Meet Rich Mead of Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in Orange County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Mead.

Rich, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a kid, most of my jobs in summers (and on weekends) were in the food industry, washing dishes, making toast on weekend mornings—prep work to making sandwiches for a summer at the Calvert Deli in Washington D.C. After college and a few years working for the government, I decided to take a trip out West to ski and see the “world”. Restaurants were a great place to work. I could ski in the day and work at night; plus, by doing this I knew I was always going to eat.

I did this for about five years until I finally made my way to Los Angeles and helped open a restaurant in Sherman Oaks called Stanley’s as executive chef. Here I met many wonderful and inspirational people from all different parts of life. Food was an integral part of the relationships I made, and I began learning about and being exposed to fresh, wonderful ingredients. I also worked with friends who inspired me and supported my going out and experiencing the restaurant scene in LA in the early ‘80s.

As time went on and I found myself in a few different restaurant adventures, I made my way to Santa Monica. This is when I was introduced to the Santa Monica Farmers Market. I met many farmers from around the area and really learned the importance of seasonality and supporting local farmers and purveyors. I felt the food scene was evolving, and I began developing my own restaurant idea focused on this concept and lightening the foods that I cooked, using less cream, butter and fat. I went on to open three restaurants in Orange County including Sage in Newport Beach’s Eastbluff neighborhood in 1997, Sage on the Coast in Crystal Cove in 2004 and Canyon in Anaheim Hills in 2012 before opening Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in 2016.

At all restaurants, I sourced the majority of my produce from the Santa Monica Farmers Market, and I still go to the market every Wednesday. The farmers there have become more like family, and it’s become an integral part of my cooking for more than 20 years.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Keeping a restaurant open during the downturn of the economy was tough, and I ended up closing my first three. For a few years following, I catered and cooked at pop up dinners to try to get by and also keep my name and brand out there.

When it came time to open what is now Farmhouse, I quickly learned that what we had done with my other restaurants—farmers market, lots of vegetables and quality proteins—didn’t seem to be what landlords in Orange County envisioned as the future of the restaurant industry at that time.

I believed in what I did and kept pitching my idea to anyone who would listen. Realizing that most landlords didn’t see my vision of a “farm-to-table” sustainably focussed restaurant (which is very common now), I had to get creative in my location search and was lucky to be introduced to the people that own Roger’s Gardens. As we talked, it became clear that we could be beneficial to each other. A couple of years later, Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens opened, and we have been moving forward ever since.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens story. Tell us more about the business.
Farmhouse is a unique and sustainable field-to-fork, al fresco dining experience located within Roger’s Gardens. Nestled on over 6 acres in the garden-like setting, Farmhouse features exclusive wines, craft beers, signature cocktails, artisan refreshments and a healthy based seasonal cuisine.

As a company, I’m proud to work with so many fantastic people who are just as passionate about the idea of sustainability and supporting our community as I am. From our staff to the farmers and purveyors we work with, to our guests, there are so many people involved that make what I’m doing worth it.

Our location within Roger’s Gardens is a big thing that sets us apart from other restaurants—I haven’t found anything like it in SoCal. We’re completely surrounded by fresh flowers and greenery, it’s a magical place.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I am very lucky in many ways—to have been introduced to the owners of Roger’s Gardens at a time when I was unable to find another space and they were looking to open a similar concept on their property, to open Farmhouse at a time when the food scene was evolving to become more embracing of the concept of sustainably and seasonally focused cuisine, to have found such a wonderful group of people to work with—from front of house to back of house. There are people who have worked with me for 20 years.

I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by people who share my vision as well as guests who are friends. We have all shared so much through the years.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar, CA 92625
• Website: www.farmhouserg.com
• Phone: 949-640-1415
• Instagram: @FarmhouseAtRG
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/farmhouseatrogersgardens

Image Credit:
Darin Meyer

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