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MARKET BASKET A Tradition of Quality By Victoria Keenan F or the last 56 years, Market Basket has been a staple in the North Jersey catering world. With everything from the highest quality butchered meats to the freshest breads, pastries and more, Market Basket is far from just another gourmet market. Third generation family member Zach Chernalis explained how his family and Market Basket do things differently, not only in their sprawling Franklin Lakes location, but through their catering services and healthy eating options. Anthony Chernalis started the family business at just 20 years old, creating Market Basket as a butcher shop/deli, before eventually catering out of the small storefront. Realizing he needed to expand, he designed a much larger store in Franklin Lakes, the space where Market Basket is today. Since then, the family has expanded the store twice, ensuring everything at Market Basket is made from scratch by culinary trained chefs. From smoking their own meats to creating their homemade delicacies, the family focuses on utilizing the highest quality and freshest ingredients. "We send our 18-wheelers into Hunts Point Market four to five times a week to make sure we're getting the freshest produce and seafood. For us, we go the extra step by skipping over distributors so that our buyers can hand select the best products available. We drive our trucks to local farms all the time and get what's in season. We're not a huge chain, so we can always make sure we are buying the top of the line meats, even when there is not a large quantity in the market. We contract with small farms in Pennsylvania to make sure we get the best grass-fed turkeys that are never frozen," Chernalis explained. V U E N J . C O M 102 VUE ON DINING

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