Food Events

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On the Road - Savor:
Chefs, Farmers, and Friends

June 13-15, 2025
Mountain Lake Lodge
Pembroke, Virginia

About this Event

We are thrilled to Present Savor: Chefs, Farmers, and Friends, a truly unique culinary experience that only Root to Table’s culinary series can offer this year. Your journey begins with an 11-mile drive up the mountain to the iconic Mountain Lake Lodge, the very place where the classic ‘Dirty Dancing’ was filmed in the 1980s. You’ll have the exclusive choice of lodging, from the main lodge to private cottages scattered around the resort. Share this exclusive experience with friends by inviting them to share a cottage. One price covers your lodging and the entire culinary weekend experience.

Get ready for a weekend packed with culinary delights!

Your journey begins on Friday night and continues with a full day of food immersion from 9 am to 11 pm on Saturday. On Sunday, we wrap up with a healthy breakfast and a final visit to the Culinary Marketplace, where you can stock up on food and artisan wares to take home. But don’t worry, if you need a break from all the culinary excitement, Ball Knob offers three hiking trails, a relaxing pool scene, and a new spa for you to unwind.

Bald Knob sunset

Root to Table is thrilled to partner for the first time with Mountain Lake Lodge to bring you an unforgettable culinary experience:

A Three-day Event

Friday, June 13

Welcome & Check-In
4:00 pm

  • Arrive at Mountain Lake Lodge
  • Settle into the Blue Ridge Mountains

Brews, Bottles & Bites
6:00 - 9:00 pm

  • Craft beer, ciders, and fine beverage tastings
  • Live acoustic music from local musicians
  • Meet the makers, brewers, and distillers
  • Bonfire under the stars

Opening Night Menu

  • Venison Sausage, Country Ham, Selection of Locak Cheeses, Fruit, Fava Hummus, and Seasonal Foraged Accoutrements
  • Korean Short Rib Galbi
  • Sweet Tea Brined Fried Chicken Slider w Chow-Chow Aioli, Cabbage Apple Slaw, Potato Roll
  • Rabbit Confit with Killed Greens and Black Garlic Balsamic Reduction
  • Pork Shank with Apple Butter and Spoon Bread (Porky Pastures)
  • Beef Bourguignon, Wild Mushroom, Polenta, Pearl Onion
  • Baby Bear Lavender Cookies

Saturday, June 14

Rise & Shine: Breakfast
8:00 - 9:30 am

  • Interactive breakfast stations
  • Farm-to-table dishes
  • Live demonstrations from local chefs

Farmers & Flavor Marketplace
12:00 - 4:00 pm

  • A lively, interactive experience celebrating local flavors and craftsmanship
  • Artisan vendors
  • Locally inspired bites
  • Live cooking demonstrations
  • Music of Southwest Virginia

Roots & Relax: A Culinary Journey
6:00 - 9:00 pm

  • Multi-course dinner
  • Chef-curated menu
  • Fireside gathering
  • Gourmet s’mores
  • Live music under the stars

Breakfast Stations Menu

  • Jamaican Breakfast: Poached Egg, Ackee, Okra, Salted Codfish, Onion, Tomato with Fried Dumplings & Fried Plantains
  • Homemade Yogurt and granola, Farmers Cheese w/ Membrillo & Jam, Sweet potato & purple potato Hash, Sweet Potato Biscuits & Gravy
  • Foraged Wild Chive & Onion Korean Pancakes
  • Halwa Lebanese Breakfast Pastries
  • Coffee, Teas and Doughnuts

Demonstrations & Lunch Menu

  • Dr. Mae Hey – Three Sisters Succotash Salad, Anise Hyssop, & Maple Citrus Vinaigrette; Corn Mash with Infused Ramp Oil and Juniper Berry; Turkey and Wild Rice Meatballs with Elderberry – Maple Drizzle
  • Ty Walker, Palisades – Trout Demo with Smoking Chimneys
  • Travis Milton, Nicewonder Farm and Vineyards – Cooking Demo on Pepperoni Rolls
  • Chelsea of Mountain Lake – Mixology Class on Summer Cocktails
  • Amanda Sweeney, Edgewood Apiaries Farm – Honey Talk
  • Clay Morris – Foraging on local Ball Knob Trail

Dinner Menu

  • Course 1: Smoked Rappahannock Oyster, Maryland Crab, Lime Aioli, Trout Roe
  • Course 2: Arañitas with Creole Coconut Curry, Pickled Local Shallot, Yucca Flowers
  • Course 3: Honey Glazed Spring Duck with Field Pea Salad and Spring Pea Puree
  • Course 4: Spicebush Venison Loin, Salt Bacon Wrapped Root Vegetable Terrine, Grilled Purple Bok Choy, Arkansas Black Apple Demi-glace, Garlic Mustard Powder
  • Course 5: Dessert Outside: Late Spring Fruit Galette with Lemon Crunch Ice Cream, Mexican Chocolate Rye Flour Graham Cracker, Marshmallow and S’mores Cowbell Ice Cream

Sunday, June 15

The Artisan’s Breakfast Table
8:30 - 10:30 am

  • Open-air breakfast
  • Scenic mountain setting
  • A perfect farewell

Breakfast Menu

  • Spelt muffin, Late Spring Veggie Quiche, Fruit Danish
  • Pickle Biscuit, Pork Tenderloin, Country Ham, Buttermilk Cheddar
  • Trout Ceviche, Avocado Mousse, Fresh Pico De Gallo Caviar, Kudzu Lime Gelee
  • Carol Lee Doughnuts

Breakfast Pastries

Root to Table's Guest Chefs

Meet the Savor Team Farmers & Chefs

24 Featured Farmers

Farmers include Broken Arrow, John Etzler, Smoking Chimney, Maple Leaf Farm, Savage Acres, Meadowcreek Dairy, Whitegate Creamery, Homestead Creamery, Green Market, Gracious Grains, Kudzu Farms, Etzler, Mountain Lake Leather Britches, RNF Farms, Primitive Farms, Riverstone, Obis One, Porky Pastures, Den Hill Farms, Food For Thought, Porky Pastures, and Sweet Table.

14 Chefs and Sommelier

Chefs include Wells Selbe, David Gordon Summer, Roderick Smith, Brandon Chinnery, Chelsea Edwards, Robert Cooper, John Park, Quincy Randolph, Dr. Mae Hey, Justin Bailey, Bryn McDaniel, Travis Milton, Amber and Christian Jimenez, and Karmen George.

Venue Information

115 Hotel Cir. | Pembroke, VA 24136

Root to Table has long been dedicated to fostering authentic connections between chefs, farmers, and food lovers, and this collaboration with Mountain Lake Lodge is a natural fit. Best known as the filming location for Dirty Dancing, Mountain Lake Lodge is now expanding its reputation as a destination for world-class culinary experiences. Together, we’re bringing new flavors, fresh ideas, and a shared love of real food to this extraordinary setting.