Join us for Apple Seeds' annual Wild Table Dinner: An Evening of Venison showcasing the culinary talents of Chefs Tommy O'Connor and Noah Maienschein alongside a discussion on the conservation of wild places with Rick Spicer, board member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Arkansas Chapter.

Rick will start the evening with a discussion around the nuances of hunting and the responsibility we have to conservation and sustainable practices.

Chefs Tommy and Noah are both committed to local and sustainable products and are especially excited to present a multi-course menu focusing on venison supplied by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.  Highlighting its versatility,  these two dynamic NWA chefs will use venison in each course with varied culinary techniques and accompanying flavors -- sharing the plate with dark, jammy fruits or alongside savory winter vegetables. 

Seating is limited, so secure your seats now for this one-night-only event on Sunday, December 7th, at 5:30 p.m.!

Featured Speaker - Rick Spicer, an avid hunter, conservationist, and primitive skills guru will be leading a discussion on the ethics and sustainability of capturing food from wild resources. Rick is a board member of the Arkansas Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and works to share BHA's mission of protecting access to public lands and waters, and engaging with legislators, state agencies and other organizations on related issues. Rick is also the co-owner of Pack Rat Outdoor Center in Fayetteville, AR.

Featured Chefs - Tommy O’Connor, Chef at Ryn in Bentonville, brings over a decade of experience from restaurants in Arkansas, Arizona, and Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally from Washington State, he grew up in a large family where shared meals inspired his belief in food’s power to connect people. Since moving to Arkansas in 2015, he’s become deeply involved in the local food system, supporting small farms and community-driven dining. Tommy’s cooking centers on seasonality and sustainability, adapting dishes with each shift in the seasons.

Noah Maienschein, Sous Chef at Conifer in Bentonville is a Northwest Arkansas native. His love for food began at an early age, inspired by family gatherings and summers spent cooking alongside his grandparents. Those experiences sparked a lifelong curiosity about ingredients, flavor, and the connections food creates. Growing up with food sensitivities and allergies in his family challenged Noah to explore creative, mindful ways to make food both nourishing and exciting. That journey has shaped not only his approach in the kitchen but also his appreciation for the powerful role food plays in bringing people together. Noah is a graduate of Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, and in 2023 won the state-wide Arkansas SkillsUSA culinary competition and participated in SkillsUSA Nationals. 

About Wild Table  -- Born out of a desire to build a community around great food, Apple Seeds' Kitchen Table and Wild Table Dinner series is designed to recreate the feeling of gathering around a dear friend's table. These dinners aim to bridge the gap often felt between the chef and diners in a typical dining environment, thereby creating a deeper connection to the food on the plate. Through intentional procurement of local, seasonal ingredients, the transparent preparation of the meal, and storytelling by the chef, each plate is transformed from food into an unforgettable dining experience.

Event Details:

Sunday, December 7th | 5:30 pm

5:30-6:30 PM

Drinks and Discussion led by Rick Spicer

6:30-8 PM

Multi-course dinner by Chefs Tommy O'Connor and Noah Maienschein

Your chefs will create a fresh, multi-course meal with seasonal ingredients from the

Apple Seeds garden. 

Dinner seating will be inside our cozy kitchen

Enjoy the food, farm, and company.

The dinner takes place in the Apple Seeds Teaching Kitchen on the Teaching Farm.

Seating for this event will be inside our cozy kitchen.  These dinners are rain or shine.  All Wild Table series events are fundraisers with limited seating; we cannot offer refunds for tickets purchased.

Your participation in Apple Seeds' events supports our mission to inspire healthy living through garden-based education for students around Northwest Arkansas and beyond!