Black bean “carnitas"-flavored tempeh (Photo courtesy Chaotic Good Tempeh)
History: After 15 years in fine dining, founder Keith Gurgick discovered his true love for microorganisms. Last year, Gurgick founded Chaotic Good Tempeh after struggling to find meat alternatives that were both allergen-free and made of "pronounceable ingredients." In 2019, he won second place in the Help to the Shelf competition for local food products, and was also awarded a seed grant.
Specialties: Unlike most other tempeh options, Chaotic Good seasons its Indonesian fermented bean cakes before the fermentation process, making it “much more accessible to home cooks who may be unfamiliar with tempeh,” explains Gurgick. There are currently five flavors: Italian, black bean “carnitas,” Adzuki bean “5-spice,” red bean “pastrami” and lightly salted chickpea.
Production: At Hatch Kitchen, the beans go through a two-stage fermentation process. As they ferment, the beans form into solid cakes, which are then frozen at peak flavor.
Buy: Chaotic Good Tempeh will soon be available at local farmers markets, Ellwood Thompson’s and Stella’s Grocery.
