On Oct. 6, 2022, Brandeis Hospitality posted on Instagram “do you want to win a spot at our farm to table dinner? Farm to Table is an exclusive five-star, five-course dinner where we will host students, allowing them to watch the chef’s [sic] prepare their meals and dine in luxury for the night.” The post then went on to describe how one could enter the raffle and potentially attend the experience. I spoke with sophomore Lauren Ledre ’25, who attended the event, about the first Brandeis Hospitality Farm to Table dinner.
Jamie: How were you chosen for the experience?
Lauren: I was chosen for the experience by random selection from people who followed their instructions on the Brandeis Hospitality Instagram. I tagged two friends, followed the account, and liked the post.
Jamie: Could you walk me through what the first Farm to Table dining experience was like?
Lauren: When people arrived, we mingled while snacking on a beet hors d’oeuvre and drinking tangerine juice. Then we all sat down at a large, Thanksgiving-style dinner table.
Before each course, we were given an introduction of what the meal included and where the ingredients were from. Then we were served our meals and chatted while eating. In total, there were five courses. While we ate and mingled, someone took photos for the Instagram.
Overall was a really great experience! I would definitely want to try to win a spot in future Farm to Table dinners.
Jamie: How did the menu compare to what is usually found in the dining hall?
Lauren: The detail of the menu itself was around the same as the dining hall. They did add the location of the farms where they got most of the ingredients for the meals though.
Jamie: Was the food better than the dining hall food?
Lauren: The food was much better than the dining hall food. It was delicious and you could tell how much time went into each of the courses!
Jamie: Was there anything that surprised you about the event?
Lauren: I was surprised at the quality of the dishes. It really demonstrated what Harvest Table has the potential to make.
Brandeis’ first Farm to Table event took place on the evening of Oct. 19, 2022.
