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would bring, and came to the conclusion that this would be her chance to share her culinary experiences and her passion with a broader audience. "I knew that if I looked at this new opportunity from the grocery store per- spective, I might not have gone for it," she says. "Instead, I chose to look at it from a culinary perspective." Six months after the offer was sent her way, Caplan accepted. Since then, she has spent the last two years rejuvenating all that the organiza- tion's three stores have to offer. The result has been an award-winning sustainable seafood program, new relationships with local food producers, reinvented catering menus and expanded local produce. She has implemented weekly cheese-making in the store (and claims the fresh mozzarel- la is to die for) and ensures that all prepared foods in the deli cold case (totaling over 120 different items) are now made completely from scratch. They're all changes that provide custom- ers strolling the aisles a chance to become a part of the local food chain, whether they know it or not. "I have the opportunity to make that connection for more people," she explains. "These offerings reflect our core values and a bright future for local farmers." But, as can be expected, Caplan still holds a high appreciation for the culinary creations coming from afar. While pro- moting the impact buying local can have on the area's economy, she's not one to ig- nore the global economy in which we live. To that end, she looks to incorporate prod- ucts from reputable small-batch producers around the world. "I'm completely infatuated with our Caplan was back to traveling the world. After launching her own consulting com- pany, she worked to develop and create menus for international restaurants, in- cluding the famed Rick's Café in Casa- blanca, Morocco. When a friend introduced her to Tim and Kevin Metcalfe, the team of brothers running Metcalfe's Market, an intriguing discussion began. The three began to won- der if there was some way to join forces and achieve a common goal. Caplan admits asking herself whether she, a chef used to cooking up gourmet eats, would want to be in charge of what you find in your average grocery store. The position Caplan was offered was en- tirely new. In fact, she and the Metcalfes created it together. As the chief food offi- cer she would work behind the scenes on the company's strategy from a culinary perspective, bringing larger food trends in the world to grocery shelves. As their local food liaison she would be tasked with ex- panding Metcalfe's commitment to buying local by working directly with farmers and other organizations to ensure quality and authenticity. It's a position that exists at very few grocery stores. Caplan weighed what opportunities this new Italian section," she admits. "I se- lected artisan products from all over Italy and imported them directly, so many are not available anywhere else in the U.S. The quality of the ingredients is phenomenal, and each food tastes like the places where it was produced." With this emphasis on boosting the variety of quality eats, Caplan has helped transform the experience of making a mundane trip to the supermarket into a culinary adventure. "We plan to build on this with authentic foods from other countries and cultures in the coming year," Caplan continues. It's only fitting that a chef who's traveled the world would gladly share her experi- ences with local palates. And if the great- est way to experience a place is through its food, she continues to make Madison a more delicious place to live. ••• February 2012 bravamagazine.com 43