OFF TO THE MARKET
By Chris Wadsworth
Lauren Katz’ resume sounds almost too good to be true. Winner of the first season of “The Great American Baking Show” on the ABC television network. Appearances on Food Network shows such as “Bake Master Battle” and “The Kitchen.” A three-time participant in the Pillsbury Bake Off. And the winner of $25,000 in the annual “Build a Better Burger” contest in Napa Valley.
To say that Katz knows her way around food and recipes and their ingredients is an understatement.
And now she’s taking on her biggest challenge yet. She just bought EatLoco Inc., the company that puts on huge farmers markets right here in Ashburn and around Northern Virginia.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have my dream job – especially one that is so tailored to my interests and abilities,” she said.
Katz, who lives with her husband, Rob Sherwood, and their three kids in the Moorefield Station area of Ashburn, is now the CEO of EatLoco. She takes over from founder Dan Hine, who recently moved out of state.
For several years, Katz had worked with Hine – giving tours of the farmers market, having her own baked goods booth (Clouds of Cream Bakehouse) and, most recently, taking on the role of director of operations. This long involvement with EatLoco set her up perfectly to take over.
“The more I thought about [the opportunity], the more excited I got,” Katz said. “Everyone who knows me knows that I thrive under pressure and I love a personal challenge.”
While the lineup changes periodically, EatLoco currently puts on two year-round farmers markets in Ashburn – Saturdays in the Ashbrook area (44505 Atwater Drive) and Sundays at the Brambleton Town Center.
The company also has seasonal markets at Metropolitan Park in Arlington on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
And the big news this spring is that EatLoco launched a Reston farmers market. Taking place every Sunday from the end of March to November, the new market is at the Halley Rise development off Sunrise Valley Drive.
“This location has the potential to be our biggest venue,” Katz said.
Other than the launch of the Reston market, Katz isn’t planning any major changes to the operation. She says the hundreds and even thousands of shoppers who visit each week can expect the same quality and the same longtime vendors as well as some new vendors.
Because these folks – the farmers, the cooks, the bakers, the artisans, the craft makers – are truly at the heart of the organization.
“The most important thing for me about EatLoco is that we support hundreds of local small businesses,” Katz said. “When you shop at our markets, you are supporting their families, their dreams, their livelihoods.”