You absolutely don’t want to miss this Michelin-starred Chefs for Farmers 10th Anniversary dinner on May 1

knows a thing or two about food in Dallas, and they’re celebrating their 10-year anniversary with an outdoor dinner on May 1 that you need to put on your calendar.

Right now.

Of course you know Chefs for Farmers. Over the past decade, CFF co-founder Iris Midler and her team of culinary elves have helped Texans recalibrate what it means to eat farm-to table in Dallas.

They’ve helped ranchers like A Bar N and farmers like Jeff Bednar establish footholds in hundreds of restaurants, and introduced thousands of us to many of America’s best chefs, mixmasters and restaurateurs — all of it through energetic, fun events where great food and beverages take center stage.

Through Chefs for Farmers, Midler has changed how we in landlocked Dallas think about what we eat, in part by elevating the role of local farmers and ranchers and suppliers, but also by reflecting the evolution of our holy Texas Trinity: steak, Tex-Mex and barbecue.

For the organization’s 10-year anniversary, CFF is celebrating not just its accomplishments but the broadening of the region’s culinary foundation.

Take Stefano Secchi, for example. The owner and chef of the Michelin one-star restaurant Rezdora in New York City grew up here, cooked here at his family’s excellent restaurants, then returned here after mastering pastas and all things Emilia at the top restaurant in the world, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy.

Haven’t made it to Modena or Rezdora? Chefs for Farmers brings them both to you at CFF’s big 10 year anniversary dinner on May 1. 

The dinner is a sit-down, mulit-course, casual affair where you and 100 of your new BFFs will sit at a long outdoor table, placed just-so, right smack in the middle of Reeves Family Farm in Princeton. It’s all very 2010. Very granola. Very delicious.

Don’t we need that after such a long Covid lock-in?

CFF is also bringing Stefano’s parents, chef Francesco and Jane Secchi, to cook at the dinner. They own Ferrari’s Italian Villa and Chop House (there’s an outpost in Addison and one in Grapevine). I love Jane and Frank, so I’d attend if they were the only headliners. They’re not. Having raised three boys, they’re wiser than that.

So joining Jane and Frank and Stefano will be other incredible talent: John Tesar of Knife and Christian Dortch of
Georgie (two solid steakhouses), Peja Krstic of Mot Hai Ba (who doesn’t love his cooking?), Francesca Nor and Victor Corral of Dive Coastal (Iris gets doe-eyed talking about that place), Junior Borges of Meridian (still haven’t been there, but I hear it’s good), Misti Norris of Petra and the Beast (weird restaurant name, ubercool chef), plus another Michelin-starred chef, Bruno Davaillon of Up On Knox (and- soon – his own place). 

Chef Giorgio Raicavoli of Luca Osteria in Miami will be there, too, because CFF doesn’t know how to hold an event without flying in at least one of Tesar’s tv chef friends for the afterparty.

Mesero CEO Trey Dyer will also be at the square-dance/dinner (because who throws a farm party without Mesero’s excellent frozen Margaritas?). Some of the EscapeHatch HQ Crew will be there (the fun ones). Of course, you’ll be there (right?).

The attire for the eventing is listed as Farm Chic. Pretty sure that does’t include burlap or any farm fetish tools, so just throw on some baggy jeans with a stretchy waistband (skinny jeans are too 2020) and a comfy top with room to paunch. There will be good wines, plenty of cocktails, and really good food.

And because you’ll need more details and a reserved seat, we linked to all the info here.