Features | Sep. 2024
DINNER TIME
By Ann Marie Scheidler
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUNVIJAY PAUL
STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA
Kate Holland and Marion MacKenzie Christoph chair Elawa’s Harvest Dinner on September 14
The cornerstone of any unforgettable dinner party is the food. And no one knows this better than the chairs for this year’s Elawa Farm Foundation’s 2024 Harvest Dinner—Lake Forest’s Kate Holland and Marion MacKenzie Christoph.
“The Harvest Dinner just keeps getting better and better,” says Holland. “The biggest challenge always is finding a fantastic chef.”
Holland and Christoph were thrilled to meet and invite James Beard-award nominee Chef Jenner Tomaska, of the Michelin-starred Esmé in Chicago, to be the chef at this year’s Harvest Dinner on Saturday, September 14.
“It was so exciting to host Chef Jenner for a tour at Elawa last week,” says Holland. “We’re so used to Elawa because we live here and work here, but to see Elawa for the first time through the eyes of someone who has never been here before, you get to see again how special it is and why it’s important that we keep Elawa Farm healthy and integrated into the lives of as many people as we can.”
Elawa Farm Foundation was formed in 2002 to raise support for the historic restoration of the gentleman’s farm originally owned by the Armours in 1917. Today, the foundation’s mission is to steward the historic farm to enrich greater Lake County as a center for experiential learning, and to broaden access to education, nutritious food, and the local food system. Through a public-private partnership, Elawa Farm Foundation and the City of Lake Forest work together to steward this historic campus. The City of Lake Forest owns the property and maintains the historic buildings. Elawa Farm Foundation provides community programming and educational interpretation of the campus and manages the farm grounds, market, kitchen, and educational initiatives.
The Harvest Dinner is Elawa Farm Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser. In addition to Chef Tomaska’s stellar menu, the spectacular evening will include premium wines from the Maverick Wine Company, a paddle raise led by Vaughn Smith from Freeman’s | Hindman, and live music from the Tom Gleason Band, which is certain to put all guests in a festive mood.
“Chef Jenner will be drawing inspiration from Elawa Farm’s new Discovery Hive Garden for the dinner menu,” Christoph says. “The Hive Garden is one of many new offerings at the farm. When the Wildlife Discovery Center left our campus last year, we really had to think about what we could bring to the farm to engage those who loved seeing animals here.”
Elawa Farm launched the “Keep Elawa Growing Initiative” earlier this year, a $2 million, three-phase campaign to expand education and food programs for the greater community. Additionally, the campaign will fund more farm animals and a barn, a commercial kitchen, a café, an indoor classroom, visitor center, hoophouse, and a community cooking school.
“I think the leadership under our executive director Laura Calvert has been tremendous, and I think that the sky is the limit in terms of what we can do here,” Holland adds. “The idea that Elawa has evolved from a historical gem to a place that can address food insecurity, education, and access to healthy food in Lake County is incredible. Elawa Farm is moving into this new phase of relevancy.”
To purchase tickets to this year’s Harvest Dinner, visit elawafarm.org.
