Imagine sitting at a long table set with tufts of soft moss, dewy flower petals, and leafy branches from persimmon, pomegranate, and fig trees. Nestled among this forest tablescape were small plates for us to forage for our first course: spiny lobster with fragrant tomato tamari, neatly cubed fuyu persimmon dusted with toasted soybean powder. This 6-course dinner was the culminating event of FieldNotes annual farm summit, an ambitious all-day event of hands-on workshops at SingleThread farm in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley. Earlier that day, on a crisp Saturday morning in late October, I'd enjoyed four different cocktails and a large tray of oysters for breakfast during my morning workshops.
SingleThread is not just the 3 Michelin-Star Restaurant located in Healdsburg, but also the farm which lies seven miles up the road, and a five-room inn, founded by couple Kyle and Katina Connaughton and co-founder Tony Greenberg in 2016. The Connaughton's are head chef and head farmer, respectively, and their partnership reflects years spent studying traditional cuisine and farming in Japan. Inspired by kaiseki's seasonal expression and reverence for ephemeral beauty, they've created a closed loop between Katina's 24 acres of olive and heirloom fruit trees, vegetable beds, and greenhouses, and Kyle's kitchen, where her vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, and honey star in the menu. Every project the Connaughton's take on is guided by clear values: imagination, circularity, intention—visible in their upcoming renovation of a nearby historic inn, named The Selvedge, opening in late 2026 and inspired by their time in England.
FieldNotes similarly sought to illustrate the thread of connection from the restaurant to its farm, surrounding ecosystems, winemakers, and artisans. Guests wandered around the farm, soaking in the sleepy shift from late summer to fall. We bent down to look at drooping heirloom tomato vines, bursts of rich sunburnt marigolds, and purple amaranth, taking in the sweet smell of warm hay and soil.
With Katina's "Wild Sonoma Floral Design and Theory" and Kyle's "Donabe Craft and Dashi Culture" workshops filling up almost immediately, I opted for "Garden to Glass" cocktail-making with renowned mixologist Scott Beattie, and "Oyster Alchemy" shucking and discussion with Hog Island Oyster Company. At 9:30 am, I muddled freshly-picked opal basil for gimlets. Still sipping my whiskey sour with heirloom apple juice, I headed to my second workshop, cracking open scores of oysters while nibbling on tender local seaweed and learning about the role of bivalves in marine ecosystems. After the workshops, we gathered for Chef Darryl Bell's family-style lunch and descended upon platters of tender brisket, braised beans and greens, and blistered hamachi collars, washing it all down with crisp Russian River IPA and local Dry Creek wines.
During an afternoon panel on agriculture and hospitality, Kyle and Katina were joined by Chefs Matt Kammerer of Harbor House Inn, and Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, all of whom would later collaborate on the evening's dinner. Kyle discussed how fine dining used to mean flying in luxury ingredients from far-flung locations, from marbled Japanese beef to Scottish langoustines. The real cultural shift of the past 50 years, he argued, has been moving toward food and wines grown locally with integrity.
One guest sitting next to me admitted he'd been intimidated by SingleThread's reputation, expecting everything to feel serious and upscale. Instead, he was surprised by how joyful and welcoming the farm felt. Kyle wore a baseball cap and sneakers with his chef's coat; Katina sported heart-eye sunglasses with her overalls and farmer's boots, both donning impressive sleeve tattoos. Throughout the day, I bumped shoulders with line cooks, lawyers, compost specialists (yes, I met more than one), and even a former seatmate on a flight with Katina and Kyle who wanted to see what their restaurant was all about.
Later, I asked Chef Sabrina Huber, who's been cooking in the SingleThread kitchen for roughly a year, what draws her to the restaurant's ethos. "When I heard we would be launching FieldNotes, I was excited because it would give a platform to conversations that reach beyond our day-in, day-out efforts," she explained.
When the sun dipped towards the Sonoma grapevine-lined horizon, guests returned to the farm for dinner, some of us still clad in dusty boots, while others arrived in freshly pressed tuxedos for a champagne welcome, oyster and mussel station, and seasonal canapés. The Connaughton's dog happily wandered about, blithely sniffing for dropped caviar, while jack-o-lanterns glowed with careful etchings of bok choy, fennel, and honeybees, carved by a professional pumpkin carver.
While gradually getting to know each other, my tablemates and I agreed that glimpses of interconnectedness define the best moments at SingleThread. As we reached the end of our meal, I enjoyed one of my favorite bites: a whole, young turnip dragged through a pool of rich, nutty barley koji, perfumed by smoky abalone. I thought back to the afternoon panel, when Kyle spoke reverently of Katina's farming. "Let's talk about the luxury of an amazing, perfectly-grown turnip that takes 8 months for Katina to grow," he said, "right there, with the best soil, the best care, and the sweetest flavor—"
"It doesn't take 8 months, honey," Katina said.
"Okay, 6 months. It feels like it sometimes!"
"Still not that long."
"Okay, fine, maybe the turnip wasn't the best example. But it's still special."
And it was.
