Venue: Ford’s Farm in Homestead, Florida
Photographer: Ben Everden (@decentcrop)
Chefs Prepare a Farm-to-Table Dinner to Remember
On the evening of January 24, 2026, culinary storytelling took root at Ford’s Farm in South Florida, as some of Miami’s most innovative chefs joined forces with a visionary farmer for an extraordinary farm-to-table dinner experience.
The Chef’s Garden Collaboration at Ford’s Farm marked the fifth installment of Chef Jeremy Ford’s ongoing dinner series, a curated gathering designed to cultivate connection between chefs, farmers and diners through thoughtful, ingredient-forward cuisine.
Set against the bucolic backdrop of Ford’s Farm, the working homestead and creative home base of Chef Ford, guests were welcomed with a Florida citrus cocktail, hand-passed canapés and fresh-shucked oysters as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Inside the rustic barn, long communal tables set the stage for a multi-course feast where the land’s bounty took center stage. Farmer Lee Jones, owner of The Chef’s Garden in Ohio and a leader in regenerative agriculture, guided the evening’s narrative alongside his farm’s own Chef Jamie Simpson and local chefs Brad Kilgore and Seth Blumenthal. Together with Chef Ford and his partner, Chef Joe Mizzoni, this all-star team crafted dishes that celebrated vegetables, herbs and flavors drawn directly from the farm’s soil alongside a bounty of fresh produce from The Chef’s Garden.
The limited-capacity dinner embodied the spirit of the series: meals that bring people together around food and the stories embedded in every ingredient.
Menu Highlights
- Welcome Cocktail: Ylang Ylang Flower Paloma with citrus, ylang ylang cordial, tequila
- Canapés: Everglades Oyster with coconut coulis, bay rum leaf, pomelo; The Chef’s Garden Dehydrated/Rehydrated Carrot with viola, fermented honey, bee pollen, micro carrot; Nasturtium Pork Belly Taco with orange kosho, Farmer Lee’s flower blossoms
- Courses: Breads & Spreads, Shiro Kombu Cured Hiramasa, Hearth-Roasted Scallops, Smoked Westholme Wagyu, Composed Vegetables
- Dessert: Florida Corn Pudding with tomato and carambola jam, parsnip meringue, brown butter semifreddo
Takeaway Tips for Planners
- Let the venue tell the story: Choose spaces that reinforce the experience naturally.
- Design the flow: Build the evening in chapters, from arrival to final course.
- Lead with values: Sustainability and sourcing resonate when experienced firsthand.
- Show the craft: Open kitchens and live moments turn execution into entertainment.
- Collaborate with purpose: Multi-chef or partner events create more buzz and energy.
- Think intimate: Smaller guest counts often deliver greater exclusivity and engagement.
