Farm Supper at Burger Up

Last night I had the privilege of eating at the first ever Farm Supper hosted by Burger Up here in Nashville. The idea is that each month, Burger Up will host a dinner celebrating a local purveyor that they feature at the restaurant. And each time they will bring in a new chef that values great food and quality local ingredients.

When I got the invitation to the event a few weeks ago, I immediately jumped on their ticket site and ordered 2 tickets. At $75 for a four course prix-fixe dinner with wine and cocktail pairings – this was a deal. As with any special dinner, I get nervous about meeting new people and creating conversation. So I was (secretly) extremely thankful when we sat down at the table and a Southern Pimm’s Cup cocktail with local strawberries and cucumber was waiting at my seat. And to my surprise we had great conversation and made new friends.

(Miranda and Steve taken from @BurgerUp Instagram)

Miranda Whitcomb, the owner of Burger Up greeted us at the beginning of the meal explaining the vision of these dinners and asking for grace as this was the first one. However, she didn’t need any. The service was excellent as the dining room was filled with an intimate 40 people. The food was outstanding, and the wine was beautifully paired with each course.

The guest speaker for the night was Steve Lee of Triple L Ranch. Triple L supplies Burger Up with all their ground beef for their iconic hamburgers. Having known Triple L for around 2 years, it was fun to hear Steve talk about how they got started and shifted into supplying resturants with their meat as the demand for local food grew in Nashville. And because of restaurants like Burger Up, they have been able to reach a whole new demographic of urban dwellers in search for local and sustainable meat which then led them to the farmers markets. I am proud to have Triple L as a vendor at the 12 South Farmers Market,which I manage.

The Food: With french trained Guest Chef Shane Devereux from Atlanta’s The Sound Table, Top Flr and The Lawrence

The Menu with Chef Shane Devereux

1st Course: Local Ribeye Carpaccio with local greens, frisee, local herbs and capers

Beer Cocktail: named “The Stanton” because a local regular at Burger Up with the last name Stanton came up with this concoction. Hefeweizen, Bulliet Rye, Lemon Juice and Apricot Liqueur

2nd Course: Spiced Local Chuck Roll Sausage with Brussels sprout, local potato hash and local poached farm egg

3rd Course: Braised Local Oxtail Pasta with local corn, mushroom and local basil

4th Course: Roasted Local “Barrel Cut” Strip, with farro, local chard, local crowder peas and chicken jus

Dessert: Not your average brownie and vanilla ice cream with local blueberries

If your locavore mouth isn’t watering over this meal, something is wrong with you. The standout dish for me had to have been the sausage with poached egg. Not an easy feat to poach 40 eggs that have to go out at the same time. Perfectly executed Chef Shane! Overall, I was encouraged to see a restaurant dedicated to connecting their patrons with the people that grow and raise their food. Thank you Miranda for your commitment to local food and for sharing your passion with Nashville. I will see you next month!