Outstanding in the Field In The Local Food Era
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 08.23.07
Two years ago Erin wrote about Outstanding in the Field- "is a restaurant on wheels, touring the country to discover and highlight awesome regional cuisines. Jim Denevan, founder of Outstanding in the Field, says the group's mission is to raise awareness about where food comes from and the people who grow it." Now, as the Hundred Mile Diet and local food are all the rage, Outstanding in the Field has grown into an institution, with fifteen dinners stretched across North America. In Vancouver last week, 134 people dined at a 130 foot long table. Alexandra Gill notes that it is perhaps becoming a bit of a fad. "It used to be hippie, now it's trendy," one regular attendee laments, rolling her eyes at the thriving crop of Chanel sunglasses and Louis Vuitton handbags rotating through the opening reception.
Gill concludes:
Outstanding in the Field may be fading slightly as it basks in its commercial success and good fortune. But the magic of this excellent meal still isn't one that most guests are likely to ever forget.
"Everybody's happy," Mr. Denevan says with a broad smile, after climbing up on a ladder to thank his guests (and flog his coming cookbook).
"Forget all the conceptual stuff. This is what it's all about." ::Globe and Mail
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"It used to be hippie, now it's trendy,"
At $200 a plate I don't see how this would cater to anyone less than the affluent trendy. The cost of being a hippy never ceases to amaze me. Reminds me of the local farmers market scene where patchouli scented, tie-dye clad hippies sell their local organics to the channel and Lululemon wearing bourgeoisie who are the only ones able to afford it.