For ‘Culinary Adventure,’ Group Brings Table to Farm

“Farm to table” is the name of a movement that encourages people to eat locally grown food. The farm-to-table idea has become more popular in recent years. But there is also a group that also brings “table to farm.” This traveling group is called Outstanding in the Field. It says its mission is to reconnect people to the land and to honor local farmers by creating a restaurant without walls. 

Jim Denevan got the idea for this kind of “culinary adventure,” as he calls it, 10 years ago. He recently prepared tables for more than 100 people at Briars Farmstead in Virginia. He and his eight-member crew arrived the night before. 

Chefs from a local restaurant prepared the dinner. Jim Denevan says, “The mission of Outstanding in the Field is to bring people closer to where food comes from and hear the stories directly from the farmer.”Jim Denevan’s brother is a farmer and he, himself, is a former chef. He thought the idea of a meal served right at the farm made sense. So he traveled across the country and set up tables at farms and ranches.

Guests bring their own plates to the meal, and when they arrive, the farmer shows them around.

Matt Szechenyi and his family operate Briars Farmstead. He hosted the Outstanding in the Field event. He says the event connects his family with a lot of enthusiastic people. 

It is a great way of forming relationships for the future. He says his type of small farm business thriveson relationships.Jim Denevan and his team have served almost 13,000 people. He plans to expand the operation. He says he is planning to go to Asia, Africa, New Zealand, Australia and South America.