Fresh Face: Crowded Kitchen

Close to the Orange Street entrance of Lancaster Central Market, Drew Moore might be found at the Crowded Kitchen stall replacing kegs or cleaning tap lines. But it’s not beer or cold brew he’s dispensing from these massive casks—it’s fresh-made, premium stock and broth. And he’s the first person in the world to offer it on tap.

Drew is no stranger to embracing the unexpected, first leaving behind his lifelong office career in 2015 to pursue cooking, and then leaving the “Big Apple”—which some believe to be the epicenter of modern gastronomy—in favor of the ever-humble Lancaster.

Once here, Drew identified a lack of accessibility to fresh, homemade stocks for Lancaster’s homecooks, and began brainstorming how he could fill that need. The idea of using kegs wasn’t a publicity stunt; it was the most practical solution available at the time.

“I thought, ‘I can either maintain the integrity of our product, or I can process it for shelf-stability.’ I decided I really wanted to give people the best stuff. So we tried a bunch of kegs, and eventually found one that worked perfectly with our chilling process,” explains Drew.

Today, Crowded Kitchen offers premium stocks and broths fresh off the tap, with flavors such as nutritious chicken bone broth, beef pho broth, and vegan-friendly wild mushroom stock. Additionally, they offer three different soups in a weekly rotation, which Drew started offering to show customers what premium stocks and broths can really do for their favorite recipes.

All of these products are sold in reusable glass jars, which earn customers a $1 discount when returned for refill. They are also a crucial component to the company’s zero waste model. “All of our paper products are compostable, and our food waste goes to F&M, where they turn it into usable fuel through their biogas program,” Drew explains. He also sources much of the local, organic ingredients used in his creations from within the Market itself.

But the community mission at Crowded Kitchen doesn’t stop with the environment. The company also hosts a shared commercial food production facility on the East Side of town, which is fully stocked with professional-grade culinary equipment that independent local chefs can utilize privately with a membership.

“I’m trying to be a positive influence on the food system here. It’s my passion,” says Drew. “And I’m honored to be among Lancaster artisans.”

 

Discover a new dimension of cooking with stocks and broths from Crowded Kitchen at Lancaster Central Market on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between the hours of 6–3 PM, or visit crowdedfoods.com for more information.