There’s so much to celebrate in Oregon during the bounty of summer. The people, places and seasonal ingredients are just part of the equation for Tournant, an open-fire cooking and events company based in the Willamette Valley, founded by Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster.
An added layer of magic is the full moon. Yes, Tournant’s unique full-moon dinner series includes multi-course meals cooked over a live fire in a stunning setting that celebrates time, place and purpose. Each event is scheduled to correspond with a full moon, which inspires the seasonal theme and menu for each dinner as Tournant honors it through food and ceremony.
“Our full-moon dinner series is the highest expression of what we strive to create through our immersive dining experiences,” Johnson says. “Ephemeral yet powerful, a peak-of-season meal cooked outdoors over the flames and enjoyed in a beautiful setting under the light of the full moon creates genuine reverence and connections between guests, the food on their plates, the hands that grew and prepared it, and the natural world.”
Each immersive experience includes a welcome reception with oysters and snacks along with craft cocktails and Oregon single-malt tastings by Oregon-based Westward Whiskey. Wine pairings from celebrated Willamette Valley wineries are expertly curated. Each dinner is set in an exquisitely composed and communal long table set in a stunning location, and guests enjoy a seasonal multi-course farm-to-fire feast prepared by the Tournant chefs. Guests also get to take away a parting gift to savor memories from the evening.
Tournant’s 2023 Full Moon Dinner Series lineup for Oregon includes events in Dundee, Carlton, Wilder Lake and Silver Falls State Park. Several are sold out but you can join the wait list. There are still tickets available to the Flower Moon (May 5, 2023) at Del Mar Villa in Dundee and Hunter’s Moon (Oct. 28, 2023) at Silver Falls State Park.
Other events include farm-to-fire cooking workshops and open-fire cooking retreats at various locations. Check the website for details.
More Outdoor Dinner Series to Check Out
Oregon is home to many other outdoor dinner series as well. Most include curated wine pairings, and all include farm-fresh ingredients and a beautiful setting. Here are just a handful to check out:
