From Maumee, Ohio beginnings to CBS Mornings: Balance Grille’s Farm‑to‑Table Breakthrough
Last week, millions of viewers tuned in to CBS Mornings and see our dining room and what was our 8,600 sq foot hydroponics in downtown Toledo. Since then, we’ve taken things to the next level by partnering with Planted, a sustainable farming brand based in Detroit. Together, we’ve scaled our efforts beyond city blocks, growing even more fresh greens and expanding our impact across the Midwest.
In under five minutes, the segment captured what we’ve spent years building at Balance Grille and Balance Farms: a literal farm-to-table experience, where flavor is grown just steps from the work. It’s a story rooted in hustle, heart, and the belief that freshness should never be compromised.
A Dollar, A Dream
Our co-founders, Chef HoChan Jang and Prakash Karamchandani, didn’t start with a trust fund or venture capital. CJ immigrated from South Korea after losing his father and learned to cook in his mother’s restaurant. Prakash was on track for med school before pivoting to business school. Their shared dream? To serve fresh, bold, and better food—made right.
Banks said no. So they said yes to maxed-out credit cards, a small Toledo lease, and one big promise:
Fresh or Nothing.
Their opening menu—Singapore Noodles, Hot & Sour Soup, Vegan Potstickers and more—struck a chord. Toledo showed up. Word spread. Locations opened in Sylvania, Perrysburg, Downtown Toledo and Downtown Cleveland. What began as a “dollar and a dream” became a flavor-forward revolution for the Midwest.
Inside Our Downtown Aquaponics Farm
In 2016, we took a leap and invested $715,000 in an 8,600-square-foot aquaponics farm—tucked under a downtown Toledo parking garage. Tiered coconut-fiber grow mats under UV LEDs, 650-gallon koi and tilapia tanks, and a fully closed-loop ecosystem power our hyperlocal harvest.
We seed, grow, and harvest in about four weeks—yielding 500 heads of lettuce per week. That’s enough to supply all three Toledo locations and our Cleveland store, with fresh basil left over for local markets.
Today, our facility is 15× larger than the test site we started with, and we’re already planning to scale up. Proof that keeping farm and kitchen within city blocks is both possible—and scalable.
Come Taste the Freshness
If you saw us on CBS Mornings, come experience the difference yourself. We have locations in Sylvania, Perrysburg, downtown Toledo and downtown Cleveland.
From a backyard hydroponic setup to the national spotlight, our journey is living proof: farm-to-table can be as immediate as it is delicious—and we’re just getting started!
Explore our menu and taste the freshness!
