It has become fairly commonplace for independent restaurants, and even hotels, to start rooftop gardens to provide local, seasonal flavors.
But in Myrtle Beach, S.C., a chain restaurant is joining the trend. Mike Marques, executive chef of the local Ruth’s Chris Steak House has been growing basil, thyme and mint in bus tubs on his roof since the spring of 2009.
“We tried tomatoes for one year, and I got enough for about two weeks in the restaurant, but with these herbs I grow enough for us to use from the middle of April to the first frost or real cold night in October,” Marques said.
At the peak, he has enough left over that he offers it for free to independent chefs in the area.
Marques picks the herbs in the afternoon, right before opening for dinner.
He uses the thyme in his stuffed chicken breast dish. He puts the fresh herb on dinner plates heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and then tops it with lemon butter.
“It sizzles, gives a great aroma and is just delicious,” Marques said.
That dish is finished with a double-lobed, skin-on chicken breast stuffed with a garlic-herb cheese spread.
At the bar, the mint goes into citrusy mojitos and the basil goes into basil strawberry mojitos.
Marques runs the garden himself, which makes the cost minimal, and the restaurant ends up spending between $900 and $1,100 less on herbs each year than it normally would.
The herbs grow in about six inches of soil that is watered constantly, mostly with a combination of rainwater and water from condensation on the air conditioners. Those supplies are augmented by tap water during drier periods.
“They’re constantly in water,” Marques said, adding that he poked holes in the bus tubs so they stay drained.
“In the beginning we weren’t too sure how it was going to work, but I think the water helps keep the plants from getting fried,” in the hot South Carolina sun.
Marques said customer feedback has been good.
“I’ve noticed in the summertime our customers say the drinks taste better,” he said. “And in the dining room they say how wonderful it smells.”
It’s also good marketing, Marques said, noting that passersby often wonder what a chef is doing on the roof of a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
“It’s really brought some good PR to us,” Marque said, “and the chefs at the local Sheraton and Marina Inn are starting their own rooftop herb gardens.”
Ruth’s Chris is owned by Heathrow, Fla.-based Ruth’s Hospitality Group Inc., which operates or franchises more than 150 restaurants under four brands.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].