Jason Weiner is our most veteran guest chef in the field kitchen, and he continues to impress us every time. This summer, we’re meeting up with him in the Hamptons at his good friend’s place: Paul Hamilton’s Fireplace Farm. Paul works with owners Maxwell and Oliver Ryan to cultivate this property. This beachside haven will impress you with its wealth of colorful produce and beach-front views (can you think of any better combination?) and though the farm bustles with city kids in the summer, we’ll catch it just off-season—when things are a bit quieter but the summer vegetables are still at their peak. Chef Jason will pick from the best of the bunch for a stunning seasonal feast.
Taxonomy: 2023 Tour
Blooming Glen Farm
Tom Murtha gives one of the country’s best farm tours, but last year he gained some stiff competition—from his daughter Dakota when she hopped on the box in honor of our tenth event on their property. Tom and his wife Tricia work tirelessly to keep the agricultural tradition of Bucks County alive while always looking for ways to innovate their farming practices. They’ll tell us about some of this year’s successful experiments (and maybe some less successful ones) while we walk to the table, wherever it ends up. We’ve set the table pretty much everywhere it can go on this farm, but it is always beautiful, even in last year’s drought conditions. Ashley Pellegrino and Christopher Sanchez from Black Eyed Susans will be back in the field kitchen, after cooking an incredible dinner in Seaside, New Jersey last year.
Seedling Farm
There is plenty to see and taste here, and farmer Pete will give us a good look around. Our tour includes unusual varieties of fruits including loganberries, medlars, paw paw and blood peaches plus many types of apples which are made into fresh-pressed cider and vinegar. Pete is a big fan of OITF. We sometimes see him across the country at other events, standing out in someone else’s field. A few years back Pete came to an OITF Napa Valley event at Julie Johnston’s Tres Sabores Winery. This year, we will bring Julie and her wines out to Michigan where she will pour some of her favorites. Our guest chef Max Robbins has been taking his own inspiration from Napa as he opens The Oakville Grill and Cellar in Chicago. There, he focuses the rotating menu on different wineries from California, pairing selected wines with modern Midwestern cuisine.
Tantré Farm
Richard, Deb, and their daughter Ariana live full time on their 115 acre farm where they grow diverse vegetable crops, run one of Michigan’s largest CSA programs, and coordinate outreach and educational programs for local K-12 students. These focus on the connection between personal health to that of the environment and the food we eat. Last year, we spent two magical, albeit drizzly, days in their barn watching rainbows arc over their fields. This year, we can’t wait to get out into the gardens for dinner to celebrate this hardworking family and the bounty of Michigan summer. OITF’s very own kitchen manager will make his debut in the field kitchen! Brent Foster works with our guest chefs to ensure their meal is a success at each event, but we’re giving him the day off to be the guest chef while we’re in his home state. His much-talked about pop-up, Husky Boi, serves up reimagined Midwestern cuisine with a creative, nostalgic twist.
Thaxton’s Organic Garlic
Chris and Fred Thaxton have been growing organic garlic and crops for over twenty years, and we’ve been visiting them for at least half that long. Our Tour Crew looks forward each year to stopping by the Thaxton’s family farm, because they treat us, well…like family. The table winds through their backyard, where their beautiful barn stands with doors open to show off dozens of varieties of garlic drying from the rafters. We can’t wait to welcome Vinnie Cimino of Cordelia back to the field kitchen. He cooked a beautiful summer feast for us last year, and will bring back his “Modern Grandma” approach to cooking – perfect for a table that feels like family.
The North Farm
The North Farm, on the shores of Seneca Lake, is pretty hard to beat when it comes to beauty. It has golden grasses, a picturesque barn and wildflowers dotting the walking paths. The Paillard-Elkin family own the property, while Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens have been farming it for over 40 years. The Martens became leaders in the organic farming community about 20 years ago, and are now passionate agricultural educators. They rotate crops throughout the seasons, so we never know what will be in bloom when we arrive – but we know it will be both beautiful and delicious. At Good Luck Restaurant in Rochester, our guest chef Dan Martello helped pioneer seasonally-driven cuisine in the area, and we can’t wait to see to see what he brings to the field kitchen.
Soter Vineyards
It’s been a few years, but we are excited to return to Mineral Springs Ranch—the scenic home of Soter Vineyards. Tony Soter made a name for himself making wine in Napa, but now produces a range of impressive Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wines in the PNW. We’ll have the run of the place when we set the table on our own bucolic hilltop set amongst the vines, which happens to come with one of the most gorgeous views in Oregon. We’ll also enjoy a feast from Heather Kintler of Portland’s Normandie, who will share with us her deep love of Pacific Coast cuisine to pair with Soter Vineyard’s wines.
Vignoble Camy
Fred Tremblay and Isabelle Leveau planted the first vines at Vignoble Camy only ten years ago, but they make wines the old fashioned way – starting in the fields, listening to nature, and responding from there. They’ve earned a regional reputation for their winemaking in their comparably short tenure. You’ll find their wine in some of the best restaurants in Quebec, but it is not available for sale to the public, nor do they typically host visitors. Needles to say, it’s pretty exciting that they have invited us to set our table in their beautiful vineyards. Keep an eye out for Champlain Sea shells in the limestone soil (artifacts from 15,000 years ago when this whole region was underwater!) as we walk through their rows of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir on the way to the table for dinner by Josh Crowe from Taverne Monkland. Chef Josh is a passionate advocate of using Quebecois ingredients. His relationships with farmers across the region help him source the best products for his thoughtfully prepared “cuisine du marché”, keeping Taverne Monkland on top of lists of local favorites even 26 years after its opening.
Monteillet Fromagerie
We’re continuing a longtime love story, setting our table for the tenth time at Monteillet Fromagerie in Dayton, Washington—just down the way from the famed Walla Walla wine country. Peirre-Louis was born and raised in the legendary birthplace of Roquefort cheese: Millau, France. Meanwhile, Joan grew up in Walla Walla as a third generation farmer’s daughter. The two met dancing in the Zocaló Plaza in Mexico City and reunited after Pierre-Louis hitchhiked for three days to start their love affair, which continues today at their farm. Joan and Pierre-Louis raise 50 French Alpine goats and 50 sheep on 32 acres, where they produce French-style cheese focused on the terroir of eastern Washington. They have deep ties in the Walla Walla culinary community, so we’ve created a tradition in which we present a new chef each season. Jose Mesa from TMACS will make his debut in the field kitchen, utilizing the bounty of Washington wine country in midsummer.
Sage Farm Goat Dairy
We have been coming to this gorgeous part of the country for quite a few years now and this family-run micro-dairy in Stowe is among our very favorite stops. Molly Prindell and her sister, Katie, run a small family operation with the help of their husbands, who pitch in with tractor work, compost management and maple syrup-making while Katie raises the goats and Molly makes the award-winning cheese. After reception, we’ll take a stroll around the property culminating in a picturesque hayfield with a panoramic view of the Green Mountains—an iconic Vermont setting. Meanwhile, Cara Chigazola Tobin of Burlington’s Honey Road will be joining us in the field kitchen for another year, bringing her inventive Mediterranean cuisine and local-first ethos to our summer feast. And she will surely utilize plenty of Sage Farm’s beautiful cheeses.