Innkeeper Tracey Dewhurst is excited to host Seacoast Local's summer Field & Spoon gourmet dinner on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the outdoor pavilion at The Victoria Inn in Hampton, N.H. Chef Brent Hazelbaker of 7th Settlement Brewery and the crew from Stages at One Washington are teaming up to craft a mid-summer culinary treat featuring fresh products from the farm and sea paired with seasonal offerings from the kitchens, breweries and distilleries of our region. 

Gathering at the inn--originally built in the 1880s as part of the Leonia Resort--puts a new twist on the all-local dinner series. Tourism is the second largest industry in New Hampshire, and our dinner under the stars at the pavilion will highlight the important role of the Seacoast's renowned hospitality industry in our farm-to-plate economy.

The evening begins with a cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres at 4:30 p.m., with with lively acoustic music by the Bi-Polar Bears.  Everyone will gather for dinner at 5:30 p.m, when the chefs will personally present three courses in a seasonal menu crafted from the freshest ingredients and designed to bring out the best flavors at the peak of the summer harvest.

The dinner will be held rain or shine. The scene under the pavilion will be candle lit, featuring a mix of white linen and farm décor. Casual attire is recommended, and diners should come ready to enjoy the company of chef Brent Hazelbaker and innkeeper Tracey Dewhurst, and to connect with our farmers, fishermen and community members in support of Seacoast Local and a stronger local food economy.

Tickets are $65 each, all-inclusive. A table for eight is $440, a savings of $10 per seat, perfect for colleagues, a special family dinner, or a reunion of friends.

Early Bird price is $55 through Aug. 8

The setting at The Victoria Inn, a bed and breakfast and meeting facility, highlights the potential role of the Seacoast’s historic and renowned hospitality industry in growing the farm-to-plate economy.

Originally the carriage house for the Leonia Resort, The Victoria Inn Bed & Breakfast and Pavilion was built in the 1880s. It’s long been a bed and breakfast and event space, but is newly restored by new owner Tracey Dewhurst. No stranger to the local economy, Dewhurst operated a restaurant and bar for 17 years prior to purchasing the inn. She also worked at local winery Jewell Towne Vineyards and as a freelance writer. At The Victoria Inn, at 430 High St. in Hampton, Dewhurst hopes to host events that promote and support locally sourced products.

"I would like to expose our guests to as many locally sourced products as possible. It's a great way to help boost the local economy and create a niche for The Victoria Inn and our event space—offering our patrons food, wine and products unique to our area," says inn owner Tracey Dewhurst.

“These owners live here year round and are invested in the long-term success of our community. They source locally, spend their profits locally and donate locally. Connecting with the hospitality industry with the local food movement will deepen the economic impact for everyone,” says David Boynton of Seacoast Local.

Food plays an important role in building strong local economies. For example, the Vermont Job Gap Study has shown that if Vermont substituted local production for only 10 percent of the food they import, it would result in $376 million in new economic output, including $69 million in personal earnings from 3,616 new jobs.

Hazelbaker will be sourcing nearly all of the ingredients for the meal from Seacoast farms.

"Sourcing locally brings it closer to home, allowing for a fresher, more flavorful product. Getting to the roots of where vegetables are grown, and who it is that is feeding those roots makes all the difference. You can taste the difference between vegetables that are over-produced, or that are shipped long distances before you get them, sometimes shipped from out of the country. You're eating dead nutrients and essentially dead food. Local farmers love their food and why would I not support that?" says Hazelbaker.

Both chefs and farmers are donating their time and expertise, along with many other volunteers. Proceeds from Seacoast Local’s Field & Spoon dinners support their ReRootEd program, which is dedicated to educating the community about the positive economic impact of sourcing food locally and helps to facilitate connections to make that happen. Relationships built between chefs, farmers, and  guests during the course of the dinner will play a significant role in building a stronger, more resilient food system.

Seacoast Local is a business-led, grassroots non-profit that encourages people to “think local first” when it comes to their money and their time. By directing more money locally, we increase our region’s economic, community and environmental strength. For more information, visit seacoastlocal.org or call 603-766-1775.