MEGHAN BOLEDOVICH IS one of New York City’s full-time restaurant foragers.
She recently joined photojournalist Michael Fiedler as she collected fresh produce for PRINT restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen.
MF- How would you describe what you do for a living?
MB- I truly would call myself an “urban forager” since I spend many mornings at the Union Square Market sourcing produce from the region’s unique growers. Oftentimes I can be found on the rooftop garden of PRINT restaurant tending to native plants and herbs that we use in the kitchen and bar program.
MF- Do you always find everything you’re looking for in the markets?
MB- Mostly, but every once in a while I get to escape the city and visit the farms we work with and learn more about their process and their stories.
It’s this mash-up of nature and urban landscapes that makes my position unique. From time to time I also go on actual foraging expeditions for wild edibles which is always an eye-opening experience.
MF- Why is that?
MB- Unlike farming, foraging is fully controlled by nature and you are working directly with the land and its untamed bounty. All of these combined aspects of my job help me to have a deep connection to the land, the farmers who work it, and the kitchen workers who clean and prepare it into nourishment for others.
MF- How does this approach help a large urban environment like New York City?
MB- Sustainability, with a low impact on our city and planet is an important endeavor we can all take a part in.
Personally, I am proud to play a role in this process for a restaurant that takes this mindset seriously.
MF- How can New Yorkers be more mindful and helpful with issues such as sustainability and renewable food sources?
MB- Whether it’s by donating excess food, separating our compost,
or sourcing from biodynamic farmers, there are myriad ways we
can strive towards zero impact.
We can always do more. I’m looking forward to the next decade where we will continue to feed people and spark joy sustainably.
About Michael: I discovered my talent and passion for photography more than 30 years ago aboard a Navy aircraft carrier. While traveling the world and experiencing the diversity of many cultures, I was naturally drawn to chronicling the experiences of people, especially in their vocational settings, telling their stories through my images.
I have a distinct documentary style, often using available or low light, creating pictures with a more intimate, realistic feel. My photographs are visual representations of the message my client wants to convey. Whether photographing a CEO in a board room or a farmer in the field, I can capture their individuality and uniqueness of their lives.
A good photographer is curious, confident, and even a bit nosey. I interned with the accomplished Magnum Photographer, Hiroji Kubota. In traveling all 50 states with him, I learned that it isn’t so much the technical mastery of a camera that ensures a good photographer – but it’s the love of people, the sensitivity of the situation, and the drive to capture the story. This is what I strive to give my clients with every project.
