissioner Staples said

Texas is the second-largest food service market in the nation, with sales projected to reach $33 billion this year, according to the National Restaurant Association. Statistics show that every $1 spent in Texas restaurants generates an additional $1.52 in sales for other industries in the state.

"Restaurants can now serve their entrees up with a side of Texas pride. The program's mission is connecting Texas producers with Texas restaurant owners and chefs in every way possible, and those efforts will result in more Texas products on more Texas menus," Commissioner Staples said.

Make sure to mark your calendars for Oct. 1, 2008. The Texas Department of Agriculture is creating a GO TEXAN Restaurant Night. On this special evening consumers are invited to visit member restaurants across the Lone Star State. Look for much more information to come out later this year on this exciting event.

For details about the GO TEXAN Restaurant Program or to inquire about membership, go to www.gotexan.org or contact Sarah Riggins at (512) 475-1663 or sarah.riggins@tda.state.tx.us.