KELSEY VANSICKLE

Home is at the heart of this farm-to-table restaurant in Grey County. Owners Joel Gray and Hannah Harradine have crafted a dining experience that goes far beyond the plate, where every dish and every sip tells a unique story. Their thoughtfully curated tasting menus not only celebrate the bounty of the region, but also invite guests to discover what local farmers and producers have to offer. It’s farm-to-table dining re-imagined—intimate, immersive, and truly unforgettable.

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Can you tell me a bit about yourselves and how you ended up in Grey County?

Joel and I started dating while working at a local restaurant in Collingwood, he was the back of house manager and I ran the front, classic love story! We had known each other for a few years prior as we had both worked at Bruce Wine Bar. Joel has spent most of his working life in a kitchen and found his passion for food while working at a locally minded restaurant in Halifax. I have a background in Oenology and Viticulture and pursued winemaking for a few years while I traveled. Shortly after Joel and I started dating we knew we wanted to start our own thing. We both have always been big advocates for supporting local and organic/sustainable/regenerative farms. We used this as a foundation of our first business Sumac & Salt which we began in 2019. We also found a farmhouse to rent in the countryside outside of Markdale in late 2019, we always knew we wanted to start something here however we didn’t exactly know what or what the big process would entail until we really got into the paperwork etc.

What inspired the idea to host exclusive dinners on your property, and how did you envision weaving local ingredients with your personal touch in these events?

To us we always dreamed of having an immersive dining experience where we are located in the heart of the country in between all of our favourite local farms. As our vision is to showcase the heart of Grey County through the seasons it was important to us to be immersed in the local scenery as this a main draw of inspiration for us. We now continue to develop our own regenerative veggie farm and keep growing every year which allows us to showcase unique heritage and heirloom veggies and perennial fruits which adds so much to our menu and experiences.

Your connection to local farms and producers is at the heart of Down Home’s philosophy. How do you select and collaborate with these partners to craft your seasonal menus?

Grey County has an amazing abundance of not only local farms but also farmers and producers who care about sustainability and work towards giving back to the land. To us, being able to support these local farms and tell their stories through our food allows us to cross promote their amazing ingredients while also educating our guests on the importance of supporting sustainable and local producers. We work with well over 30 local producers and everything comes from this area and showcases the seasons. To be advocates and champions for Grey County is truly the heart of Down Home.

Foraging and gardening play important roles in your menu creation. How do these practices influence your approach to cooking and connect your diners to the local landscape?

As we seek out foraged edibles and unique ingredients we are able share the local bounty with guests, many of whom this may be the first time experiencing such ingredients. Being able to forage and grow food we spend a lot of time planning and preserving these goods to ensure we have an abundance of flavours and ingredients to pull from when we are deep into winter. We love being able to harvest and share the local landscape with guests and showcasing the unique offerings that our county has.

Speaking of ingredients, can you share a standout dish from your recent dinners that captures the essence of your farm-to-table philosophy?

One of our favourite dishes from this summer was a dish that showcased peaches from one of our peach trees. We preserved the peaches in a local ginger syrup (ginger from Donald’s Honey). We made a hazelnut sponge cake and the nuts are grown in Fergus by a company called Jewels under the Kilt. The center of this dish was a fresh sheep’s milk panna cotta (sheep milk coming from Secret Land Farms). We utilized some bronze fennel from the garden to steep into a creme anglaise as well as garnish and topped with a brandy tuile.

Joel, your journey from Nova Scotia to Grey County has clearly influenced your culinary style. How do the environments you’ve experienced shape your approach to cooking and working with local producers?

One thing that I take with me from my upbringing out East is a sense of genuine hospitality and aiming to create an environment that is warm and welcoming, a feeling we continue to experience in Nova Scotia year after year.  Working strictly with local producers people may think that it might be limiting or not exciting, however being focused on what’s only available locally it forces you to be a lot more creative with the ingredients you have available. I think of the fire elements in my dishes as adding an ingredient, it adds flavour and depth and is also based in nature and tradition which follows our philosophies.

Hannah, your background in Oenology and Viticulture and your global experiences have undoubtedly shaped Down Home. How did these experiences influence your vision for the restaurant, and what fuels your passion for creating memorable dining experiences?

I have always had a travel bug and I was certainly lucky to be able to travel to some amazing places during my time in the wine world. One thing that has always stuck with me when visiting places are unique spaces that are genuine. I’m lucky to have a partner in Joel as we harness each others creativity to have created an on farm restaurant which is a true representation of us. Being unique and pushing boundaries keeps our dreaming minds alive. I also simply love sharing stories of procedures and wine makers with guests as it always sparks a conversation or questions which keeps me inspired and connected with each guest.

Together you’ve created such an immersive dining experience. How do you engage guests with the farm-to-table aspect, and what feedback has been most gratifying?

Being able to utilize our outdoor kitchen and bar area is something we invite guests to do 12 months of the year. In the heart of the summer we encourage our guests to take a wonder around the property and gardens as they sip local cider. In the winter months we welcome guests around the fire as we pass out warm cups of broth in handmade mugs. It’s these little immersive touches that add to our dining experience here at Down Home. We are truly so grateful for each guest and being able to open our farmhouse to them and having it so well received means the world to us. Knowing guests are excited to come back and try the winter menu or that they have come from hours away just for us is an honour.

What are some of the most rewarding moments or aspects of hosting these dinners on your property? How do these moments inspire and fulfill you both personally and professionally?

Truly being able to make a crazy idea like opening a farmhouse on a dirt road in the middle of the country not only work but be successful continues to be amazing to us. Being able to facilitate our first dream allows us the confidence to keep striving for our next steps. We find joy in our gardens and find a lovely balance between personal and work life, and because we love what we do the work comes easily. Additionally being recognized in the MICHELIN Guide for Toronto and Region was pretty wild.

For those inspired by your story and wanting to start their own farm-to-table events, what advice would you give?

For us being able to offer a clear vision of our philosophies and continuing to stick with it through the years has allowed our identity as a business to flourish. Finding the right producers who are excited to work with you and who have a similar vision has been a huge help as well.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the property and Down Home’s future?

We will be hiring a sous chef to be able to facilitate being open consistently on Thursdays. As well as opening a Farm and Bottle Shop in the Spring we will be offering our home grown goodies, products from a few of our favourite local producers, hand picked vintage as well as a selection of local beverages.