Regions: Northeast

As food writer Florence Fabricant of the New York Times recently wrote: “California and South Carolina are the usual sources for American-grown rice, but you can add New Jersey to the list.” Blue Moon Acres grows rice using the Korean Farming Method. At its heart, it’s all about the microbiology of the soil. You’ll have to come to New Jersey to see what that entails, and why it’s such an excellent approach to healthful farming. Along with many varieties of rice, host farmers Jim and Kathy Lyons grow several types of salad greens and microgreens, so guest chef Alex Spitale will have plenty of quality ingredients to work with. Perhaps he’ll be inspired to create a fabulous Blue Moon risotto or paella. Our mouths are watering already.

OITF’s first event on a New Jersey beach! Our guest chefs will gather their harvest from the fields of the Garden State and seafood from the Atlantic Ocean to create the meal for our table on this stunning stretch of sand surrounded by soaring seabirds and sparkling seas. Island Beach State Park encompasses ten miles of sandy beaches, rolling dunes, forests and marshes, plus an extensive wildlife population and hundreds of plant species. Needless to say, it’s quite the spot to dine al fresco. Chefs Ashley and Chris opened Black Eyed Susans back in 2010, where they quickly gained a following for their house-made pastas, pizzas, and seafood dishes among locals and summer vacationers. Dishes change seasonally depending on what’s available from their roster of local farmers and fisherpeople — so we’re very excited to see what they cook up with the region’s late summer bounty. If you’re a fan of OITF founder Jim Denevan’s artwork, don’t miss this one! Jim will create one of his monumental 3D sand sculptures near the table.

We’ve been coming to this 40-acre farm in beautiful Bucks County since 2011. The place is overflowing with fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs, and our table here is often one of the biggest of the season. Farmers Tom and Tricia have lovingly tended this land since 2006, using sustainable and organic farming practices that enrich the soil and make for some very sweet and delicious produce. And Tom gives one of the best farm tours — he’s hilarious and the jokes keep coming at the table. This year, we welcome guest chef George Madosky to the field kitchen. He’s the Chef de Cuisine at Fork, a Philadelphia institution that’s been forking out farm-to-table menus far before it was cool. We know he’ll be in heaven at Blooming Glen — especially in September, when late summer tomatoes, peppers and zucchini coincide with early autumn roots and squashes.

Blooming flowers, bountiful rows of vegetables and fruits, gorgeous green fields laced with corn, cover crops and wildflowers. This 40-acre farm in Bucks County is a dreamy place to dine. A place like this deserves two nights — it’s our tenth year coming to Blooming Glen, afterall. And host farmers Tom and Tricia feel like family. On this night, we welcome back guest chef George Madosky for a second evening in the field kitchen, making this our first double header with a chef this year.

Grey Barn is a team effort: the creamery team; the livestock and forages team; the bakery team; the veggies, flowers and herbs team. Together they contribute their knowledge, passion and hard work to this bucolic place on the western tip of Martha’s Vineyard that produces literally everything we’ll need for a stunning dinner on the island. And we’re eager to see what Chef Nathan Gould creates for us. Nathan’s culinary influences run the gamut, from a childhood learning classic French techniques with his mother and grandmother, to on-island stints at the Harbor View Hotel and Beach Plum, and his most recent gig creating omakase menus as Executive Chef at Boston’s Japanese-inspired O Ya. That’s a deep resume, and we can’t wait to taste it in action on the plate.

 

* This is a BYOB event. Please note that the cost of the ticket does not include alcohol.

A long, winding table carved into the coastline of Duxbury Bay. Succulent oysters plucked from the sea beyond our seats. Multiple glasses of sparkling wine. All that, plus one of the finest sunsets of the season. Legendary oyster farmer CJ will share his breadth of knowledge about our favorite mollusks, grown just a stone’s throw from the shore-side table. And with guest chef Tiffani Faison helming the beach kitchen, this is not one to be missed. Tiffani has quite the reputation, including a stint on Top Chef and three James Beard nominations for Best Chef: Northeast, on top of her highly acclaimed Boston-area restaurants. At Orfano, she cooks up upscale Italian fare and handmade pastas with a focus on fresh-caught seafood and other local goodness.

Another night of slurping oysters and quaffing crisp wines along Duxbury Bay. Another opportunity to join host extrordinaire CJ for a wade into the waters at low tide to get a peep of the oyster beds. Another stunning sunset just beyond the hills. And another illustrious Boston-area chef team cooking in their wellies in the beach kitchen. Kate and Trevor met while working for our friend Tony Maws at Craigie Street Bistrot (the precursor to Craigie on Main), a Boston institution. They both then worked at a host of hotspot kitchens across the Northeast before opening Thistle & Leek at the height of the pandemic — a supremely challenging but rewarding feat. Their London-style gastropub cuisine will mesh beautifully with the salty sea air for an epic night along the bay.

This is Boston’s oldest working farm and host farmer Helen works hard to keep its agricultural history alive and well. We’ve spent many summer evenings dining amongst their myriad organic vegetables, herbs and flowers and we are thrilled to be back for another round. Guest chef Karen Akunowicz has an impressive culinary resume around Beantown and beyond. She’s worked at several celebrated Boston kitchens including Oleana and Myers+Chang, appeared on Top Chef, and won a James Beard award for Best Chef: Northeast in 2019. She also spent a year in Italy mastering the local cuisine before opening Fox & The Knife — a modern Italian ristorante inspired by her time in Modena. She went on to open Bar Volpe last year, a Southern Italian restaurant and pastificio featuring wood-fired Atlantic seafood and handcrafted pastas.

Powisset Farm is a three centuries-old agricultural landscape dotted with beautifully maintained barns, wooded wetlands, and a lively group of farm animals. It’s the kind of farm where time stops on a mid-Summer day. Take a stroll out to the oak forest or the neighboring hay fields where you might spot a herd of white-tailed deer. Then settle into your seat at the long table for a peak summer feast from guest chef Will Gilson. Will grew up cooking at Herb Lyceum on his family farm in Groton, where he developed a passion for rustic farm-to-table cuisine and fresh herbs. He’s since made a name for himself in Boston with a number of successful restaurant ventures including Puritan & Co, his Modern American bistro in Cambridge featuring locally sourced ingredients from area farms. He’ll pick from Powisett’s bounty for an alfresco meal that perfectly embodies a New England summer.

This is one of our most beloved stops on the tour — so we’re always sure to stay two nights. There’s plenty to see, after all. And farmer (and former poet!) Dina Brewster has plenty of stories to tell. We’ll have another wander through the orchard, stroll by the trout pond, and say hello to all the friendly farm animals before settling in at the table curving around their beautiful barn. This time, the supremely talented chef team at Olmo will helm the field kitchen. We first worked with Olmo back in 2019, less than a year after opening their doors. During the pandemic, they converted their experimental restaurant into a bagelry and marketplace offering some of the finest bagel sandwiches and flatbreads on the East Coast. They are sure to cook up another unforgettable meal with the farm’s 160 varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs growing under late summer sun.