Nomad Food Co - Jared Batson - mobile, wood-fired pizza, etc

Nomad Food Company is a mobile, wood-fired oven (and more) owned and operated by Jared Batson, who I've known for several years, ever since he cooked on the line at Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook. A couple years ago, he set out on his own and is now running Nomad which, as its name suggests, travels all over the city and suburbs (and beyond) doing events with its mobile wood-fired oven. Nomad was also doing a residency at the Green City Market during their outdoor season this year, which ended last week when the market moved indoors for the winter.

I was fortunate to have eaten their pizza a few times this past August - once at a party and the other time at a fundraiser held by the Green City Market's Junior Board that took place at Sportsmans Club.

Party - 14.0816

Sarah Stegner and Jared Batson



Menu Of The Day
Hard to choose just one . . .



Additional Information
One of the things that makes Nomad so special is that they pay very close attention to where they source their ingredients, getting most everything from farmers and artisanal producers in the nearby area. On this day, ingredients from Underground Meats in Madison, WI were being featured prominently.



Elotes In Waiting



Elotes



Tools Of The Trade



Nomad's Logo



Wild Mushroom & Black Truffle Pizza
Not on the menu this day but Jared made a few of these and they were just awesome.


Fundraiser For LINK program - Green City Market Junior Board - Sportsmans Club - 14.0828

Nomad's Rig



Fire In The Hole



Chef/Owner Jared Batson tends to the pizzas



Garnishing the Fired-Roasted Tomato pizza (blistered cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, scallion, red sauce, baby arugula) for service



Garnishing the Fired-Roasted Tomato pizza (blistered cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, scallion, red sauce, baby arugula) for service



Say Cheese!



Fired-Roasted Tomato pizza (blistered cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, scallion, red sauce, baby arugula)



"Green Machine" (braised kale, chard, beet and turnip greens, onion jam, mozzarella, broccoli flowers) - Out Of The Oven And Still Bubbling



"Green Machine" getting sliced



"Green Machine," garnished and ready for service



"Turn up the Beet" (roasted bulls blood beets, scallions, mozzarella, chèvre, fresh parsley, mint)



Sliced And Headed Out For Service



Patio At Sportsmans Club
A view from the back window.



Sportsmans Club
Lining up for delicious cocktails.



Special Cocktail
This was one of two special cocktails created for the event (by the folks at Sportsmans, not Nomad). Both specials incorporated items available at the Green City Market.

I'm really sorry I missed Nomad at the GCM this season (rain wiped out an unusually high number of planned visits) but I hope to make it a regular thing in 2015. In the meantime, I'll stay tuned into their schedule and try to hit any events that are available before the winter/off-season comes. Their pizza is truly special and most definitely worth a trek.

=R=

I just wanted to update that Nomad is, bittersweetly -- at least for the foreseeable future -- no more. Jared sold the oven a few months back and has moved on, as nomads are wont to do. One piece of very good news is that before it was all said and done, Nomad Food Company won a 2017 Jean Banchet award for Best Alternative Dining, which is an impressive accomplishment. Jared is now working for a former mentor at Cooper's Hawk Winery, so still very much local.

The other good news is that he's passed the torch (or the oven, so to speak) to Our House Pizza and its proprietor/chef/baker Rachel Post, who will be stationed at the Green City Market when it begins its outdoor season on May 6th.

Rachel has been doing pop-ups and other local events as Our House for a couple of years but before then, she was at Floriole Bakery and Cafe, including during the time when they were hosting twice-weekly pizza dinners there. So, there's obviously and exceptional pedigree there.

Since I haven't had Our House's pizza, I'm going to hold off on starting a new thread but hopefully, someone will do so as soon as they're so inclined.

=R=

Like Great Lake, I still miss pizza at Floriole. I am excited that great pizza will continue.