Dine at Wildflower Farms
Source-origin cuisine paying tribute to the Hudson Valley
Celebrate the seasons and land that nourish us
Fusing the concept of wild comfort with a passion for ingredients sourced from the property’s namesake farm , the epicurean program at Wildflower Farms is a love letter to the seasons and stories of the Hudson Valley. Three distinct experiences offer an exploration of New American cuisine as told through global techniques and flavors.
Clay
The Great Porch
This open-air venue offers unparalleled views of the Shawangunk Ridge. Mornings begin with relaxed coffee and pastries, the afternoon brings light, shareable bites before evolving into a destination for pre-dinner cocktails. Satisfying bar snacks accompany the evening drinks, which call for gathering around the fire with friends after a leisurely dinner.
Dew Bar
This memorable poolside experience is set amongst fields of wildflowers and greenery, and spotlights culinary talent in a relaxed, sun-drenched setting. Offered at our outdoor pool from May until September, Dew Bar serves refreshing cocktails to complement the small bites and lunch throughout warm afternoons.
Bringing More Flavor to the Hudson Valley
Informed by our on site farm and our cooking barn, culinary experiences explore the bounty and makers of the Hudson Valley. Overseeing the restaurant is Executive Chef Rob Lawson who collaborates with Jax Hughes and Brady Loux, the property’s two founding farmers, as well as its adjacent cooking school and farm education center, Maplehouse, to offer a holistic epicurean experience that emphasizes the importance of seasonality and sustainability.
Culinary Experiences
Forage the Farm
Farm Sessions
Pickling & Preserving
Botanical Baking
Botanical Hour
Wild Comfort Dinner Series
Ramp Planting
Executive Chef Rob Lawson
Chef Rob is at the helm of all Wildflower Farms epicurean experiences. Originally from Austin, Texas, Chef Lawson’s cooking style is an accumulation of his time living and traveling throughout Asia as well as his experience at notable fine dining restaurants, including Kaijin in Bangkok, Uchi in Austin and John Fraser’s kitchens in New York City, where he was most recently the executive chef at Iris. In tune with the property’s zero-waste and sustainability efforts, his specialty lies in utilizing the whole vegetable in a subtly-layered context. Clay will be an exciting return to his global references as Lawson navigates New York’s short growing season with preservation techniques influenced by Asian tradition.
EXECUTIVE CHEF DE CUISINE RAFAL MASLANKIEWICZ
Chef Rafal is one of Wildflower Farms’ culinary leaders and Executive Chef de Cuisine at Clay. Originally hailing from Poland, Chef Rafal brings his culinary expertise from his time at celebrated fine dining restaurants like Masa, Eleven Madison Park, John Fraser Restaurants and Atelier Amaro, which have had the biggest influence on his cooking style. Inspired by time, place and his experiences, Chef Rafal collaborates with Chef Rob to utilize the region’s fresh bounty and terroir in Wildflower’s creative and curious kitchen.
Farm Advisor Zaid Kurdieh
Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farm is a partner and farm Advisor at Wildflower Farms. Zaid has partnered with the farmers at Wildflower Farms to guide the design and plantings in order to optimize our products, consult on Maplehouse programming, and partner with the Auberge Resorts Collection team to bring in exceptional and dynamic epicurean talents for a culinary series. Zaid’s own farm is utilized and known by notable chefs in New York City for the quality, diversity, and taste of its produce.
Founding Farmers Jax Hughes and Brady Loux
Bringing a new dimension to Hudson Valley’s storied history of culinary influence, the six-acre namesake Wildflower Farms farm pays homage to the region’s back-to-the-land ethos. Previously a dairy farm and then a fallow tree nursery in past generations, the land today comprises a four-season organic farm of fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, farm animals, mushrooms, aromatic herbs and flowers. Founding farmers Jax Hughes and Brady Loux have employed a diversified, no-till method and use things like tillage radishes and cover crops that regenerate and build up the soil with organic material. A raised vegetable bed and hoop house system tackles the region’s heavily clay soils and extends the growing season year round. Huges and Loux are focused on growing for flavor and sharing their knowledge.