Omega & Glynwood Present “Beyond Delicious: Transforming the Future of Food”

The Hudson Valley has long been a culinary destination, thanks to an abundance of farms, creative chefs who know how to make the region’s bountiful produce shine, and a population that’s interested in engaging with their food from seed to plate. It’s the perfect setting for Beyond Delicious: Transforming the Future of Food, a three-day event that will bring together food activists of all stripes: chefs, farmers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and anyone else who is eager to learn about a range of topics within the sustainable food movement. The event takes place August 6 – 8, 2025, at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY, and will be co-hosted by The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming.

BEYOND DELICIOUS
Transforming the Future of Food

August 6–8, 2025
Omega Institute in Rhinebeck NY | Register Here

“We will be talking about everything from agroforestry to culinary professionals who care about farmers to thinking about the impact of what’s happening with the executive orders and the freezing of federal funds,” shares Kathleen Finlay, president of The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming. 

One of the highlights of the event will be a conversation on food policy between Rep. Chellie Pingree, a leader in Congress on sustainable food issues, and Mark Bittman, a journalist, author, and key voice on global food culture and policy. Other notable events Finlay mentions include a conversation about Indigenous foodways with Sean Sherman, founder of The Sioux Chef, and a discussion about the challenges for new-entry farmers with a panel of first-generation farmers. 

The intention of the conference, says Bittman, is to show that “food is a lens through which we can look at almost all the serious issues that confront us.” He continues, “Any conference that does that and is open to having people come and learn more about the importance of food and how food is produced is an important one.” 

An important aspect of the conference for attendees will be spending time with other people similarly interested in food justice and sustainability.  

“This conference is a very hopeful space because it’s one where solutions are shared, relationships are built, and our collective impact grows stronger,” says Carla Goldstein, president and CEO at Omega. “How we feed ourselves is central to everything. I’m also excited about some of the immersive elements we’re planning: shared meals, some hands-on experience, storytelling, that kind of thing.”

Goldstein sees Omega’s role as a connector and catalyst for change. “I think that Omega’s role has long been and continues to be to nurture connections and give people tools and inspiration that they need to affect real, lasting change,” she says.

Finlay anticipates there’s going to be a “spectrum of engagement” among attendees. “For folks who just like delicious food, they’re going to learn a ton, and I hope they walk away as activists,” she shares. “Then I think there are folks who are coming who are engaged professionally in this movement, and I hope they’re inspired, agitated, and ideating how to navigate this next period of time. As Mark [Bittman] has said, this is generational work.” 

In addition to Finlay, Bittman, and Sherman, other teachers at the event will include:

Ruth Reichl, a food writer, editor, restaurateur and the former editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine

Danielle Davenport, cofounder of BEM  | books & more, a bookstore and culinary destination devoted to food and literature of the African diaspora

Gabrielle Davenport, cofounder of BEM and a Brooklyn-based bookseller and curator whose work centers on forging community through music and food

Evan Hanczor, chef/owner of Little Egg, a community restaurant in Brooklyn

Sarah Salem, a network leader and food systems strategy consultant specializing in regional food security and equitable food systems transformation

Karen Washington, a farmer, activist, food advocate, and co-owner/farmer at Rise & Root Farm in Chester, New York

Zoraida Lopez-Diago, vice president of development, communication, and strategic partnerships at Glynwood Center for Regional Food & Farming

Tunde Wey, a Nigerian immigrant artist, chef, and writer working at the intersection of food and social politics

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The event will begin on Wednesday, August 6, at 5:15 p.m. and end on Friday, August 8, at noon. To learn more about the event and to register, visit Omega’s website or call 877-944-2002.

The cost for Omega Institute members is $295; tiered pricing for non-members is $225 to $375. Included in the pricing are all meals and Omega amenities. Goldstein notes that Omega’s menu is largely vegetarian and sources ingredients from local farms — and the use of Omega facilities and amenities like walking trails, an onsite library, gardens, yoga classes, and more. Omega also offers accommodation options for people who want to stay on-site. Cabins, campsites, and dorms are all available with pricing that starts at $230 for two nights. Book your stay HERE.

Scholarships to attend the event are available and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. “We especially encourage farmers, community advocates, early career change makers, and anyone who otherwise might not have the means to attend to apply for the scholarships,” says Goldstein. 

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Connect with Omega via Website | Instagram | Inside+Out Spotlight

Omega Institute is a nonprofit, donor-supported educational organization at the forefront of holistic studies. Located in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega offers a wide variety of workshops, retreats, conferences, and professional training, both in person and online. Since 1977, more than one million people have come to Omega for reasons big and small—to spark creativity, explore spirituality, improve well-being, and connect to a community of lifelong learners.

Connect with The Glynwood Center for Regional Food & Farming via Website | Instagram 

Located in Cold Spring, New York, The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming is a non-profit organization serving hundreds of food and farming changemakers from New York’s Hudson Valley and beyond. The Center is one of the few organizations in the United States that explicitly focuses on fostering a regional food system and cultivating just and resilient food systems so that farmers, land, and communities thrive.

This post was brought to you in partnership with Omega Institute | Photos courtesy of Omega Institute and The Glynwood Center for Regional Food & Farming

Contributing writer Sal Cataldi is a musician, writer and former publicist living in Saugerties NY.

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