LAKEWOOD, Ohio —  It's a family affair.

"Max is a farmer. Max is a farmer," said Rosie Galaz, the chef and owner of The Tomato Guys LTD.

What You Need To Know

  • ​Rosie Galaz and Will Norris II started an urban farm in 2018

  • During the pandemic in 2020 the couple started The Tomato Guys LTD restaurant using produce from their farm

  • The restaurant is at the Barton Senior Center in Lakewood

  • Galaz and Norris plan to open in a new space still in Lakewood in 2022​

 

And farming is in little Max's blood.

"My husband grew up in a tomato farm in Columbus. I grew up in an avocado, fig and lemon farm in Santiago, Chile where I lived until I was 19 years old," said Galaz.

With an urban garden in their backyard, Rosie Galaz and Will Norris II maximize the space for as many plants as possible.

"We have 121 plants and we have 37 different kinds of tomatoes," said Galaz.

And every plant is organic.

"We have built a rain barrow water system with a charcoal filter that irrigates all of the tomato plants making them 100% organic."

It's something the couple is proud of.

"It's awesome. Like he's actually eating real food. It's not that stuff that's picked way before it's ripe," said Will Norris II, the executive chef of The Tomato Guys LTD and Galaz's husband.

Both Galaz and Norris are trained chefs but stopped working as chefs years ago. When the pandemic started and their produce started going bad because of decreasing demand they decided it was time to start cooking again.

"All of our produce that we harvest during the season it's what we use in our food in Lakewood," said Galaz. "We are really farm to fork. We grow everything from seed. We respect that. We bring it into the kitchen and we're able to create amazing food."

They started with making food from their home for essential workers and as word spread and demand increased they moved into a space.

"We finally got a location at the Barton Senior Center in Lakewood in 2020. We have been there since. We will be there until the end of the year."

And with demand increasing even more the couple is working to move into their own space in 2022.

"We are going to open our own sit-down restaurant in Lakewood where the premise is a big outdoor patio with 121 tomato plants."

Galaz said the whole journey is a labor of love and she wouldn't trade it for the world.

"It's been amazing to be able to do it with my husband and what's even greater is to be able to do it with my son."