Outstanding in the Field: one person's experience

[Jenise]

I hope when I finally get to go to an Outstanding in the Field event, it turns out better than this blogger's experience: he recommends taking a sandwich and a bottle of wine, just in case.

Here's what we got for $200 per person:

A beautiful setting--a vineyard on a hill.

On arrival at 4 p.m, 1/2 glass of a chilled, crisp Riesling. At 5 p.m., platters of sliced salami and mortadella were set out. We had one slice each of 3 meats on a paper thin cracker. We didn't take more because there were 140 people crowding around one table, and we didn't realize that this was the "first course".

We then had a nice presentation from the rancher, who led all of us to see his pigs. He didn't talk about the pigs once we got there, but we all looked at them.

We sat down for dinner and after 1/2 hour we were served (family style for each eight diners, so we had to politely share and not be greedy or someone else wouldn't get anything-- I'm describing one portion):

(2nd course) A delicious crostini: fava beans, pea sprouts on a 1/2 slice of bread. Enough salad greens for us to get about 8 small leaves per person. Accompanied by 1/2 glass of lovely Chardonnay.

(3rd course) A nicely grilled portion of lamb, about 2 ounces once trimmed of fat. No sauce, no salt or pepper available. 1/8th of a coil of lamb sausage (the coil was scored so we'd know where to cut it in the eight pieces) Served on a few veggies--my share was 2 cherry tomatoes and a spoonful of corn. Accompanied by a 1/2 glass of Pinot Noir for 6 of us--they ran out. Later, after we requested more wine, we got more Reisling.

(4th course) A berry tart served with cream chantilly. We loved the tart. Our group didn't finish all the tart we were served. When one of the staff came to take it, we said, "No, we're not done!" and she said she had to take it because others hadn't gotten any yet.

We also had bread and butter. No coffee or tea.

There were 140 diners at $200 each, and we were given tiny portions of meat, almost no vegetables, and the feeling was of scarcity, not abundance. I had thought we'd be talking about sustainable agriculture or CSAs, but there were no presentations.

Oh, they sold cookbooks.

I do not recommend!

Oh, my! I am so disappointed to hear this. I have this on my calendar to follow for next year. Perhaps this was due more to the venue than to the event itself. Where did this one take place? Sounds like they had more takers than they expected. But, since it's strictly by reservation, you would expect there would be ample portions determined in advance. Now I'm skeptical.

I second that dismay, Jo Ann. I am very disappointed to read this too.

Same here. I added my name to their mailing list so next year I could participate. The premise is so awesome I'd hate to think they are all this badly organized.

Bummer, Jenise.

This sounds like such a great concept, and Cynthia wrote a really good review of the book.

What a disappointment -- I hope it's a one off bust. Bob

What a disappointment -- I hope it's a one off bust. Bob

At $200 a crack I cannot afford to take the chance that it is just a one time problem.

[Jenise]

What a disappointment -- I hope it's a one off bust. Bob

At $200 a crack I cannot afford to take the chance that it is just a one time problem.

I'm sure there are many more stories out there about great experiences--but this was a bust of some magnitude, obviously undermanaged from one end to the other with, I would assume, most of the fault lying with the local planners. The blogger didn't indicate which locale this was.

Any problems with the dinners don't seem to be affecting their attendance. The Ubuntu dinner is sold out, and it's in October!

While we're bashing, though, my beef is the puny discount for non-drinkers. $10 off a $200 meal? That's probably the wholesale price or something, but it just seems cheap of them. I've never turned down a wine pairing in my life, but what if you *can't* partake because of medical, legal, or personal reasons? The discount should be at least $30.

Walt

[Jenise]

Any problems with the dinners don't seem to be affecting their attendance. The Ubuntu dinner is sold out, and it's in October!

While we're bashing, though, my beef is the puny discount for non-drinkers. $10 off a $200 meal? That's probably the wholesale price or something, but it just seems cheap of them. I've never turned down a wine pairing in my life, but what if you *can't* partake because of medical, legal, or personal reasons? The discount should be at least $30.

Walt

Only $10? That does seem a bit...well, stiff.

As for bashing, believe me, I am no less ready to party with $200 for one of these events than I was before reading this. But I did kind of hate finding out that all might not be bliss if I ever get the chance.

Seems to me that if very many of their affairs are as poorly handled as the one described, it's unlikely any of us will get the chance to attend. They won't last another season if they're consistently that bad.

Sounds very much to me like a case of non professionals trying to cater a meal for a lot of people, with perhaps little experience doing so.
I've seen these kinds of train wrecks before. Next time, hire a professional chef and crew.

Bummer. The last CSA (Hairston Creek Farms) I joined invited all the members out to their farm for a potluck dinner and hootenanny by the creek. They fired up the grill and provided chicken for all. There was so much food, good food, that I thought I was going to freak. We got to take a tour of the farm and the farmer went into great detail about what he was growing, how he rotated his crops, etc. It was all very interesting. Did I mention that it was free of charge? It was free of charge. There were no cookbooks or other gimmicks; it was just a good time at the farm.

rwj

Another thought...perhaps they were trying to show everyone that we get along just fine with much less food. Most folks over eat at such events, anyway. There are a few of these starting up in our area, and I am watching to see how they do. I can't recall there being any fee however. They have been held at various grower's homes, with lunch being served and a tour of the growing area with presentations about sustainable farming practices, and the slow food movement. I seem to recall that these are held late spring and early summer in which case the menus are based by what is being grown and again in late fall with food from that season.
Was the 200.00 event a fund-raiser? Just found this interesting link.

http://jerrychacon.com/?p=227

[Jenise]

Sounds very much to me like a case of non professionals trying to cater a meal for a lot of people, with perhaps little experience doing so.
I've seen these kinds of train wrecks before. Next time, hire a professional chef and crew.

I thought of a salmon bake I went to in Spokane two weekends ago. They knew they were going to feed a couple hundred conventioneers, but they ran out of food. We paid $40 apiece and they ran out of food! But it was obvious self-planned and executed by a local organization. It was pretty clear that no one who actually understood how to plan and cater was involved.

Another thought...perhaps they were trying to show everyone that we get along just fine with much less food.

That's fine, but if that were the case they should have charged accordingly. For $200/person I would be expecting more than the guests received.

I certainly agree. I was just reading the posts on Chowhound and it seems that there are lots of folks unhappy with their experience with Outstaning in the Field and other such pricey food events. I think I would rather spend my 200.00 at the growers, bring the food home and cook it myself. I can always go out into my beautiful back yard or along the shores of the Sacramento river if I want to dine al fresco.

I think I would rather spend my 200.00 at the growers, bring the food home and cook it myself. I can always go out into my beautiful back yard or along the shores of the Sacramento river if I want to dine al fresco.

I'm with you on how to spend the $200. There must be something to this though that I am missing. I went to their website to see if there was an event near me and to learn some details of that specific event. I noticed that just about every event scheduled for 2008 is sold out already! Maybe this is more popular with city folk that have never eaten outside on a farm. I have and it is nothing special. And you get some biting horse flys on you or are sitting downwind from the pig pen and it is not going to be an enjoyable night no matter what kind of food and wine they are serving.

Wow, Jenise. I wonder if the problem might not lie with the local suppliers of the ingredients. Perhaps one or more failed to come through with the quantities promised (or failed to come through at all). In any case, what a disappointing experience. I cannot help but contrast it with my wonderful experience at a Slow Food Provence Fête de Bouillabaise, where both the food and wine were abundant (and it was free of charge for Slow Food members).

Live and learn, I guess...
Mark Lipton

Wow, Jenise. I wonder if the problem might not lie with the local suppliers of the ingredients. Perhaps one or more failed to come through with the quantities promised (or failed to come through at all). In any case, what a disappointing experience. I cannot help but contrast it with my wonderful experience at a Slow Food Provence Fête de Bouillabaise, where both the food and wine were abundant (and it was free of charge for Slow Food members).

Live and learn, I guess...
Mark Lipton

Although I haven't attended, I've heard very positive things about the Slow Foods events in Northern California. They sounded nothing like what was in Jenise's post.