🗣 Locals you need to know: Meet Katie Gayes, a food taster, goat fan and fan of Pittsburgh’s fantastic farms.

Today’s “Locals to Know” feature is sponsored Harvey.

Tell us about your work – your work and / or any volunteer work.

I am the search manager for Harvie, a subscription product delivery service that focuses on manufacturers from Pittsburgh. We make it easy to start new businesses, shop efficiently and connect with your community.

As a search manager, I spend my days building partnerships with producers, tasting everything from pretzels to water kefir, and bring all this wonderful food to our members. In today’s to-do list: a sample of the new skin from north central Pennsylvania, find us a stable source of canned fish and send an order to one of our producers for a new fresh pasta that sounds incredible.

What is your favorite memory of Pittsburgh?

Too much to choose from. Last May I got married in Farm and dairy farm for goats rodeo, whose store I ran before coming to Harvey. Since we had a small group, we had to pull out every stop in Pittsburgh: seasonal food Diana’s Snack Barcake with La Gourmandine and local flowers from Gardens with milking parlors. It’s hard to beat to see my closest and dearest dressed up to nine surrounded by a herd of dairy goats.

Choose your favorite local outdoor experience. What is it? What are we doing? Who’s coming with you?

Anyone who knows me knows I wouldn’t keep quiet salty balls for the whole of 2021. This is the fastest growing sport in America! Verona and the Blue Slide Park have a regular-sized playground. You will find me there, joking with friends and forgetting to keep score.

What is your favorite local Instagram or TikTok account and why?

Instagram is an important tool for me to stay in touch with the food scene here in Pittsburgh. Too many great accounts to name but Nika Ambeliatsis (@nikothebaker) from Mediterranean is excellent. We’re collaborating with a lot of incredible producers at Harvie, but the opportunity to translate your story into effective social media is a special gift.

If you could only eat one meal at a local restaurant for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Living in Upper Lawrenceville, I have the wonderful privilege of being the top two in Pittsburgh within walking distance: Pusadi Garden and Allegheny Wine Mixer. Can we consider this one meal if I start with “Khao Yam” salad from Pusadee and pork belly, cross the street to get an AWM recommendation on cheese and wine rotation (always go by recommendation!) And come home for a drink. In Leona ice cream sandwich from the freezer? (Editor’s note: completely.)

What project are you working on (large or small) and how can our readers help you with this?

Are you a new manufacturer or do you have a clue about a wonderful new food made here in Pittsburgh? Give me a shout!! Our project at Harvie is simple but ambitious: to make Pittsburgh a world-class city to be a farmer or food producer. Part of this project is actively laying the groundwork for starting a new business or small operation to take the next step in growth. Food is one of those stupid industries where a greater variety of businesses helps everyone – as they say, the tide lifts all the boats.

What are you waiting for this year?

As in the whole world: go out and see people again. I’m looking forward to walks on farms, tours of production facilities – you know, actually petting goats!

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Are you interested in being represented and want to share your own class project in ‘Burgh? Send an email to [email protected] with the theme “Locals to know 2022” and you can see yourself in a future newsletter.