Serenbe Style and Soul

with Marie Nygren

Wholesome Wave Georgia

Tuesday

4

September 2012

0

COMMENTS

Coming Soon…the 2013 Southern Chefs Series Lineup Announcement

Written by , Posted in Southern Chefs Series, Wholesome Wave, Wholesome Wave Georgia

I’m excited to announce that the 2013 Southern Chefs Series has been greatly expanded from six to twelve chefs…that’s twice the fun and a year’s-worth of great cooking and eating in my kitchen. 

Additionally, the proceeds from the 2013 series are earmarked for a seed fund to help establish Wholesome Wave chapters in our neighboring Southern states.  It’s been a privilege and honor to partner with remarkable chefs at the Southern Chefs Potluck, Wholesome Wave Georgia’s fabulous fundraiser event held at Serenbe.  The opportunity to help the parent organization, Wholesome Wave, set up chapters elsewhere in the South is exciting.

Wholesome Wave’s mission is to improve access and affordability of fresh, healthy, locally grown produce to historically underserved communities.  Doing so creates economic viability through local food commerce that can rebuild our nation’s food system.  Wholesome Wave, a national 501(c)3 organization, partners with farm-to-retail venues, community leaders, healthcare providers, like-minded nonprofits and government entities to implement programs that benefit both consumers in underserved communities and the farmers who provide for them.  Every nutrition benefit dollar spent at a Wholesome Wave partner market becomes two dollars for the shopper and the farmer.  

Stay tuned for more on the series, including the exciting lineup of stellar Southern chefs and their respective class dates.  Registration will be open soon.  Classes are limited to 10 people and fill quickly.

Wednesday

8

August 2012

0

COMMENTS

Southern Chefs Potluck Nets Big Dollars for Georgians

Written by , Posted in marie nygren, Southern Chefs Potluck, The Farmhouse, Wholesome Wave, Wholesome Wave Georgia

Last Sunday’s Southern Chefs Potluck, benefitting Wholesome Wave Georgia, boosted the agency’s coffers when 150 patrons and 20 of the Atlanta area’s top chefs converged on Serenbe to provide a bountiful smorgasbord of the finest food our region offers. 


For the main course, The Farmhouse at Serenbe provided its famous fried chicken, recently touted the best fried chicken in the August 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living, and Jim N’ Nick’s B-B-Q offered up White Oak Pastures meats and their own hot links.  The participating chefs provided Sunday supper sides along with homemade pickles, relishes, and desserts. 


Patrons dined family style with the chefs while being entertained by local talent Christ, Lord!, Lily and the Tigers, and Under White Pines.  Once sated, the talented auctioneer Will Harris worked the crowd to raise money for Wholesome Wave Georgia.  

Four one-of-a-kind chefs packages were on the auction block.  Patrons bid high and bid often, raising more than $53,000 for the agency from the auction and ticket sales.  This figure represents more than $106,000 in local, fresh food purchased by Georgia nutrition assistance recipients at farmers markets as well as in excess of $106,000 in business for small, local and family farms. 


Thank you Georgia residents for attending the Southern Chefs Potluck and, more importantly, for supporting the good work of Wholesome Wave Georgia.  Together, we make a difference!

Tuesday

31

July 2012

0

COMMENTS

Catching the Wholesome Wave

Written by , Posted in Linton Hopkins, marie nygren, Serenbe Farms, Wholesome Wave Georgia

I have been encouraging you to attend this year’s Southern Chefs Potluck on August 5, benefitting Wholesome Wave Georgia, and there’s more to the story than just the delicious food, fun fellowship, and over-the-top auction items.  It’s important to share the broader story of the good this organization is doing in our great state and in states across the country.


Rows of organic produce at Serenbe Farms
Wholesome Wave programs, in 28 states and the District of Columbia, improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables. 

Because they say it so well, following are the mission and vision statements from the national Wholesome Wave website. 
Wholesome Wave’s mission is to improve access and affordability of fresh, healthy, locally grown produce to historically underserved communities. Doing so creates economic viability through local food commerce that can rebuild our nation’s food system.

Our vision is to help lead the way in developing a more vibrant and equitable food system for everyone by fostering stronger relationships between local and regional agriculture and under-served individuals from both urban and rural communities.

Closer to home, “Wholesome Wave Georgia (WWG) believes that all Georgians should have access to good, wholesome and locally grown food.  Our goal is to increase access to good food for all Georgians while contributing to the local food economy.  By doubling each federal or state nutrition benefit (SNAP, WIC, SFMNP) dollar spent at our partner markets, we leverage existing government food nutrition programs to encourage shopping at local farmers markets.

Fresh-from-the-farm tomatoes
The execution of the Wholesome Wave Georgia program is very simple: Every nutrition benefit dollar spent at a WWG partner market becomes two dollars for the shopper and for the farmer.  This means more money for farmers and that more Georgians gain access to good, wholesome and locally grown food.”


Perhaps armed with this information, you now have a better understanding of why the Southern Chefs Potluck is an important event for our state.  I hope you’ll join me on August 5.  Together, we can do great things for all Georgians. 


Purchase your ticket today for the Southern Chefs Potluck 

Chef Linton Hopkins and me
Tune in to CBS during the 9:00 a.m. hour this Friday, August 3, to Better Mornings Atlanta.  Chef Linton Hopkins and I will be doing a segment on Sunday’s Southern Chefs Potluck.

Wednesday

25

July 2012

0

COMMENTS

Southern Chefs Potluck to Host Live Auction

Written by , Posted in Southern Chefs Potluck, The Farmhouse at Serenbe, Wholesome Wave Georgia

The 3rd Annual Southern Chefs Potluck is just around the corner, and I hope you’re joining us for the premiere event benefiting Wholesome Wave Georgia.  The potluck will take place on Sunday, August 5, 3 to 6 p.m. in Serenbe.  Guests will dine family style with the chefs and their families on the grounds at the Inn at Serenbe.  The line up of participating chefs and restaurants is impressive.   
View the list of chefs and their dishes online, and while at the site, go ahead and purchase your tickets because you won’t want to miss this event! Seating is limited, so don’t delay.

In addition to a great meal and beverages served by members of the Atlanta chapter of the United States Bartender’s Guild, patrons will have the opportunity to bid on four outstanding chefs’ packages during the event’s live auction.  


Bidders will vie for these packages:

  • Cocktail party for 30 friends at my and Steve’s house, featuring tasty bites by Steven Satterfield of Miller Union and exciting libations by Miles Macquarrie of Leon’s Full Service   
  • Cooking class and dinner for you and 19 of your friends with Season 6 Top Chef finalist Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill at the Bosch Experience Center in Serenbe
  • An overnight stay for 14 guests at the Inn at Serenbe, including a private dinner prepared by Restaurant Eugene’s Linton Hopkins and Michel Nischan of Dressing Room (Westport, CT) and a midnight pool party with beverages mixed and served by the Atlanta Bartenders Guild
  • Sunday afternoon BBQ for 50 of your closest friends at the Pavilion at the Inn at Serenbe, featuring Jim N’ Nicks Bar-B-Q truck, with beef provided by White Oak Pastures; side dishes from Bacchanalia’s Anne Quatrano, Hugh Atcheson of Empire State South, and me from my restaurant The Farmhouse; and desserts from the Blue Eyed Daisy

Telephone bids will be accepted.  If you are interested in placing a telephone bid, please email me at Marie@Serenbe.com before the day of the event to make arrangements. 

All proceeds from the potluck go to Wholesome Wave Georgia.  Founded in 2009 by Gina Hopkins and Judith Winfrey, Wholesome Wave Georgia’s mission is to increase access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food at producer-only farmers markets in Georgia.  The organization creates financial incentives for low-income shoppers by doubling the value of state and federal nutrition benefits spent at local farmers markets. 

See you at the potluck!

To see what we’re serving for dinner this week at the Farmhouse, click on the Farmhouse Menu photo (upper right).  The menu changes weekly to highlight what’s fresh from the garden for that week.  


And, don’t forget to sign up to receive email alerts when I post a new entry.  

Wednesday

18

July 2012

1

COMMENTS

You’ll want to attend this year’s Southern Chefs Potluck

Written by , Posted in The Farmhouse at Serenbe, Wholesome Wave Georgia

I’m not sure I’ve been quite this excited about an event since, well, I don’t remember when.  Serenbe will be the host location for the 3rd annual Southern Chefs Potluck to benefit Wholesome Wave Georgia.  This event gets bigger and better every year.

Courtesy of WholesomeWaveGeorgia.org
The Southern Chefs Potluck will take place on Sunday, August 5 at 3 p.m. in Serenbe.  Guests will dine family style with the chefs and their families on the grounds at the Inn at Serenbe.  Along with the fabulous fare, guests will enjoy local beer, wine, and cocktails created by area mixologists and served by members of the Atlanta chapter of the United States Bartender’s Guild.  Rounding out this fabulous event will be a live auction for one-of-a-kind chef experiences. 

Foodies unite. This event is made for you!  To purchase your tickets and read the list of participating chefs and their dishes, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/251283.  If you plan to attend only one food event or auction this summer, make this the one! 

The auction items are over-the-top, and the dishes, anchored by fried chicken legs from my restaurant – the Farmhouse at Serenbe – and White Oaks Pastures meats from Jim N’ Nicks Bar-B-Q, will tantalize your tongue.

Founded in 2009 by Gina Hopkins and Judith Winfrey, Wholesome Wave Georgia’s mission is to increase access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food at producer-only farmers markets in Georgia.  The organization creates financial incentives for low-income shoppers by doubling the value of state and federal nutrition benefits spent at local farmers markets. 

Purchase your ticket now!  You’ll be delighted by the list of participating chefs.  They represent the Who’s Who of the South.