Farm dinner season: Star chefs, top restaurants headline rural feasts

One of the perks of living in the Palm Beach County area is that one is never too far from a farm-based experience, be it a seasonal veggie u-pick, a visit to a produce stand, or even the Saturday farmers market that’s held beneath a soaring pole barn at Swank Farm in Loxahatchee Groves.

But the most exquisite farm-based culinary experiences are the onsite dinners offered every harvest season at area farms. Farm feast season kicks off in November this year. Here’s what’s cooking.

Swank Farm

As they do each year, farmers Darrin and Jodi Swank will host a lineup of star chefs during their lavishly set Swank Table dinner series, which runs on Sunday nights from Nov. 12 through April 21.

For the price of dinner ($180 per person), farm-goers get a welcome bite and cocktail, then a cheffy tapas plate paired with wine or Champagne. After a 20-minute farm tour, diners settle in for a plated five-course, wine-paired feast. There’s also local craft beer by area brewers and live music.

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Some highlights of this season’s dinners:

Fall Harvest Hoedown (Nov. 12) — A cowboy-themed dinner featuring Palm Beach County chefs Clayton Carnes of Cholo Soy, Nick Dellinger of Brick & Barrel and others, with a side of line-dancing. (Carnes is cooking whole pork, roasted in banana leaves for one of the courses.)

Farm Market Asado (Dec. 3) — Acclaimed chefs from Miami whip up a feast inspired by Swank Market vendors. The chefs include James Beard Award semifinalist Akino West of Rosie’s, “Chopped” champ Tristen Epps of Ocean Social, Brian Nasajon of Beaker & Gray and Jupiter pastry chef Jenniffer Woo of Charlie and Joe’s at Love Street.

Running with the Bulls (Jan. 21) — Themed as “a night in Spain”, the dinner features Miami chef Carlos Garcia of Leku, California chef Fabian di Paolo of Carmel’s Shearwater Tavern, West Palm chef Michael Hackman of Aioli and Pizzaioli and Delray Beach pastry chef Megan Lee Willard of Rose’s Daughter and Brulé Bistro.

Club Carnival (Feb. 4) — For this Mardi Gras-themed dinner, diners are invited to wear purple, green and/or gold and maybe a Fat Tuesday-worthy mask. The night features three Palm Beach County chefs and one from Miami.

Bourbon, BBQ and Blues (Feb. 18) — The dinner name says it all about this soulful night, which stars Chicago blues guitarist John Primer, former bandleader for Muddy Waters. Wilton Manors chef Josie Smith-Malave, a “Top Chef” alum who owns Bubbles and Pearls raw bar, will be joined by a trio of Palm Beach County chefs.

Throwback to the ‘70s (Feb. 25) — One of the farm’s most popular dinner events of the season, the ‘70s-inspired night brings together Maine chef Jonathan Merry of River House in Damariscotta, Boca’s Chef Moon of Sushi by Bou, Lantana chef Johnny Demartini of Ravish and pastry chef M.J. Jaramillo of The Ben. Bell bottoms and dancing shoes are encouraged.

Street Food, Cultures of Asia (March 10) — This dinner is a celebration of flavors from Japan, Korea, Vietnam and beyond.

She Feasts (March 24) — The evening pays tribute to women chefs. The lineup includes Delay Beach’s Suzanne Perrotto of Rose’s Daughter and Brulé Bistro, Fort Lauderdale chefs Adrienne Grenier and Paula DaSilva of the Ritz Carlton and others.

Vêtu de Blanc (April 7) — The Swank season’s hottest ticket, the annual white party returns for its 13th year. The star chef lineup includes Miami chefs Antonio Bachour and William Crandall of Bachour and Tablé, Palm Beach chef Clay Conley of Buccan, Deiter Samijn of Café Boulud Palm Beach and Boulud pastry chef Julie Franceschini.

Cooking with Cannabis (April 21) — Four Palm Beach County chefs take inspiration from Swank Farm’s own hemp harvest and CBD flowers. (Swank Farm is a Florida-licensed hemp grower.)

Tickets and location: Swank Table dinner tickets are sold online at SwankSpecialtyProduce.com. The farm is located at 14311 N. Road in Loxahatchee Groves.

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Kai-Kai Farm

Husband-and-wife farmers Carl Frost and Diane Cordeau host a series of chef-driven dinners at their Kai-Kai Farm in Indiantown every year. This season’s lineup highlights:

Chef Jimmy Everett (Dec. 3) — The talented Boynton Beach chef/owner of Driftwood restaurant cooks a four-course dinner that includes wood-fired local fish with farm-fresh pole beans and tomatoes and miso bagna cauda. Wine pairings and live music are included at dinner, which costs $165 including fees.

Chef Jeremy Bearman (Jan. 14) — The acclaimed chef/owner of Oceano Kitchen, which is relocating from Lantana to Lake Worth Beach in November, returns to the farm for a multi-course feast, which costs $165 including fees.

Chef Jeremy Ford (Feb. 11) — The Michelin-starred chef, whose restaurants include The Butcher’s Club steakhouse at PGA National Resort, headlines dinner at the farm. For ticket information, visit KaiKaiFarm.com.

Chef Pushkar Marathe (March 10) — The celebrated chef/co-owner of Stage Kitchen and Ela Curry Kitchen restaurants in Palm Beach Gardens brings his modern Indian-inspired cuisine to the farm. Tickets are $165 including fees.

Chef Frank Eucalitto (March 14) — The Palm Beach Gardens chef/restaurateur brings a taste of his Café Chardonnay to the farm. Tickets are $153.12 including fees.

Chef Clay Conley (April 18) — The star chef/partner at Buccan Palm Beach and Grato West Palm Beach, Conley cooks in one of his favorite settings: at a farm. Tickets are $165 including fees.

Chef Zach Bell (April 21) — A four-time James Beard Award finalist, Bell served as opening and top chef at Café Boulud for eight years. Now a private club chef in North Palm Beach, he brings his refined cooking to the farm. Tickets are $153.12 including fees.

Chef John Thomas (May 19) — Thomas, who is head chef at Sassafras restaurant in downtown West Palm Beach, will bring his refined Southern cooking to Kai-Kai. Tickets are $153.12 including fees.

Location: Kai-Kai Farm is at 8006 SW Kanner Hwy. in Indiantown.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Farm dinners bring star chefs to Swank Farm Palm Beach, Kai-Kai Farm