Savoie Farm and Chef Shola: A Collaboration Dinner

Producer: Monica Rogozinski

Chef Shola Olunloyo has long been regarded as one of Philadelphia’s best-kept culinary secrets. He first met Carol and Barry Savoie at the Headhouse Farmer’s Market in Society Hill, where Chef Shola religiously stops by their farm stand to buy fresh organic arugula. After seeing him every Sunday morning around the same time, they started to chat and soon the chef and the farmers became friends.
Despite his reputation as one of Philly’s best chefs, Chef Shola’s cooking is not known by many. He runs a private kitchen, StudioKitchen, where he hosts monthly, seasonal inspired, forward thinking menus, showcasing his modernist techniques and creative approach to food preparation and presentation. The first 6-10 guests to sign up on his website, get the privilege to watch and taste the evening’s fare in an intimate, secretive setting.

Knowing the Chef’s private way of cooking, Carol first hesitated to invite him to collaborate on a farm dinner, but to her surprise, Chef Shola did not hesitate to accept her proposition. As part of the Chef’s monthly offerings, October will bring a collaboration dinner between the farmers and Chef Shola, outdoors, amongst the rows of vegetables and fruits grown at Savoie Organic Farm.

Friday Arts follows Chef Shola Olunloyo as he plans an Italian-inspired menu that will feature seasonal vegetables from the farm, freshly milled pastas, and naturally raised meats. A meal that is as much a show as it is a dinner, featuring dishes carefully planned and prepared, by people who care about every step of the process of the food they offer and share with others.