VegetableTomato
Chef's Choice Black Tomato
Chef's Choice Black is an AAS Award-winning hybrid tomato that brings dramatic dark fruit and serious productivity to the garden. These indeterminate vines grow 5 feet tall and produce abundant 8-ounce slicing tomatoes over 70 to 79 days from transplant, thriving in hardiness zones 2 through 11. This is the sixth variety in the respected Chef's Choice series, bred specifically for gardeners who want both prolific yields and the striking appearance of dark tomatoes on vigorous, manageable plants.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
72 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
24
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-11
Size
72in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
An AAS Award winner that delivers prolific yields of substantial 8-ounce fruits on strong vines reaching 5 feet tall. The hybrid vigor means consistent production and reliable disease resistance across a range of climates. Dark fruit color combined with indeterminate growth habit makes this a standout choice for both market growers and home gardeners who want drama and abundance from a single plant.
Common Uses
Chef's Choice Black is a slicing tomato, ideal for fresh eating, salads, and any application where the visual drama of dark fruit matters. The 8-ounce size works well for sandwich slices and plating in restaurant or farm-to-table settings. Its indeterminate growth habit means steady harvests throughout the growing season, supporting both home consumption and direct-market sales.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Use warm soil (70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and keep consistently moist until germination. Provide bright light immediately after sprouting to prevent leggy seedlings.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and seedlings have developed their second set of true leaves. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart.
Harvesting
Harvest tomatoes when they reach full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure. For dark varieties like Chef's Choice Black, wait until the fruit develops its rich color throughout; early picking will result in less developed flavor. Fruits typically reach mature size around 70 to 79 days from transplant. Pick regularly to encourage continued flowering and production throughout the season. Indeterminate varieties produce until frost, so expect multiple harvests over several months.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, Chef's Choice Black will grow continuously throughout the season. Prune suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) to maintain a strong central leader and direct the plant's energy into fruit production rather than excessive foliage. This also improves air circulation, reducing disease pressure.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Chef's Choice Black represents the sixth addition to the Chef's Choice tomato series, a line of hybrids developed to bring professional-grade performance to home and market gardens. As an AAS (All-America Selections) Award winner, it has been rigorously tested and proven superior in replicated trials across diverse growing regions. The breeding work behind this hybrid focused on combining the visual impact of dark tomato genetics with the productivity and disease resistance that modern gardeners demand.”