Outstanding in the Field Brings Its Celebrated Traveling Table to Freedom Run Far
Smithfield, KY — March 20, 2026 — The acclaimed traveling dining experience Outstanding in the Field will set its iconic long table at Freedom Run Farm on October 1st, 2026, bringing together farmers, chefs, artisans, and guests for a one-night-only outdoor feast celebrating the flavors and stories of the region.
The evening will feature a multi-course meal prepared by Noam Bilitzer of Meesh Meesh, Louisville, with ingredients sourced from Freedom Run Farm and surrounding producers. Guests will begin the experience with a welcome reception before gathering for a tour and settling in at a single long table often placed directly in the landscape where much of the meal’s ingredients are grown, harvested, or raised.
Founded by artist Jim Denevan in 1999, Outstanding in the Field is a roving restaurant without walls, setting its table at farms, vineyards, beaches, ranches, and other remarkable landscapes around the world. The experience was designed to reconnect diners with the land and the people who grow and produce their food, celebrating the craftsmanship of farmers, fishermen, ranchers, winemakers, and artisans through shared meals.
Each meal is created in collaboration with a local chef who designs a menu inspired by the place and its seasonal ingredients. The result is a singular gathering that tells the story of a region through its food, its farmers, and the community gathered around the table.
What once seemed an improbable idea has taken on an inspiring life of its own. In 2004, Jim bought a dilapidated 1953 bus off Sellabus.com. That year, he and a three-person “Tour Crew” set off from Santa Cruz, sharing the bus with 200 wooden folding chairs (they eventually bought a trailer for the chairs outside Chicago) to stage a dozen events beyond California, from Colorado to Georgia. Since then, Outstanding in the Field has produced over 1,600 table-to-farm events across all 50 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces, and 26 countries worldwide. Many star chefs—including multiple James Beard nominees and winners—have prepared meals in OITF’s open-air field kitchen, while tens of thousands of diners have taken a seat at one of Jim’s long tables under the sky. What initially seemed far-fetched has become almost commonplace, yet Outstanding in the Field’s distinctively unique, one-day events remain exceptional—and undeniably magical.
The 2026 Outstanding in the Field tour will travel to over sixty farms and scenic locations across North America, Europe, and Asia, continuing its long-standing tradition of bringing people together to share meals that honor the land and the people who care for it.
Event Details
Date: October 1st, 2026
Location: Freedoom Run Farm Culinary Center, Smithfield, KY
Guest Chef: Noam Bilitzer, Meesh Meesh
Host: Freedoom Run Farm Culinary Center
Tickets: Available at www.outstandinginthefield.com