Commentary... Chef James Fink featured at harvest dinner

What do you get when you combine the talents from Seed to Table’s farmers and a mastermind chef? The Fall Harvest Dinner, a vibrant community event featuring a meal with discovery in every bite.

As an organic vegetable farmer, food and enjoying food is at the center of my life.

However, I still struggle to find the time to slow down, thoughtfully cook and then sit down to eat with family and friends.

As conscientious as I try to be, I still find myself watching Netflix with meals and rushing through the house stuffing hard-boiled eggs into my pockets for breakfast trying to get to the farm on time.

When I find this rush becoming the norm, I am usually not feeling my best, despite eating healthy food.

Reflecting back on the times I feel the best in my life, it is when I take moments to catch my breath (slowly enjoying a meal) and when I feel deeply connected to friends and family.

A beautifully cooked meal with others keeps being one of the most powerful opportunities in my day to make me feel my best.

Embracing these opportunities has become an important part of self-care.

Seed to Table’s Fall Harvest Dinner offers an opportunity to get inspired around food and connect with community. Also there is the bonus that I do not have to do the dishes or open a cookbook. The event highlights a meal crafted specially from the Seed to Table farm by chef James Fink. James Fink is the founder of Wild Oregon Foods, a restaurant and catering service located in Bend. As a classically trained chef, Fink strives to be a savant of local foods. Fink’s meals pave the path for new flavors crafted from Central Oregon’s backyard.

With Wild Oregon Foods, James is on a mission to expose people to better ingredients, and in turn, better food. James embraces the thought that eating together gives us a chance to de-stress and catch up with those whom we love.

The vision of the Fall Harvest Dinner is set for Saturday, September 14, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. The dinner gives us all a chance to experience new flavors, to connect over a beautifully crafted, local meal and celebrate the education programs infusing Central Oregon’s schools. Treat yourselves to the company of friends and family and get back to our basics; sitting down to dinner.

Tickets for the Fall Harvest Dinner are available at Seed to Table’s website http://www.seedtotableoregon.org/events.