TEXT BY SCOTT STIFFLER and PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHELSEA MARKET | Foodies with a fondness for the farm to table model flocked to Chelsea Market in the early evening of September 13 to feast on a smorgasbord of fresh sights, smells, textures, and tastes. Nearly 3,000 attendees traversed the iconic venue’s long and winding pathways, stopping at the work and serving stations offering up-close-and-personal interactions with top chefs and artisans from New York’s finest restaurants and purveyors.

Among the in-demand names offering expertly calibrated fare were Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson of Frenchette; Mario Carbone and Rick Torrisi of Carbone; Max Ng of Momofuku; Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern; and Jody Williams of Buvette

That remarkable assemblage of talent didn’t sign on just to demonstrate how well their skills travel. They came together to celebrate the life and impact of Anne Saxelby. The artisanal cheesemaker, author, and entrepreneur was a pioneering advocate of the American farmstead movement. When Saxelby Cheesemongers opened at Essex Street Market in May of 2006, it was the only shop in NYC to focus only on American farmstead and artisan cheese. In 2017, Saxelby Cheesemongers opened at the Chelsea Market (it’s still there!).

Following her death in 2021, the nonprofit Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund (ASLF) was formed by family and friends dedicated to ensuring new generations of talent would spend some time immersed in the world of the workaday farm—just as Saxelby did in her early 20s.

“When Anne arrived fresh out of college to make cheese with us, we recognized right away that she possessed tremendous kindness and warmth, and she lived her life with an infectious joy,” recalls Cato Corner Farm’s Mark Gillman and Elizabeth MacAlister. “Anne brought a passion for cheese, a curious mind, and boundless energy—she dove right in to learn as much as she could about small-scale farming and cheese making.”

Which brings us back to the September 13 event at Chelsea Market—the ASLF’s second annual benefit, whose proceeds will support the Legacy Fund’s 2024 apprenticeship program. The young adults who populate the program are paid for their live-in, full-time, 30-day immersive experience on a sustainable farm, emerging with new skills and headed home with a drive to apply the Saxelby legacy of innovation and cooperation to their own work within the worlds of food and farming.

“We have no steadfast rules,” notes the ASLF, “but are hoping that an exchange program like this can teach young adults to appreciate the hard work of farm life, get a glimpse into a new artisan trade, learn about the importance of sustainability and being good neighbors, and incentivize apprentices to launch a business like Saxelby Cheesemongers.”

To appreciate the scale—and menu—of September 13’s benefit event at Chelsea Market, keep scrolling downwards for a full plate of fantastic photos. Wish you were there? You will be… at the 2024 edition.

For more info about the apprenticeship program and the Fund, click here to visit the ASLF website, call 917-699-8743, or send an email to info@AnneSaxelbyLegacyFund.

—END—

Chelsea Community News is an independent, hyperlocal news, arts, events, info, and opinion website made possible with the help of our awesome advertisers and the support of our readers. Our Promise: Never a paywall, no pop-up ads, all content is FREE. With that in mind, if circumstances allow, please consider taking part in our GoFundMe campaign (click here). To make a direct donation, give feedback, send a Letter to the Editor, or contact our founder/editor, email Scott Stiffler via scott@chelseacommunitynews.com.

To join our subscriber list, click here. It’s a free service providing regular (weekly, at least) Enewsletters containing links to recently published content. Subscribers also will be sent email with “Sponsored Content” in the subject line.  That means it’s an exclusive message from one of our advertisers, whose support, like yours, allows us to offer all content free of charge.