It all begins here.
WELCOME.
At its core, our cooking is built upon a desire to connect the present to the natural habitat of the past.
A foundational part of this is partnering with producers who have dedicated their lives to ways of raising and growing that are rooted in traditional wisdom:
patterns that honor the natural cycle of the climate, understanding their place and relationships within ecosystems, and a deep respect for the living beings that nourish us in more ways than one.
Our food is an extension of their work.
Learn about some of the incredible farms and families behind the ingredients that will be part of your tasting menu
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Brent Wolfe
Vacaville (California)Brent Wolfe of Wolfe Ranch quail is something of a legend amongst Californian restaurants. Brent has spent over 30 years honing the process of raising his quail. He has achieved a vertically-integrated process from the raising and hatching of the eggs, to processing the birds in his facility in Sonoma. Brent’s meticulousness about every step of this process makes him an incredible partner, and through cultivating this relationship, we have been able to learn what it looks like to raise these birds in the most humane and natural way possible.
Ask Chef Chris about the time he spontaneously drove to Vacaville after dinner service one evening to help Brent process quails for our restaurant.
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Robyn and Reed Anderson,
Willamette Valley (Oregon)Anderson Ranches is run by Reed and Robyn Anderson, who are the fifth generation of their family to raise animals on this lush, temperate, coastal piece of land. Their lamb are fully raised on pasture - the valley is filled with grass (Willamette Valley is considered the grass seed capital of the world) and the hill pastures with pine and fir trees, not to mention all the native herbs and weeds that also form part of their natural and native diet. Reed Anderson is a pioneer in vertically-integrated ranching, owning the land, lamb and slaughtering facility. Each of these facets is oriented around humane, sustainable, community-building practices that are beneficial to the environment, animals and people involved. The lamb are raised to about 7-10 months and reach an approximate weight of 130 lbs. The lamb is mild in flavor and has a less tough texture than conventional lamb because of their diet and the low-stress environment in which they are raised (our dry aging process plays a role in this too, of course).
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Tsar Nicoulai is the epitome of innovation and sustainability in caviar production in the U.S. It is the only eco-certified sturgeon farm in the U.S. The fish live in ponds that are filtered and cooled by natural aqua plants that are bathed in California sun - making it a very natural ecosystem for the sturgeon. They are never given growth hormones or antibiotics, which is extremely rare in caviar production, making it imperative that the fish live in a healthy environment. Much like our commitment to using the whole ingredient, Tsar Nicoulai cures and smokes the meat of the sturgeons once they've been processed.
Artist
highlight
Zoe Powell & Mitch Iburg, Studio Alluvium, St. Paul, Minnesota
Zoe and Mitch are artists and ceramicists who seek to investigate and honor the earth’s resources through their work. All of their raw materials are obtained through a unique and incredibly thorough system they have developed involving deep research, careful collection, testing, processing and finally, form creation and firing. Their pieces at Birdsong have all been designed in collaboration with Chef Chris and they have inspired and informed our work at Birdsong.
From Mitch and Zoe:
“Although we operate in different art forms, we immediately recognized a shared language; a common philosophy of showcasing regional ingredients in ways that creatively utilizes all their components.
We took much of our inspiration from Birdsong’s geographical setting. Many textures, shapes, and colors were inspired by those found throughout California’s rugged North Coast. We wanted to instill our pieces with the ethereal, yet tranquil, mood of the fog settling along the rocky shore. This was coupled by that of the restaurant's physical architecture. Just as the interior of the restaurant balances rough-hewn materials with a luxurious aesthetic, we wanted to design a line of tableware that blended both the rustic and refined. Many of the forms contrast simple, clean lines with rough, stone-like textures.
In keeping with Birdsong’s philosophy of using every part of an ingredient, we proposed the concept of creating a glaze using waste ashes from the restaurant’s hearth. After processing 15 gallons of almond wood ash from the restaurant, we tested many recipes and eventually achieved a semi-opaque glaze reminiscent of the misty coastline of Northern California.”
