Event Information
Description
INSPIRING CREATIVE EXCHANGE AROUND THE TABLE
WHERE FARMING, FOOD AND DESIGN MEET
Ravenwood explores the integration of agriculture, culinary arts and the local makers movement – all staples of NY state’s rich history, and each thriving today. Join us as we kick off our 2017 Farm Dinner Series this Memorial Day Weekend! Guests will gather around the table in our newly restored 1850s barn as Chef Chris Lanier prepares a meal that spotlights our own home-grown produce in addition to the best locally sourced meat, dairy, and vegetables from our neighboring growers. With outdoor open-fire cooking that makes use of the season’s bounty, this will be a memorable dining experience for those who want to celebrate food as a connection to time and place.
Please Note: We'll be opening up Sunday evening as a second event once Saturday seats are filled
Organizer CHRIS + DANA
Organizer of Ravenwood Field-to-Table Open Fire Barn Dinner (May)
CHRIS LANIER chrislanierny.com
From his time spent in the acclaimed kitchens of Café Boulud, WD-50, The Little Nell and Spruce, to his years as a private chef in NYC, to his work as a food stylist on commercial photo shoots – and most recently as the proud owner of a small farm in upstate NY, Chris Lanier has been involved in producing amazing food from the ground up. Since the couple’s 1st dinner party in a Brooklyn loft space in 2010, Ravenwood has been an opportunity for Chris to enjoy the immediate response of guests to his work as a grower and chef – something that can be difficult to achieve in a restaurant setting. It’s also been a chance to pull together the best offerings of The Hudson Valley and surrounding NY area around a communal table that celebrates each season’s provisions.
“My cooking has always been focused on the seasons, and I go out of my way to find the very best products. The natural progression for me was to see what it takes to foster beautiful produce first hand. I wanted to go beyond the chef who shops at all the markets, to the chef who works on the farm. After two seasons spent working on a farm in eastern Long Island, I was hooked and started to entertain the idea of getting a place of our own in the Catskills. The soil alone takes years to develop – and that is just the beginning. So far, it’s been rewarding to have a careful hand in the process of farm to table, and I hope that mindfulness is reflected in the dishes I prepare.”
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DANA MCCLURE danamcclure.com
Dana McClure has been a part of New York’s art and design world in many capacities. Beginning her career in 2001 as a graphic designer, she has art directed print, motion and interactive projects for business, non-pro t and cultural clients worldwide. In 2008, Dana won a Telly Award for a documentary that she directed and co-produced entitled ‘Odd Ones Out’ which was distributed internationally. Recently, Dana ended a ten-year run as part-time faculty for both New York University and Parsons The New School for Design teaching classes in 2D design and time based media. Her self-initiated work ranges from limited edition prints and mixed-media collages to hand-printed textiles and objects for the home.
“I feel very fortunate to have lived in Brooklyn for the past ten years at the start of my career. With a place so full of talented makers, the cross-pollination of ideas seems to happen organically and it’s impossible not to be inspired by the abundance of creativity and diversity. Of course the Hudson Valley has its own incredibly rich history of artists and artisans and we’re really excited to become a part of that. My hope with Ravenwood is to help connect these two communities and to cultivate a space that entices people to come out of their studios, and away from their farms to connect and exchange. In our opinion, there’s no better way to do that than around the table breaking bread.”
