When Armen Vartan opened Fraîche restaurant in Camp Hill in April 2012, it was with a commitment to serve flavorful, wholesome food that he and his team—and their guests—feel good about. “Chefs work hard to create food that people will really enjoy, but the products they get aren’t always good and may not always be fresh,” he says.

Thus, the restaurant is focused on a farm-to-table concept, which means ingredients such as meat, chicken, eggs, produce, cheese, yogurt, organic flour and others are sourced locally and are going directly from the farm to the table.

“I meet directly with the farmers,” says Vartan. “It is important that we build relationships with the farmers who we trust to supply us with wholesome food. I want to see what they do and

how they operate. Knowing where and how our food is sourced, grown and cared for are absolutely invaluable to our goal of providing guests with a memorable dining experience.”

The menus are seasonal, based on the ingredients available at that time of the year. The lunch menu covers soups, salads and specialty sandwiches, while dinner entrées range from grilled pork chops, pan-seared trout and pasta to grass-fed beef, oven-fried chicken and braised rabbit. Risotto, seasonal tortillas, pommes frites and confit duck ravioli are popular appetizers and desserts include homemade ice cream, crème brûlée and others.

Since opening nearly one year ago, Vartan says he never gets tired of learning. “The farmers teach me something new each day and in turn, I get to share that with our customers,” he notes. “Education is an essential part of what we do. Our customers have come to know and expect it from us. They love hearing about where the food came from and that they are supporting local farms. That is what keeps me energized.”

Location: 2138 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, call 717-737-4380 or visit Fraichetodef.com.