Hartford County's premier restaurant group and Farmington Valley's century-old farm and vineyard partnered for the 15th year of Max Chef to Farm. The culinary acumen is Max Level (through the roof) with the added benefit of having beverages curated MH by Sommelier and Beverage Director Brian Mitchell.
The owners of Rosedale Farms and Vineyards have been providing apples that are redder, corn that's sweeter and berries that make the juiciest cocktails to CT restaurants for decades, and Max Hospitality has always been obsessed with fresh, local and organic. To culinary Hunter Morton, these are more than buzzwords-they're a way of life. Max Chef to Farm grew out of a desire to take the "farm to table" movement one step further and bring the culinary talent right to the source of their best ingredients.
I attest that great farm produce is available all over the state- but how often with a vineyard attached? Max gives a nod to Rosedale Farms winemaker Morgan Wilson's selections and Brian Mitchell, Max's beverage director, sommelier and a decorated wine and spirits professional and President of the New England Wine Academy
Chef Jonathan Rapp and the Farm Dinner team has announced the 2023 season for Dinners at the Farm! Join them and their friend Digga Schacht at his beautiful Hunts Brook Farm in Quaker Hill, CT for four magical dinners, July 27, 28, 29 & 30. Each night will feature a unique and delicious five-course menu showcasing the talents of cook and farmer paired with great wines, local beers, and homegrown music. A sensory extravaganza you won't want to miss. Oh, and, did we tell you it's four nights only? Get your tickets before they're gobbled up and get ready to celebrate the glorious summer season in all its finest.
As summer rolls around, Connecticut’s food lovers look to take advantage of the seasonal ambience and garden produce in order to experience unforgettable meals. And nothing epitomizes the combination of beautiful sights and fresh food more than field-to-table dinners. This summer, a handful of Connecticut’s most beloved farms are offering outstanding on-site prix fixe meals made with locally-sourced ingredients. So that you don’t miss out on these special experiences, we’ve rounded up the best that Connecticut has to offer.
The iconic Po Café is located in the heart of Washington CT and lives in a charming historic white clapboard house right next to the town’s post office – hence the nickname. The building, once home to a pharmacy and grocery store, sits across from the idyllic town’s church. The area served as the inspiration behind fictional town Stars Hollow made famous by Rory and Lorelei Gilmore. As soon as you walk through the front door you can almost imagine Luke standing behind the counter of the old fashioned soda fountain pouring a cup of coffee.
A posh five-star inn located in “the country” of Connecticut may be the last place you’d expect to stumble upon a former two-time Michelin star chef doing her thing in the kitchen.
Expect it. And expect to run into April Bloomfield.
Yeah, THAT April Bloomfield. The April Bloomfield who won a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: New York City in 2014. The April Bloomfield who owns the British gastropub The Breslin. And the same April Bloomfield of the now shuttered, but acclaimed West Village haunt, The Spotted Pig.
And since mid-September she’s been spending her time away from the concrete jungle as the chef-in-residence at the Mayflower Inn & Spa where she’s firing up the refined pub fare that she is so lauded for and marrying that style with the bounty from local farms.
If you visit—and you absolutely should—there are a few dining experiences to be aware of.
There’s a seasonal, constantly changing four-course dinner tasting in the brightly lit, plant enshrined Garden Room. The $150 tasting’s polar opposite has been the occasionally offered bonfire experience where Bloomfield comes out to chat over cocktails, savory snacks, and gooey s’mores.
Then there’s the meal I elected to have, a lunch in The Tap Room. If the weather obeys, it’s a great idea to dine out on the back deck that overlooks the Shakespeare Garden, equal parts beautiful and haunting on an overcast autumn day.
Can I just tell you how great it is to go to bed at the end of a fall night with the smell of a bonfire in my hair? Both end-of-season Hadley & Occum Farm Dinners hosted by DORO were truly sort of magical. Not in the knight in shining armor kind of magical, but in the can we hold onto to this beautiful moment of community and let these flavors and aromas linger just a little while longer kind of magical. It was community, it was the beautiful Sub Edge Farm, it was tremendous food, and it was a recognition of what Bourdain always talked about: the power of sharing a meal around a table, no matter who is dining with you.
Nominated as one of five for 2019 Caterer of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association, we know DORO Catering and Restaurant Group is a master at their craft. With the connection of four restaurants, Zohara Kitchen, Avert, Treva, and Artisanal Burger Company, the catering group has a culinary treasure troveof flavors and experience from which to pull for any event they cater.
Birdman Juke Joint has kicked off their “Biscuit Brunch”. Yes, it's those nationally acclaimed Brown Sugar Buttermilk Biscuits that took the nation by storm when Chef Chris Scott made them on Top Chef. Brunch hours are Saturday and Sunday only from 10:30am to 2pm.
Artisanal Burger Company in Manchester, CT invites you to a Pig Roast on the Patio. Join them on Monday August 19 for a pig roast with plenty of BBQ sauces, picnic-style sides, drinks, and delicious summer desserts.
The Hey Stamford! Food Festival is finally here! On August 24 and 25, food trucks, live entertainment, local vendors, and more will converge on Mill River Park. Donut Crazy, Dinosaur BBQ, Cousins Maine Lobster, and Kona Ice are just a few of the eats that will be there for the weekend! Choose from regular admission or a VIP experience.
When was the last time you thought about where each element of your dinner came from? The plates, the table, the meat, the cups; each item seems to come from an arbitrary supermarket, creating a culture where the process of making and eating food is incredibly solidarity. That, in a nutshell, is why Dan Sabia left the restaurant industry. And now, he’s using his work with wood, fire, and food to change that norm in a world where very few are trying. Chef Dan Sabia is changing the way we think about private catering with his innovative new business, Wood Fire Food.
Max Chef to Farm, an award-winning group of events that celebrate the amazing food grown in our backyard, is heading into their 12th year. Guests are transported directly to the farm to experience seasonal and local food. Their dinners are multi-course feasts showcasing the delicious bounty of Connecticut-grown produce and other locally-sourced ingredients prepared on site by Chef Steve Michalewicz of Max Catering & Events, Chef Hunter Morton, Culinary Director of the Max Restaurant Group, and the entire Max Chef to Farm team.
Max Chef to Farm dinners are adventurous events that celebrate and support CT-grown products. Their host farm for most events this season is the 160-acre Rosedale Farms, located in Simsbury, CT. They have many things in common with the Max Restaurant Group including a commitment to using sustainable farming and business practices. Speaking of support...
Chef Billy Grant and his Chefs Corey Cannon of Bricco Trattoria, and Jon Gyles of Bricco West Hartford invite you to join them for their Summer 2019 Farm Dinner series at Rose’s Berry Farm, in South Glastonbury. Every Farm dinner features a creative menu with ingredients sourced from a multitude of CT farms, and includes passed and stationed hors d’ oeuvres, multi-course dinner, dessert, creative cocktails, craft beers, and vino!
Price per person is $89 plus 18% tax and gratuity (all alcohol is included). Reservations recommended and can be purchased online at www.billygrant.com or by emailing catering director Michelle McMahon at michelle@billygrant.com.
On Thursday, June 14th, Chef Geoff Lazlo of Geoff Lazlo Food, in Greenwich, CT will be cooking at the prestigious James Beard House in NYC. The evening's menu will feature Connecticut farms, and is aptly titled "Connecticut Farm Feast." Check out the menu below. and reserve your seat here.
Connecticut Magazine’s Best Chef of 2018 Geoff Lazlo earned his fine dining chops with stints at Gramercy Tavern, Chez Panisse, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and the Mill Street Restaurant Group before venturing out to create his own company. Sample the cream of Connecticut’s farm-to-table crop with a sumptuous, organic spring harvest, fresh picked from his lovingly tended plots at Greenwich Community Gardens.
Chef Tim LaBant and The Schoolhouse At Cannondale have released the schedule for the 2018 season’s Farm to Fork dinners.Tickets go on sale May 1st...and they go fast! Check out the schedule below.
Four locally sourced courses served family style under the stars (weather permitting). Beginning at 6 pm, Cocktail hour (drinks included), Farm Tour and Dinner (BYOB) by Wilton's own, Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Location: Millstone Farm, Wilton, CT.
Dinner is BYOB starting at around 7 pm and is four courses, family style.
We are excited to announce that Community Table Restaurant and Bar will be reopening this spring. We don’t have an exact date yet but, we are hoping to open our doors before Memorial Day and work out any ‘kinks’ before the busy season kicks in.
We have spent the past months contemplating what direction Ct should go in next. We turned to Adam Riess, a Washington native and restaurant consultant, to help us define our goals and offer us options. Though many interesting ideas were discussed, hearing from so many of you who simply wanted Ct to come back the way it was, eventually swayed us to move in that direction.
On Saturday, September 16th, Enjoy an organic farm to table feast alongside the sounds of acclaimed jazz musicians from The Mike Casey Trio at Waldingfield Farm in Washington CT.
Visit a beautiful organic farm hidden in the Litchfield Hills for a fine seasonal dinner all sourced locally. Guests will enjoy an Autumn sunset and a fine dinner in celebration organic farming in Connecticut!
4 PM Refreshments & Farm Tour 5 PM Cocktails & 1st Course 6 PM The Mike Casey Trio Followed by Dinner & Dessert
Terrain Garden Cafe in Westport hosted a vegetarian dinner this week to celebrate the summer bounty of the Westport Farmers' Market. Terrain's Chef Jes Bengsten, alongside Chef Jeff Michaud from The Vetri Group, created a stunning 10 course dinner to honor the Westport Farmers' Market, highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients from local growers. Cocktails and wine pairings complemented the menu that featured the diversity of plant-based cuisine. Terrain Garden Cafe in Westport hosted a vegetarian dinner this week to celebrate the summer bounty of the Westport Farmers' Market. Terrain's Chef Jes Bengsten, alongside Chef Jeff Michaud from The Vetri Group, created a stunning 10 course dinner highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients from local growers. Cocktails and wine pairings complemented the menu that featured the diversity of plant-based cuisine.
Mark your calendars. On Monday, March 20th, the first day of spring, tickets will go on sale for the 2017 season of Outstanding In The Field.
The 2017 CT locations will be held at Waldingfield Farm on September 12th and The Hickories on September 13th. The guest chefs for Waldingfield will be Jason Sobocinski & Alex Lishchynsky of Caseus in New Haven. The Hickories will feature James Beard nominee Tyler Anderson of Millwright's in Simsbury. Additional details on chefs and farms can be found below.
Community Table & Kent Falls Brewing Co. are teaming up for a special evening of food and beer on July 26. Executive Chef Marcell Davidsen has collaborated with Barry and Derek at Kent Falls Brewing Co. on a summer-inspired menu fit for Connecticut locavore beer lovers.
"We are very excited to host this event, and share some great beers and great food. And there might be a few surprises too," said Marcell Davidsen.
We have a sneak peek of the menu, which at last count is 7 courses and 6 beers, and as many reasons to get excited for this evening at Community Table. Tickets are $75 per person. Reservations are available on OpenTable.com.
July 26 Menu
Sourdough Bread Toasted hay butter
Smoked Trout & Squash Blossom Hazelnut crème
Beer: Lade Øl 4.8 % Abv.
A farmhouse ale brewed with smoked hay. This beer takes on delicate notes of sweet grass, vanilla and spice notes from the hay complementing our house yeast culture.
Back 40 Kitchen will celebrate the release of Edible Nutmeg’s spring issue by hosting an afternoon launch event on March 24 from 11 am to 1 pm, a day before the issue’s official release date for a 'meet & greet' with Dana Jackson, Editor and Publisher, Edible Nutmeg and Bill and Lesley King, Owners, Back 40 Farm Group. Guests are invited to pick up a free copy of the new issue and enjoy organic light bites provided Back 40 Kitchen. Back 40 and Edible Nutmeg share a mission of appreciation of regional food, farming, and sustainability.
The Back 40 Farm Group is closely aligned with Edible Nutmeg’s vision, which is helping their readers engage the Connecticut food community. We have long appreciated this publication and are happy to provide the venue to launch the issue that officially ‘kicks-off’ the 2016 agricultural season. – Bill King
Back 40 Kitchen is a farm-to-table restaurant dedicated to using the highest quality organic ingredients in all of its dishes. Back 40 Kitchen is also committed to sourcing local by partnering with CT farmers and vendors including sourcing from its own organic Back 40 Farm in Litchfield County.
Community Table’s Executive Chef Marcel Davidsen has crafted a transcendent winter menu that is an appropriately hearty take on the restaurant’s sustainably-driven roots. The menu has always borne a Nordic edge, and Davidsen often mines his Danish heritage heightening this influence. Unlikely yet harmonious pairings (white chocolate, sunchokes and oysters, anyone?) and distinct plating are also the restaurant's signatures.
"My Danish roots plays a strong role in the thought process of developing a new dish, sometimes it can be the Scandinavian simplicity in presentation other times it can be the flavor profile, or a childhood memory," said Davidsen.
Community Table's dishes and its atmosphere are the unique result of a team effort. "Everybody plays an important role in developing a dish, I encourage my cooks to test and research as much as possible. We have some really great talent which I'm forever thankful for," said Davidsen.
Tickets have gone on sale for the Dinners At The Farm 2016 season!
At Dinners At The Farm, each evening begins at 6:00pm, dinner served at 7:00pm. Tickets are per person and are $125 (Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays), $150 (Fridays and Saturdays).Upon arrival, guests are greeted with an orchard fruit cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvre and then proceed onto a lively tour of the farm with our warm and engaging farm hosts. Following the tour, guests are seated beneath a tent at long candle-lit tables with white porcelain settings where they will savor course after course of freshly cooked food with ingredients just picked from the fields outside the tent. Guests will break bread and raise a glass with the farmers, fishermen, and others who make up Connecticut’s vibrant agricultural community.
Our 2016 season marks 10 years of hosting our celebrated open-air dinners in the fields of Connecticut farms for delightful and delicious evenings of locally grown food, wine, and conviviality. Dates and additional information here.
Tickets have gone on sale for the Dinners At The Farm 2016 season!
