Volare’s Chef Moore is Farming for Flavor

By Alisha Proffitt Photos by Matt Johnson

Just a short drive into northeastern Spencer County, a pair of old silos mark the entrance to a working farm that quietly stocks the shelves of one of Louisville’s best-known kitchens. This is Moore Farm, the home base of Chef Joshua Moore, and the real story behind the fresh flavors at Volare Ristorante. 

The house on the property was built in 1905 as part of a large dairy farm. When Moore bought it in 2005, the home was showing its age and had long been separated from most of the original farmland. What’s left today is a manageable 8-acre property that Moore has slowly and steadily transformed into something practical, productive, and full of flavor. 

Naturally, the kitchen renovation came first. But the real work began out back, behind the old barn. In the early days, Moore planted just a dozen tomato plants as a casual backyard experiment. The soil, rich from decades of cattle farming, produced an overwhelming amount of tomatoes. More than his family could possibly use. So Moore brought a few into Volare and used them for a salad special. 

The response was immediate. Guests loved it, and just like that, a seed was planted for what would become a much larger effort. Moore had always prioritized top-quality ingredients in his cooking, and now he had an opportunity to grow some of the best himself, right outside his front door. 

The garden expanded year after year, becoming more structured and intentional. What started as a hobby grew into a fully functional, chef-driven production dedicated to supporting Volare’s menu. Today, the farm includes two acres of vegetables and herbs grown specifically for the restaurant spring, summer and fall. If you’ve eaten at Volare in the last decade, chances are you’ve tasted something that came directly from Moore’s backyard. 

In 2014, Moore began working with the University of Kentucky Extension Office to test out plasticulture growing methods on the farm. The process involves laying plastic mulch across rows to help control weeds, retain soil moisture, and improve yields. Using UK’s equipment, Moore and his team planted and documented their progress throughout the season. The results were good enough to convince Moore to invest in his own plasticulture equipment the following year. He’s used it ever since. 

The garden has continued to expand, with most of the back acreage now dedicated to growing food for Volare. In 2018 alone Moore planted over 1,000 heirloom tomato plants, representing 55 different varieties. It happened right in the middle of Derby week, of course, because on a working farm timing doesn’t always align with the calendar. This year, Moore has 2,000 heirloom tomato plants, representing 88 varieties, in the ground. 

Today, Moore Farm grows far more than just tomatoes. The produce list includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower (in purple, white, and cheddar), swiss chard, brussels sprouts, kale, lettuce, onions, carrots, beets, radishes, peppers, eggplant, squash, zucchini, tomatillos, herbs, and both heirloom and Roma tomatoes. It’s an impressive range for a property of its size and reflects the kind of thoughtful planning you’d expect from a chef who runs both a kitchen and a farm. 

He insists this isn’t a one man show. “My wife Lindsay, she does a lot at the farm. She’s out there every single day,” he says. “I’m out there picking them but she’s the one out there tying all the tomatoes and doing all the ‘work work’.” 

The farm also allows for quality control. By growing his own ingredients, Moore knows exactly what’s going into each dish, from the soil to the plate. There’s no mystery about sourcing, no concerns about shipment delays or inconsistent quality. It’s farm-to-table in the most literal, no-fuss way possible. 

You’ll find the Moore family’s tomatoes as an ingredient in many of the dish’s on the menu at Volare. Caprese and Mediterranean salads. Specials like the Sea Bass, Gazpacho Soup. Volare even offers a coursed tomato dinner. “Its an 8 course, all tomato themed dinner. From appetizers when you sit down all the way to dessert,” says Moore. 

You might be wondering, just how do you incorporate tomatoes into a dessert dish? “This year I’m doing an heirloom tomato spice cake, with a citrus glaze, orange lemon and lime juice zest, and a tomato sorbet on top,” he shares. “Its a fun dinner, it’s always a big hit.” 

He’s not lying. Volare has extended their Tomato Dinner each year since its inception, consistently selling out every seat. 

If you missed the Tomato Dinner, don’t fret! There are more exciting specials through the end of the season and into the early fall. “When the tomatoes start slowing down about mid September we start fried green tomatoes. So we’ll do a Weisenberger corn meal breading, pan fried. We do a sweet corn relish with peppadews and red onions and then a jalapeno-basil buttermilk dressing on them. It’s a big hit,” says Moore. 

Volare guests may never see the silos or the rows of kale lined up behind Moore’s house, but they taste the results every time they order a salad, a seasonal entrée, or a special with fresh produce at its center. The farm may not be flashy, but it’s a crucial part of how Moore works and why the food at Volare tastes the way it does. 

Moore Farm is a practical example of what happens when a chef commits to growing ingredients with the same care that goes into preparing them. No trend-chasing, no over-the-top messaging, just a focused effort to build something sustainable, efficient, and reliable. And delicious. 

And while the house itself has come a long way since Moore bought it as a fixer-upper, the real transformation has happened in the garden. What started with twelve tomato plants is now an essential part of the operation, supporting a restaurant that values consistency and quality above all. 

This isn’t a farm designed for photo ops. It’s not open to the public. It doesn’t host events or farm tours. But it does its job, season after season, making sure that what shows up on the plate is as fresh and flavorful as possible. 

For Chef Joshua Moore, that’s more than enough. 

Visit volare-restaurant.com to make a reservation or learn more about catering your event with Volare.