Before a few weekends ago, I couldn’t think of a good reason to drive down to the Redlands on a Saturday night except to stop for gas on my way down to the Keys. But after a farm-to-table dinner prepared by Jeremy Ford and his team, I can tell you the hour-long trek was worth it.
That night, I was among the lucky few invited for dinner at Ford’s Farm, a sprawling 5.5-acre property in Homestead’s agricultural district. And it was quite the debut. Ford welcomed his tight-knit group of purveyors and collaborators for the occasion and showcased some of his future plans for the bucolic space, where everything grown is entirely organic.
The Top Chef winner is new to farming, but he’s fully immersed himself in the practice. Ford pays early-morning visits to his namesake farm and, with the help of farmer Griselda Maris, grows an increasing number of the ingredients served at Stubborn Seed—his Michelin-starred restaurant—and The Butcher’s Club at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach. He’s also finding ways to bring people together. Along with business partner Joseph Mizzoni, Ford oversaw the addition of a massive open-air pavilion, where he could host special events and farm-to-table dinners, such as the one we were there to experience.
Dining at Ford’s Farm
Upon arriving, an aromatic bourbon cocktail flavored with an all-spice blend cultivated on the property whetted our appetites. Making your way around the perimeter of the pavilion, you were guided by a series of snack stations I couldn’t get to fast enough. Bites included Florida pink shrimp toast with wagyu striploin, caviar and tonkatsu sauce, and a fire-roasted carrot tart with lemon aioli and Ford’s Farm papaya kimchi. That night, Ford had help from chefs Daniel Roy and Austin Anderson.
A generous three-course meal followed the roving appetizers. Chicken and foie gras from Hudson Valley Farms paired with honeynut squash and ylang-ylang-infused apple. (Ylang-ylang flowers, I learned, are the same as those used to make Chanel No. 5 and are currently in bloom at Ford’s Farm.) An oozing farm-herb-and-marigold raviolo with beef cheek ragout came next, then a smoked Westholme wagyu tomahawk steak with farm-fresh fixings and lots of fire-roasted veggies. Stubborn Seed’s talented pastry chef, Ana De Sa Martins, rounded out our feast with an open fire-roasted pineapple and coconut bay rum panna cotta paired with fire-roasted banana ice cream. Open-flame cooking is a big part of the operation and makes for an arresting visual, but also charcoal-scented hair if you find yourself sitting too close.
The heroes of Table One
Blame it on the welcome cocktail(s), lack of awareness on my part or total happenstance, but I found myself seated with Ford’s Farms’ vendors rather than with the other media guests. The wrong table turned out to be the right place to be if you wanted to know more about the stuff on your plate, which I did. I sat with Tomato Mike, a longtime friend of Ford’s and prolific grower in the Redlands; Mushroom Ricky, who’s harvesting an all-organic array over at Lion Farms Mushrooms, including the variety of mushrooms used for the gorgeous centerpieces; Beekeeper Nancy, responsible for maintaining the farm’s colonies, busy pollinating exotic flowers and producing honey. My new friends let me pepper them with questions and didn’t even mind the nicknames.
More than anything, throughout the night, I witnessed the symbiosis and camaraderie that happens on a farm, something that’s sort of lost on diners who never get to see where their food comes from. At Ford’s Farm, we had the opportunity to hear from purveyors and connect with the meal in a more profound way. I’ve never dined at Blue Hill (it’s on my bucket list), but I imagine it’s akin to this beautiful night out in the Redlands.
Ford’s Farm will open to the public for special events sometime early next year and host about two farm-to-table dinners a month. Check the website for more details.
