Culinary Getaway

When you imagine embarking on an exclusive food-focused adventure, Arizona may not instantly come to mind as a destination, but it should! Surrounded by magnificent mountains on the horizon, TERRA farm + manor is a secluded 100-acre ranch tucked away in Prescott National Forest, where guests enjoy subtle rustic elegance and luxury amenities while partaking in seasonally curated farm-fresh meals and hands-on cooking courses.

This gem in the high desert is an oasis for discerning travelers seeking to relax and mingle in the tranquil Western atmosphere, but mostly to learn from culinary experts like Chef James Porter and guest instructors he selects for their expertise in food and wine. Sommelier Scott Lewis, for example, regularly teaches a class in great wines and, with Chef Porter, leads a course in creative food and wine pairings inspired by the region and history of the terroir.

A typical four-day, three-night visit begins with a warm welcome and a flute of fine French Champagne, which sets the bar for the high-end experience yet to unfold. “Our motto is don’t ever say no,” says Chef Porter, a native Arizonan who helms TERRA’s culinary operations, having led the kitchens of the Arizona Biltmore along with his own pair of high-end restaurants in the state. “After the champagne, while guest luggage is whisked away to their rooms (each one named after a tree that grows in Arizona), we tour the property and explain TERRA’s regenerative practices and methods of farming.”

TERRA's commitment to its role as stewards of the land is fundamental to its business model. Fields and three greenhouses are dedicated to growing the flowers, vegetables, and herbs used for decoration and cooking ingredients. There is a two-acre orchard and a newly designed four-acre vineyard. Animals raised here through collaborations with local farmers include Japanese Wagyu cattle, Iberico pigs from Spain, and Bresse and French Black Copper Maran chickens from Europe. For guests, it’s a unique opportunity to experience the height of culinary sophistication while simultaneously enjoying the simplicity of farm life.

“When not cooking, our guests can explore the property, see the animals, get massages, go on hikes, kayak, horseback ride ... we will transport people wherever they want to go,” says Chef Porter. The number of guests is purposely limited to 12 to 16 to ensure an experience that is intimate, hands-on, detailed, and curated for each participant.

Among the themes for upcoming sessions at TERRA is “Flour Power: Pasta & Bread Baking with the Experts,” a four-day adventure in dough, and “Flavors of France,” which explores what’s often touted as the world’s finest cuisine and also demystifies time-honored French techniques.

Showing his guests how to use really good ingredients correctly is his goal, says Chef Porter, adding that he focuses a lot on technique. “Everything we do here is insightful, educational, and inspirational,” he says, “but it’s not overly complicated.”

In Chef Porter’s mind, success in the kitchen comes down to an easy equation: “Take a piece of 100-percent Wagyu beef, pair it with a high-quality sauté pan and an awesome high BTU burner, and you’ll get the best meal you’ve ever had.”

In the kitchen at TERRA, Wolf ranges are the equipment of choice. Their dual-stacked, sealed gas burners deliver power and control for every chef. “To me, it’s about working with the best,” says Porter. “If you were a race car driver, you would want to go out in a Ferrari. Wolf is the Ferrari of cooking.”

The hyperbole that creeps into Chef Porter’s vocabulary when he speaks of TERRA is well earned. In a constant state of planting, growing, and harvesting where second-best won’t do, TERRA is, by nature, a highly exclusive food-focused destination. And if Chef Porter continues to have his way, it will always be more about a oneof-a-kind experience than a traditional luxury vacation.

Learn more at terrafarmandmanor.com.