"St. Croix native Digby Stridiron is on a mission …
St. Croix native Digby Stridiron is on a mission to make the U.S. territory part of our national dialogue on American cuisine. The JBF Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change alum and Norman Van Aken protégé is also an official culinary ambassador for the U.S. Virgin Islands, charged with promoting Crucian culture and cooking to a wider audience. For Stridiron, that runs the gamut from hosting multiple Friends of James Beard Benefits at his restaurant Balter, to advocating for better sourcing and standards for school lunch in St. Croix, to educating the local public about the natural bounty of their own land. In anticipation of his upcoming Beard House dinner showcasing his “wild-to-table” philosophy, we spoke with Stridiron about his heritage, his inspiration, and his hopes for food-system change at home and beyond."