Dine at Wildflower Farms Source-origin cuisine paying tribute to the Hudson Valley

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.

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.

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.

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. Hughes and Loux are focused on growing for flavor and sharing their knowledge.