Walrus and Carpenter Oysters Dinner on the Farm with Nick’s on Broadway

by David Dadekian
Dinner on a sandbar at the Walrus and Carpenter Oyster Farm in Ninigret Pond

Dinner on a sandbar at the Walrus and Carpenter Oyster Farm in Ninigret Pond

This past summer Walrus and Carpenter Oysters held a series of dinners at their farm in Ninigret Pond in Charlestown, Rhode Island. Rhode Island aquaculture is a rapidly expanding form of farming and having the opportunity to dine on a sandbar in the salt pond is a rare experience. Couple that with a multi-course dinner prepared by some of Rhode Island’s best chefs and you have a evening that is highly unique.

I was invited by Derek Wagner, chef and owner of Nick’s on Broadway in Providence, to the dinner he prepared on Sunday, August 11th. The event began with a tour of the farm by owner Jules Opton-Himmel with his crew Ben and Phoebe. After the tour, there was a raw bar of oysters shucked fresh from the pond. Then dinner was served on a sandbar (see above photograph). Wine for the evening was paired by Campus Fine Wines in Providence.

Here are 21 of my favorite photographs from the evening. The entire set of 150 photographs can be viewed on Facebook. Thank you to everyone involved in a truly spectacular evening.

Jules Opton-Himmel pouring out some growing oysters during the tour for the guests

Jules Opton-Himmel pouring out some growing oysters during the tour for the guests

Immature oysters

Immature oysters

Walrus and Carpenter Oysters raw bar in the pond

Walrus and Carpenter Oysters raw bar in the pond

The setting for dinner

The setting for dinner

Dinner table on a sandbar 1

Dinner table on a sandbar 1

Dinner table on a sandbar 2

Dinner table on a sandbar 2

Chef/owner Derek Wagner of Nick's on Broadway with farmer/owner Jules Opton-Himmel of Walrus and Carpenter Oysters

Chef/owner Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway with farmer/owner Jules Opton-Himmel of Walrus and Carpenter Oysters

Chowder!

Chowder!

Plating the salad course

Plating the salad course

Salad

Salad

Wagner cooking in his sandbar kitchen

Wagner cooking in his sandbar kitchen

Sautéing fish

Sautéing fish

Calamari  and fish cooking

Calamari and fish cooking

Plating the fish course

Plating the fish course

The final fish, squid and quinoa dish

The final fish, squid and quinoa dish

The guests enjoying dinner as the sun sets on Charlestown

The guests enjoying dinner as the sun sets on Charlestown

Plating dessert

Plating dessert

Dessert!

Dessert!

Cleaning up at the end of the evening

Cleaning up at the end of the evening

Opton-Himmel and Wagner as we head back to the docks

Opton-Himmel and Wagner as we head back to the docks

View the entire set of 150 photographs on Facebook.

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