Profile

From this tiny takeout shop it's easy to see that not all the seats are occupied at The Green Table, the small restaurant next door that's clearly part of the same operation. So who are all the cooks in the huge kitchen just behind the counter cooking for? The Cleaver Co. is really four businesses in one: Caterer, restaurant, retail gourmet shop, and wholesale distributor of pot pies. Mary Cleaver and her company have been in the Chelsea Market since its inception, offering not strictly organic, but sustainable, cuisine. Inside the little shop you can take out any of the daily specials offered in the restaurant—chicken and pork labeled with their purveyors' names and sides or salads made with fresh, seasonal vegetables—and regular menu items like macaroni and cheese. It'll take 10 minutes to heat up your savory mushroom or chicken pot pie. But the daily selections—a choice of protein and two sides—are perfect for those who want slow food in a hurry. — Nancy Davidson

An East Coast Alice Waters, Mary Cleaver has a following among food snobs for her emphasis on high-quality, organic and local ingredients, and her commitment to sustainable fishing and humane livestock practices. Fall dishes include grazed Hudson Valley short ribs with parsnip-pear purée (prices include alcohol).