A great cause! Info provided by Melissa Libby & Associates:
WOODFIRE GRILL HOSTS WINE DINNER TO BENEFIT LOVE IS LOVE FARM
Farm-to-Table Restaurant Creates October 11 Fundraiser to Repair Local Farm’s Flood Damage
ATLANTA (September 29, 2009) – Woodfire Grill, Atlanta’s favorite farm-to-table restaurant, is hosting a fundraiser for Love is Love Farm on Sunday, October 11, to help the beloved local farm recover from the flash floods that occurred early last week. Love is Love sustained severe flood damage from the heavy rains in the Atlanta-area and must now rebuild their entire establishment, which is located in Douglasville, Georgia. The fundraising event will feature a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. followed by a seated dinner at 6:30 p.m. that includes a four-course menu with wine pairings for $100 per person. All proceeds from the event will benefit Love is Love Farm.
“We are strong supporters of Love is Love Farm’s mission to provide local, organic products and we get a large portion of our produce from their farm, so it is our goal to raise $10,000 to help get them up and running again,” says Woodfire Grill Co-Owner Bernard Moussa.
As The New York Times reported on September 23, Love is Love Farm Operator Joe Reynolds said the flood “could have a crippling toll on his small-scale farm.” His irrigation system was destroyed and two-thirds of his land was submerged, leaving his fall harvest deep under water. The farm is now looking at repair costs of $8,000.
Woodfire Grill is no stranger to supporting Love is Love Farm. Just prior to the flooding, the restaurant’s Executive Chef/Co-Owner Kevin Gillespie participated in the “Outstanding in the Field” farm dinner as a guest chef at Love is Love on Saturday, September 19. This event brings together local farmers, chefs and winemakers to feast on gifts of the land and explore the connection between the earth and the food on our plates.
Gillespie will also create the special menu for the fundraiser, and wines to complement his cuisine will be chosen by the restaurant’s Co-Owner Nicolas Quinones, who also serves as the Woodfire Grill’s wine director. During the event, guests will also have the opportunity to donate additional funds directly to Love is Love Farm to help with the reconstruction process. Reservations for the fundraiser are required, and guests must call 404-347-9566 to reserve a spot.
Operated by Joe Reynolds and Judith Winfrey, Love is Love Farm focuses on heirloom and endangered vegetable varieties, and employs soil-based agricultural practices, such as continuous crop-rotation, cover cropping and labor-intensive hand weeding to cultivate the best and healthiest vegetables. All fertility and soil amendments are composed of natural sources. Reynolds and Winfrey believe that a direct relationship with customers and transparent growing practices are the most assured ways to preserve the safety of our food supply and protect our community as well as the environment. Love is Love Farm is located at 3260 Highway 166 in Douglasville, Georgia. For more information, call 678-485-4941 or visit www.loveislovefarm.com.
Woodfire Grill is located at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road and serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday. For more information or to make reservations, call 404-347-9055 or visit www.woodfiregrill.com.
