A new high-end dining experience is coming to Montgomery County’s agricultural scene, with Burnt Hill Farm set to debut its intimate Chef’s Counter this May. The MoCoShow’s “Mr. MoCo” Alex Tsironis was invited to a preview event last month, where he called it the best meal he’s ever eaten. A video of the experience can be seen below.
Helmed by Maryland native Chef Tae Strain, the 12-seat, on-vineyard restaurant will offer a highly curated tasting menu experience overlooking Sugarloaf Mountain. Reservations open Wednesday, April 8 at 7pm through a private Tock link, with access available by signing up for the farm’s email list through the Burnt Hill Farm website.
The Chef’s Counter centers around a 7- to 9-course tasting menu that reflects Strain’s interpretation of Asian American cuisine, rooted in Mid-Atlantic ingredients sourced directly from Burnt Hill Farm and the surrounding region. The approach is intentionally balanced, blending refined technique with a sense of comfort and familiarity. As Strain describes it, the experience is “thoughtful but not too thought provoking.”
Menus will change regularly based on seasonality, but diners can expect dishes such as roasted carrots with Virginia peanut sambal, striped bass with kani miso, a hands-on Mangalitsa pork shoulder ssam, and the chef’s signature ggoma snowball.
Each course is paired with beverages crafted to match the menu. Guests will be served wines produced on-site by winemaker Lisa Hinton, alongside house-made nonalcoholic pairings like seasonal water kefirs, shrubs, and fresh-pressed grape juice. Burnt Hill Farm operates as an estate vineyard using regenerative farming practices, producing both old-world and hybrid grape varieties, including Maryland’s only Gamay. All wines are exclusively available on-site.
The experience unfolds over roughly three hours inside the farm’s hilltop kitchen, where guests are seated just steps from the culinary team, offering a front-row view of each dish being prepared while the sun sets over the surrounding landscape.
The launch of the Chef’s Counter builds on Burnt Hill’s growing hospitality offerings. The farm’s Tasting Room and Lounge, which opened last fall and features an à la carte menu from Chef Strain, will continue operating alongside the new concept. Patio service overlooking the vineyard and Appalachian Mountains is set to begin May 1.
The Chef’s Counter will operate Friday through Sunday at 5:30pm starting May 1. The tasting menu is priced at $250 per person, including wine pairings, with a partial deposit required at booking. Reservations are limited to parties of one to four guests, and dietary restrictions or allergies cannot be accommodated.
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