Yesterday while I was flicking through this months delicious magazine I came across an inspiring article about Jim Denevan, chef and renowned land artist and founder of Outstanding in the Field. For the uninformed the sole purpose and mission of this inspiring collective 'is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food and to honour the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it'. Hence, dinner is always served 'between the soil and the sky', close to the source and next to the 'person who planted the beans, raised the lamb and shaped the cheese on your plate'.



For ten years now this roving culinary restaurant without walls has 'set the long table at farms or gardens, on mountain tops or in sea caves, on islands or at ranches'.  Sometimes the table is set indoors in a 'beautiful refurbished barn, a cool greenhouse or a stately museum'. Despite the constant change in location the theme remains consistent - 'to honour the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table.'


So what is one to expect at an Outstanding in the Field dinner? Well dinner usually begins around 4pm where guests are welcomed and kindly greeted with a chilled glass of wine. Shortly thereafter a forty minute tour of the host farm takes place so that dinner guests can familiarize themselves with both the source and the surroundings. Guests then sit down at the long table which can accommodate up to 130 diners for a memorable meal orchestrated by the guest chef in this 'nomadic al fresco kitchen'. The length of each event is approximately four to five hours, with guests often lingering longer as they are 'reluctant to have the magical evening come to a close'. How about you take a look at this inspiring video for yourself.