1st Field to Fork Tasting set by FeedRI to benefit Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts Museum

Aug. 19 event at Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts Museum will benefit FeedRI’s school food pantry program

FeedRI will bring together 17 Rhode Island farms and 17 local chefs, restaurants and culinary partners for its inaugural Field to Fork Farmers Market on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The culinary fundraiser will be held at the Johnson & Wales University Culinary Arts Museum in Providence. Tickets are now available through FeedRI’s secure online ticket page.

Each farm will be paired with a culinary partner to create small bites showcasing locally grown and produced ingredients. Guests will also have an opportunity to meet the farmers, food producers and chefs behind the evening’s tastings.

The event offers a rare opportunity to explore the Culinary Arts Museum, a hidden Providence gem featuring historic menus, rare cookbooks, vintage culinary equipment and other artifacts tracing the evolution of food and hospitality.

“Field to Fork is a celebration of the farmers, chefs and producers who make Rhode Island’s food community so special,” said Rhonda Lapham, executive director of FeedRI. “Guests will be able to enjoy an incredible evening of fresh, local bites while knowing that their ticket purchase is helping provide students and families across the state with reliable access to nutritious food.”

Featured farm and culinary pairings include Under the Sun Farm and Chef Jason Authier; Brandon Family Farm and Sarcastic Sweets; Lucky Dogs Farm and Pianta; Franklin Farm and Johnson & Wales University; Walrus & Carpenter Oysters and Paula’s; Wright’s Dairy Farm and Big Feeling; Ocean State Shellfish Cooperative and Little Sister; Radical Roots Farm and Waterman Grille; and Growing Hope Farm and Sprout & Lentil, among others.

Proceeds will support Feed the Future, FeedRI’s school food pantry program. The program establishes and maintains food pantries in high-need Rhode Island schools, providing students and their families with convenient and dignified access to fresh and shelf-stable foods.

The pantries help bridge meal gaps during evenings, weekends, school vacations and other times when school meals may not be available—helping students concentrate on learning instead of worrying about where their next meal will come from.

FeedRI currently operates 21 school food pantries and plans to open at least five more by the end of 2026.

For tickets, go to:  https://feedri.org/event/field-to-fork-farmers-market-2026/

About FeedRI

Founded in 2008 as We Share Hope, FeedRI is a Rhode Island-based food rescue organization working to create sustainable solutions to food insecurity. Its mission is to rescue surplus food from industry partners to relieve hunger and revive communities.

Powered by more than 100 volunteers, FeedRI operates 21 school food pantries, partners with 75 organizations and helps feed approximately 3,500 Rhode Islanders each month.

FeedRI carries out its mission through three primary programs: Feed the Future, which establishes and maintains food pantries in high-need schools; Hope on the Rhode, which connects surplus food with nonprofit and community organizations across the state; and Hope Market, an accessible, budget-friendly marketplace in Rumford whose proceeds support FeedRI’s statewide food rescue and distribution work.

FeedRI is located at 310 Bourne Ave., Building 70, Rumford. For more information, call 401-638-4673 or visit www.feedri.org