11.7.26 November Kitchen Table Dinner Featuring Chef Travis McConnell
11.7.26 November Kitchen Table Dinner Featuring Chef Travis McConnell
For our November Kitchen Table Dinner Sponsored by Jacobs and Co. we are excited to welcome back Chef Travis McConnell. Chef Travis leads the Artisan Butchery Program at Brightwater, teaching students that the key to success in the food industry lies in understanding the entire food system, from farm to table. His approach emphasizes the importance of honoring ingredients, respecting the work that goes into producing them, and recognizing the value of every part of the animal.
True to his philosophy and craft, Chef Travis’s menu will explore the versatility of whole-animal cooking, highlighting the creativity, skill, and care that go into making the most of each cut. Paired with the rich flavors and the abundance of the seasonal fall harvest, his thoughtfully crafted dishes will showcase how quality ingredients, expert technique, and a respect for the process can come together to create a memorable dining experience. We look forward to welcoming Chef Travis back to our kitchen for an evening of exceptional food and a celebration of the connection between the people, practices, and ingredients that bring a meal to life.
Seating is limited, so secure your tickets for dinner with Chef Travis McConnell on Saturday, November 7, at 5:30pm!
Featured Chef: Travis McConnell is an accomplished chef, and currently leads the Artisanal Butchery Program at Brightwater, a Center for the Study of Food. This program is offered within the Brightwater Meat Institute and was designed by Chef McConnell to teach whole animal butchery, the craft of charcuterie, and the business practices essential to running an artisanal butchery operation. In collaboration with small family farms within the region, the program aims to support local producers and train the next generation of butchers and processors through hands-on learning. Taking a unique social entrepreneurship approach, students then learn and apply their skills within an educational setting.
Chef McConnell’s vision is to cultivate a new model of artisanal butchery that serves local communities and fosters sustainable business practices in the butchery and meat processing industry.
Travis received formal training at the New England Culinary Institute, and has previously held the positions of Executive Chef at Pressroom and Recipe and Development Chef at Ropeswing Hospitality Group. He has worked at well-known establishments including Higgins Restaurant & Bar in Portland, OR, Boccalone Salumeria in San Francisco, CA, Revival Bar + Kitchen in Berkeley, CA, and The Capital Hotel in Little Rock, AR. It was at each of these businesses that he developed a love for the craft of whole animal butchery & old-world meat curing.
Event Details:
Saturday, November 7 | 5:30 pm
Multi-course dinner by Chef Travis McConnell
- Chef will create a fresh, farm to table multi-course meal with seasonal ingredients from the Apple Seeds garden.
- Enjoy drinks and conversation with other guests.
- Join our chef in the kitchen to watch the dinner preparations.
- Share in the farm, food, and good company.
*Dress for the Fall weather. Stroll outdoors in our garden, then join us inside our cozy kitchen for dinner seating.
The dinner takes place at the Apple Seeds Teaching Farm in Fayetteville, AR.
These dinners are rain or shine. All Kitchen Table Dinner series events are fundraisers with limited seating; we cannot offer refunds for tickets purchased.
Your participation in Apple Seeds' events supports our mission to ignite a lifelong love for fresh food for students across Arkansas!
Please contact carol@appleseedsnwa.org if you have any dietary restrictions or a vegetarian request.
Please arrive at 6:00pm for drinks and conversation. The dinner takes place in the Teaching Kitchen, located at the Apple Seeds Teaching Farm in Gulley Park, Fayetteville.
Parking is available in the Gulley Park parking lot off of Old Wire Road. From there it's a short walk north to the gates of the Apple Seeds Teaching Farm. For drop-offs only, the address is 2648 N. Old Wire Road. Please note that there is no parking available in the driveway.
About the Kitchen Table Dinner Series:
Born out of a desire to build a community around great food, Apple Seeds Kitchen Table Dinner series is designed to recreate the feeling of gathering around a dear friend's table. These dinners aim to bridge the gap often felt between the chef and diners in a typical dining environment, thereby creating a deeper connection to the food on the plate. Through intentional procurement of local, seasonal ingredients, the transparent preparation of the meal, and storytelling by the chef, each plate is transformed from food into an unforgettable dining experience.
The Kitchen Table benefits Apple Seeds’ programs.
Apple Seeds is an educational nonprofit based in Fayetteville, AR. Since 2007, Apple Seeds has provided over 110,000 students with a garden-based education, teaching them nutrition and culinary skills that excite them to eat healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables, positively shaping the healthy eating in our community. Student surveys show improved attitudes toward healthy food and heightened knowledge of nutrition concepts - things that help them make long-term healthy food choices. Immersive, hands-on farm-to-table programs are available through schools, evening cooking classes, and summer camps . For more information visit www.appleseedsar.org