MEET OUR COMMUNITY
Chris Ferris
a long-time food partner & owner of Farmhouse Deli
Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up, and
I moved back to southwest Michigan in 1993, after
how did you come to Saugatuck?
working in California and Chicago. I began cater-
I was born in South Haven [Michigan] in 1964. I grew
ing shortly thereafter and continue to do so still. I
up in the art community, attending many classes,
opened the Farmhouse Deli [in Douglas] in 2013. At
shows, openings, and studios of artists belonging
that time, it was my dream to have a tiny farm-
to SPACE, which was a local artists’ club. I moved to
to-table deli that provided the community made-
Santa Cruz, California, in 1977, but would come back
from-scratch food featuring healthy, fresh, local
to Michigan every summer to visit my family.
products. I thought it would be me cooking in the back and someone out front selling the food. I had
Describe your business and your path as a chef.
no idea it would grow into what it is today, employ-
I attended culinary school in California in 1983–1985.
ing over 50 people in the summer. We still serve
It was an amazing time to be in culinary school, as
made-from-scratch healthy foods, featuring local
famous chefs would visit our school and engage
products as much as possible.
us for projects. I met and talked with Alice Waters, Jeremiah Tower, and Randall Graham. These chefs,
When and how did you first come to
and many others, were passionate, and loved
know Ox-Bow?
sharing their skill sets and viewpoints with us young
My stepmom attended Ox-Bow to learn glassblow-
and eager cooks. I am unfathomably grateful for
ing in the 1980s, and I was intrigued. I visited the
their guidance.
campus and loved the creative atmosphere. I took glassblowing from Jerry and Kathy Catania at Vesuvius [Art Gallery] in the late nineties and catered all their openings. Many Ox-Bow students and faculty would attend the openings, and I became friends with a lot of them. I had the opportunity to run the kitchen the first few seasons that Ox-Bow did a winter program, which was an amazing experience that I am grateful for. I began catering the Summer Benefits years ago as well. You have taught cooking workshops for our Art on the Meadow program; tell us about your decision to bring cooking workshops to Ox-Bow. I have a long history with Ox-Bow and have always wanted to support it in any way I can. It is a joy to teach cooking on the Meadow. There is an energy on the campus that allows one to tap into a vein of love and creativity in an amplified way and share that with the students, who feel it as well. It carries you away!
STOP BY THE FARM HOUSE When traveling, I love going to local farmers markets. This salad was made only with ingredients from my friends organic farm in Kauai.
Photos: courtesy (x2)
DELI TODAY! www.thefarmhousedeli.com IG: @Thefarmhousedeli
9
