Cool Hunting

"Calling all foodies and lovers of the open air. Get ready to join the most anticipated diner's list of the year. After completing its fourth annual tour of North America last year, the folks at Outstanding in the Field are readying to announce and take reservations on their list of 35 al fresco dining engagements.

Started in 1999 by the artist/chef Jim Denevan (see last week's post on Jim's art), Outstanding in the Field is an organization whose chief goal is to reconnect eaters with producers, “between the soil and the sky,” at a single dining table. Communal feasts for an era in which fast food reigns supreme, the series holds locality as one of the chief ingredients to a successful meal. Diners who are able to score a place at the routinely sold-out meals can count amongst their company local farmers, artisans, and vintners—the repast generally prepared by a renowned regional chef. (See one more stunning location after the jump.)

Don't be intimidated into thinking these are feasts designed for an elite food syndicate. While the events may carry an aura of grandeur, they are fundamentally about enjoying the pleasure of company through the shared meal, something we can all sit down to enjoy.