Stonewood Farm launches chefs in residence program

Stonewood Farm in Millbrook is expanding its educational and community food programs this summer with the launch of a new Chefs in Residence program, an eight-week immersion that brings culinary professionals to the nonprofit farm to live, cook, teach and work alongside farmers.

The program is led by Kristen Essig, Stonewood’s director of culinary outreach and development, an award-winning chef whose background includes work with Emeril Lagasse and multiple James Beard Award nominations.

“This is an opportunity for chefs to step outside the traditional restaurant environment and engage with farming, food access and community outreach,” Essig said.

The idea grew out of Stonewood’s broader mission and from a model more commonly associated with artists and writers than chefs.

“There are artist residencies everywhere,” Essig said. “But there are very few opportunities for chefs to have that same kind of dedicated time and space to think about their work outside the pressures of a restaurant.”

Founded by Ken Holzberg and Tom Kopfensteiner, Stonewood Farm began as a wooded 15-acre property that the pair spent years building before launching agricultural operations in 2013. The farm became a nonprofit in 2021 and now combines organic farming, educational programming and food justice initiatives.

Among those efforts is the First Harvest Food Pantry, which distributed fresh produce and prepared foods to approximately 2,800 food-insecure neighbors during the 2025 growing season through partnerships with local organizations including Meals on Wheels.

The inaugural residency cohort includes two chefs with extensive national and international experience.

Jocelyn Ueng, a Taiwanese-Chinese American chef, forager and former nonprofit professional, arrives this week for the first session, which runs through Aug. 7. Ueng has cooked at renowned restaurants including Noma, The French Laundry and Satoyama Jujo, and is currently developing a Hudson Valley restaurant slated to open in 2027.

The second residency session, Aug. 17 through Oct. 9, will feature Chatham native Daniel Conkling, a Culinary Institute of America graduate whose career has included Restaurant Daniel in New York City, Battersby in Brooklyn and Seattle’s L’Oursin. Conkling plans to lead workshops focused on food preservation, including pickling, canning and jam making.

In addition to cooking, the resident chefs will mentor Stonewood’s culinary assistant, Gabriella Hernandez, participate in youth education programs, contribute to prepared-food outreach efforts and work directly with the farm’s organic growing operation.

Essig said that connection to the land is central to the residency’s purpose.

“The farm creates a different pace,” she said. “Chefs spend so much time in kitchens that they don’t always get to see the larger picture. Here they can spend time in the garden, work alongside farmers, participate in community programs and really think about what food can do.”

The residency is one of several new and ongoing programs at Stonewood this season.

On July 11, the farm will host a flower-arranging workshop with Kate Farrar of Foxtrot Farm & Flowers. Additional workshops planned for later in the year include edible flower cake decorating and botanical pantry-making.

Stonewood’s guest chef Sunday Harvest Dinner series continues June 28 with chef Jovana Urriola, followed by dinners featuring Andrea Reusing on July 26, Jill Mathias and Juan Cassalett on Aug. 23, and Christine Lau on Sept. 20. The dinners showcase produce grown on the farm alongside ingredients from regional producers.

Visitors can also attend Stonewood’s seasonal on farm pop-up farm markets every other Friday, which offer freshly harvested vegetables, flowers, eggs, baked goods and prepared foods.

For Essig, the residency program reflects Stonewood’s larger mission.

“Chefs have an important role to play in local food systems,” she said. “We want to create opportunities for them to connect more deeply with agriculture, education and community service while continuing to develop their craft.”

For information about upcoming events and programs, visit stonewoodny.org and follow @stonewoodny on Instagram.