The Bay Farm & Table Project

This summer has already proven itself to be a BUSY one! The Summer Beats & Bacon tour is ⅔ of the way complete, both Portland and SF events sold out and were a blast!! I had such a good time at the SF event a few days ago, that I have already set new dates for another round of fun with Bay Area food lovers. You’ve had the famed bacon, now its time to unleash the culinary beast! I’ll be in and out of the Bay through July and August, so there are plenty of opportunities to nab a date and get the whole shebang!

The Bay Farm & Table Project runs from July 5th-8th AND July 27th-August 7th!!!

Highlighting the seasonal bounty of summer, the Bay Farm & Table Project will be gracing the kitchens and dining rooms of the SF Bay Area with a week of home feasts with local foods. I’ll be private chef’ing it up for a lucky few omnivores and documenting the ingredients, menus and magical meals to be shared over the course of the project! With no computer (mine died last month), I am behind on posting menus and photos from the many other Portland and NYC dinners that have happened. But, you can look at previous posts for mouthwatering proof of the meals Portlanders enjoyed during their run of dinners!

The Farm & Table Project has been a thrilling new experiment for The Ethical Butcher projects and a perfect way to bring the special atmosphere of my popular events to homes. These intimate and familial dinners hold great conversations and become an educational exchange for all involved. This not only serves as a great introduction for me to the Bay Area food world and all you locavores and carnephiles out there, but an opportunity for consumers to talk about the obstacles, challenges and rewards of buying foods they trust. It is the matured manifestation of all of the previous Ethical Butcher projects. Making good food more than something to be reveled in on special occasion, these intimate gatherings have been convincing diners that EVERYONE can eat well. Local foods aren’t just a fad, and they aren’t to be held out of reach by high costs and elitist attitudes. The Bay Farm & Table Project brings the bounty of the season to your table in a way that is inviting, fun, and just plain delicious!

The menus are inspired by local ingredients and the flavor preferences of each dinner’s host(s) and are all over the place with unique flavor combinations and creative twists on old faves. The first two rounds of the Farm & Table Project set the bar high with dishes like Pimm’s Pork Three Ways, Grilled Bacon Steaks, Chocolate Stout Carnitas, Candied Rose & Bacon Popcorn, Coffee-roasted Chicken, Chocolate Cake for Breakfast, Elderflower Coconut-poached Halibut, Toasted Fennel & Grapefruit Panna Cotta, Lamb Two Ways with Fig Sauce, Blackberry-Scallion Duck Sausage and a slew of seasonal veggies that almost rivaled their meaty counterparts. Every menu is completely unique and personal, so hosting a Bay Farm & Table Project dinner is the best way to have your every flavor whim satisfied. In your own home!

Think you can’t afford to eat local foods, or doubt the culinary superiority of fresh food from local farms? Want to learn a new butchery or cooking technique, hear stories from my travels, chat about the evils of large agribusiness or debate the relevance of Micheal Pollan? Perhaps it’s just time to skip the restaurant and have a luxurious meal with friends at home without any of the work?

Between July 5th-8th AND July 27th-August 7th you can open your home and kitchen to take part in The Bay Farm & Table Project!!

Dinner at Magruder Ranch, June 2010. Photo by Alison Picard.

Your dinner will begin well ahead of time with a private menu consultation. Using the menu created together, Berlin will then source all of the local ingredients for your meal from local farms and markets. The day of your dinner, simply have your dining table set, kitchen free and clean and ready to be taken over at the predetermined time. Then sit back, wait for guests to arrive and savor the aromas wafting in the air as a three-course dinner brimming with the early season’s best ingredients is lovingly prepared in your own home. Or, head out for the day and come home to a spread of decadence! Brunches are also a great option for weekends! Local meats and produce will, as always, will be the highlight of the meal. Expect to see breads, jams, ice creams and other local foods featured as well. Check out the details below and then contact theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to participate in The Bay Farm & Table Project.

The Bay Farm & Table Project feasts are 3 courses:

an appetizer or small plate, main course and dessert.

Feast for 2-$90

Feast for 4-$160

Feast for 8-$240

Feast for 12- $300

Early Bird Special

*10% discount for feasts booked/confirmed by Friday, July 8th!*

Not at all small print: Dates are open from July 5th-8th and July 27th-August 7th. Full payment is due at menu consultation to confirm date. All dinners are 3 courses (1st, main, dessert), brunches are served tapas-style with number of dishes (5-10) determined by total number of guests. No beverages are included in meal and should be provided by host. Soy, nut & gluten-free diets are easily accommodated and other dietary concerns will be discussed during consultation. While main courses will surely be a carnivore’s dream, most side dishes are vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarian entree can be added to the menu for small fee. Dinner price includes consultation, ingredient sourcing, meal preparation, kitchen clean up and table service for up to 12 people. Gratuity is not included and is customary but not mandatory. Table service for larger parties and the addition of courses can be arranged at an additional charge.


Contact at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com to schedule consultation and dinner or inquire about rates for larger parties.