The Woodside community in Queens celebrated the opening of a grocery store that is transforming the way residents shop. Located at 37-31 58th St, Woodside, NY 11377, Connected Chef offers accessible service, with affordable prices and special discounts for neighbors, proving that a fresh produce market can reinvent itself and remain affordable for everyone.
The grand opening took place at the end of October and has already sparked the interest of many area residents. Connected Chef collaborates with businesses and farms throughout the New York area, highlighting the importance of locally produced food and community building.
“Masa Madre is one of our newest partners,” said Liz Rosario, director of education at Connected Chef. “It is a Latin family business and also very local. Our roots are mostly Latin, but we celebrate all the cultures that coexist in Queens, and that is why we love being able to collaborate with them.”
Rosario explained that during the last season, Masa Madre provided the shells and sweet bread for the market. However, Connected Chef offers much more than bread: it also has fruits, vegetables, milk, spices and meat.
“Triple J Farm supplies us with the eggs and maple syrup, and we love working with them because they are a family-owned, African-American farm located upstate,” Rosario added.
The Connected Chef Fresh Market not only powers local businesses and farms, but also allows the community to purchase products they can trust. One of the volunteers, Valentín, described the shopping experience they seek to offer.
“During the pandemic we packed up to 300 boxes a day and we still maintain that service for families. Since then, people come and tell us: ‘I like the product because it is fresh’. Everyone comments on it, they buy here, they invest their money with us. This is not for a large corporation, it is for the community.”
Since the pandemic, Connected Chef has grown significantly, but what really sets Fresh Market apart is its commitment to offering 25% to 50% discounts to neighborhood families.
“I think it is very important because people can access fresh products at reduced prices. Normally, organic foods are expensive, so for us it is essential that people have access to fresh fruits and vegetables at a fair price,” Valentín explained.
Rosario agreed with his colleague and stressed the importance of guaranteeing food accessibility for all residents, regardless of their income level.
“It’s about ensuring that people not only meet their caloric needs, but also their nutritional needs. Whether they eat a plant-based diet and take advantage of our local lentils and spinach, or prefer a high-nutrition option like the beef liver supplied to us by Prince Abou Butchery, the important thing is that they have that option. Knowing that our community wants and deserves that possibility is what drives this project.”
Although it has only been three weeks since the opening, the positive effects of the market are already evident. With the support of local leaders and representatives – such as Assemblywoman Claire Valez, Steven Raga and the Democratic candidate for Council for District 21 – it is clear that the market came to fill a real need within the community.
“I have noticed that people are very happy, especially with everything that is happening with the government and the loss of income for some,” Valentín commented. “Everyone is happy to have us here.”
“There is not much supply of fresh products in the area, so I feel that we are already covering an important need. I have told several friends from communities near Woodside and they are delighted, because now they can come on Saturdays, buy fresh products, feel good about what they consume and enjoy foods that really taste good,” Rosario concluded.
