For the upcoming Homespun Supper, Montezuma School to Farm director Zoë Nelsen recruited her food-loving father and brother to deliver a memorable experience with Saturday's Homespun Supper.
Michael Nelson and his son Jason Nelson have nearly a half-century of combined experience working in professional kitchens.
In the spring of 1976, Michael Nelson and his wife, Susan, opened the Haven Restaurant on Canyon Road in Santa Fe. The Haven gained local and national acclaim, and essentially was a second home to the Nelsen kids – Jason, Zoë and Lynzie. Michael managed operations at other Santa Fe restaurants too, including the San Francisco Street Bar & Grill, the Zia Diner, the Steaksmith and Harry’s Roadhouse. His recipes were featured in the Santa Fe Cookbook, and in his spare time, Michael Nelson participated in numerous food festivals as a judge. Currently, he is fascinated with the wonders of fermentation, and continuously has a couple batches of kimchee in the works.
From a young age, Jason Nelson worked in his family’s restaurant, The Haven. He quickly learned the trade, stepping into nearly every role in front and back of house settings. As a youngster growing up in the restaurant world, he also tried his hand at the lemonade stand, and fashioned a system that involved buying lemons at cost from the Haven, then squeezing the fruits before sweetening and selling their juices. He remained immersed in the world of food as he completed high school and college, working at Zia Diner and The Winery in Sante Fe, as well as The Monte Vista Fire Station in Albuquerque. He continues to cook, travels the world tasting the cuisines of other cultures, and can be considered a “global foodie” at the core.
The Homespun Supper is Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Farm Bistro, 34 W. Main St. in Cortez. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $60, and the money will go toward bolstering and sustaining MSTFP in Montezuma County.
RSVP to the event is requested at (856) 340-1655 or MSTFPAmericorps@gmail.com.