Franchesca Nor knows food, and she’s passionate about serving healthy meals to her community. As a professional chef that has operated Dallas restaurant Dive Coastal Cuisine since 2010, she knows how difficult it can be to make sustainable choices like supporting local farms or composting waste, but she remains unwavering in her commitment. Her passion for serving healthy meals to her community is matched only by her fierce determination to promote sustainability in every aspect of her endeavors.
When she looks to the future, her dream venture would be a completely sustainable and healthy restaurant that feels easier and more approachable than a fast food restaurant. When people have more options, they make better choices, especially when it comes to food and nutrition.
Franchesca’s first step to achieve her dream is an experiment: the DiveDWN Future Farm, where she can grow her restaurant’s produce with cutting-edge technology. In partnership with the innovative minds at professional skate facility 4DWN, DiveDWN represents a new approach to food production – one that is both sustainable and profitable.
In a city where access to nutritious food is a struggle for many, DiveDWN's mission becomes even more critical. Dallas faces increasingly extreme weather conditions, disrupting traditional farming methods. Shockingly, nearly 40% of all food produced is wasted, worsening climate change and perpetuating food insecurity as it decomposes in landfills, emitting methane. Since 2015, 4DWN has been a lifeline for hundreds of families each week, providing essential services as a local resource hub. Now, with urgency at an all-time high, DiveDWN Future Farm is ready to confront these challenges directly.
At DiveDWN Future Farm, a diverse group including farmers, chefs, skateboarders, and volunteers collaborate to address complex challenges with innovation and teamwork. We're redefining a new era of sustainable farming that maximizes yield and minimizes consumption with modern precision. Our produce will be readily accessible to both Dive Coastal and 4DWN communities, reinforcing our commitment to local sustainability and community well-being.
More than just a farm, DiveDWN serves as a catalyst for positive change. Through workshops, initiatives, and events, the Future Farm aims to educate and inspire. By involving and educating young people, DiveDWN plants the seeds for a brighter tomorrow.
DiveDWN's closed-loop system is key to its sustainability efforts, transforming food waste into nourishing resources while minimizing our environmental footprint. With TURN as our partner in onsite composting, we turn waste into essential elements for our community's well-being.
With each step forward, the DiveDWN Future Farm revitalizes our community and renews our collective hope for a better, more resilient future. Inspired by Franchesca's unwavering commitment, we invite you to join us in this transformative journey towards a tomorrow filled with promise and prosperity. Together, let's cultivate a future where healthy choices are within reach for all.
Photography by: Courtesy of Kathy Tran, Growtainer®, Ben Eng, 4DWN Project