The Farmer & The Chef Auction

2026 The Farmer & The Chef Auction

Second Harvest Food Bank would like to send a special thanks to our friend Jose Castillo for serving as the auctioneer this year.

Item 1

Lunch & Local Spotlight: Dine & Shine on Daytime Tri-Cities

Value- $4,650

Donated by Chicken Salad Chick and WJHL/ABC Tri-Cities

Treat your team to a delicious meal while putting your business in the spotlight! This package combines three Chicken Salad Chick Family Pack Certificates with an exciting Daytime Tri-Cities television feature from WJHL/ABC Tri-Cities.

Package Includes:

• • Three Chicken Salad Chick Family Pack Certificates, valued at $50 each
  • Two professionally produced 3–5 minute Daytime Tri-Cities segments filmed at your business location
  • One segment airing at 9:00 a.m. on CBS and one at 10:00 a.m. on ABC
  • Segments available October–December 2026
  • Segment URLs provided for use on your social media platforms
  • All segments uploaded to the web
  • Production included

Item 2

Hunt, Harvest, & Dine: A Quail Country Experience

Value- $1,200

Donated by R&D Farms and Chef James Allen

Experience an unforgettable day in the field followed by an exceptional chef-prepared meal. This one-of-a-kind package includes: 30-bird quail hunt at R & D Farms with a delicious quail dinner prepared by Blackthorn’s own Chef James Allen.

Hosted by Dale and Rebecca Myers, this package is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate great company, sporting tradition, and an incredible meal.

Package Includes:

• • Quail hunt at R & D Farms hunting experience for up to 4 shooters

  • Quail dinner for 6–8 guest

Item 3

From the Ashes: “Cathedral” by Tony Henson

Original Artwork | Value: $500

Artist: Tony Henson

Some paintings decorate a room.

Others tell a story.

Cathedral, an original work by acclaimed regional artist Tony Henson, was inspired by the devastating fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris—an event that stopped people around the world in their tracks.

Through the expressive language of abstraction, Henson captures something beyond the architecture itself: fire, movement, destruction, resilience and beauty.

And Tony Henson knows how to make color and movement speak.

An accomplished abstract expressionist painter, Henson earned his MFA in painting from East Tennessee State University and has spent approximately three decades developing a distinctive artistic voice inspired by color, nature, music and life experience. His work has traveled far beyond our region, appearing in galleries in New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Charlotte.

His paintings have caught national attention as well. The Washington Post described Henson’s abstractions as “vibrant and dynamic,” noting the way his colors and gestures can evoke fire—making Cathedral an especially fascinating example of his work.

And most recently? Tony Henson went to Times Square.

His painting In My Tree was selected for display on a New York City Times Square billboard, seen by an estimated 400,000 people. Henson has also exhibited in New York City galleries multiple times throughout his career.

Now, one bidder has the opportunity to bring an original Tony Henson home.

“Cathedral” isn’t simply a painting of a place. It’s an artist’s response to the moment when one of the world’s great landmarks burned—and the beauty, emotion and resilience that remained.

Item 4

Love Your Floors Again: The Ultimate Home Refresh

Value: Up to $4,500

Donated by Mullican Flooring

Ready to give your home a serious glow-up from the ground up?

One of last year’s most popular auction items is back—and it’s easy to see why! The lucky winner will receive 500 square feet of beautiful hardwood flooring from Mullican Flooring, giving you the perfect excuse to finally transform that tired room into a space you absolutely love.

Whether you’re dreaming of a warm and inviting family room, an elegant new dining space, or a gorgeous update that makes guests say, “Wait…when did you redo this?”—this package puts a stunning home transformation within reach.

Choose from beautiful flooring styles and let your home’s next chapter begin right under your feet.

Package Includes:

• • 500 square feet of Mullican hardwood flooring
  • Flooring options ranging in value from $3,100–$4,500

Item 5

An Exclusive Dinner with Chef Travis Milton

Total Package Value: $1800

Gather your favorite people for an unforgettable dining experience for 12 featuring acclaimed Appalachian chef Travis Milton, a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. This one-of-a-kind culinary experience will take place in the Sodexo Dining Room at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), creating an intimate setting to enjoy Chef Milton’s celebrated approach to Appalachian cuisine.

Package includes:

• Exclusive dinner for 12
• Featuring Chef Travis Milton
• Hosted in the Sodexo Dining Room at ETSU
• A one-of-a-kind Appalachian culinary experience

Item 6

Escape, Indulge, & Dine: A Romantic Couples Getaway

Total Package Value: $600

Donated by Carnegie Hotel, Austin Springs Spa, & Wellington’s

Item 7

Gather the Girls: The Ultimate Girls’ Day & Night Out

Value- $1550

Donated by Reclaimed Home, Tina Wilson Photography / Wilson & Co., Monkee’s, Brilliantly Bespoke & Bonefish Grill

Grab your girls and fire up the group chat—this package has everything you need for some seriously fabulous girlfriend time: personal style, private shopping, beautiful photos, delicious food, and plenty of fun along the way.

One of the highlights is a special Night of Shopping at Monkee’s with Brilliantly Bespoke. While you shop, Brilliantly Bespoke will bring their expertise in custom color analysis and personalized fashion advice, helping you discover the colors, styles, and wardrobe choices that make you look—and feel—your absolute best.

It’s like shopping with your girlfriends and your own personal style expert! Find out which colors make you glow, get expert advice on putting together flattering looks, and then have an entire boutique at your fingertips to put those tips into action. Plus, with a 12-month Monkee’s coupon booklet, you’ll have plenty of reasons to come back and keep your wardrobe looking fabulous all year long.

The fun continues with a private shopping experience at Reclaimed Home, perfect for finding something special and enjoying a little more girlfriend time.

Then step in front of the camera with the incredibly talented Tina Wilson of Wilson & Co. for a Signature Photography Session, including three 5×7 prints. Tina has a wonderful talent for capturing not just beautiful images, but personality, connection, and those genuine moments that make a photograph something you’ll treasure. Because friendships this good deserve better than another group selfie!

Finally, gather your crew for an excursion dinner for eight at Bonefish Grill. Great food, great conversation, plenty of laughter—and nobody has to cook or do the dishes.

This is more than Girls’ Night Out. It’s a celebration of style, confidence, friendship, and making time for your favorite people.

Your Girls’ Experience Includes:

• • Special Night of Shopping at Monkee’s
  • Brilliantly Bespoke color analysis and fashion consultation during your Monkee’s shopping experience
  • 12-month Monkee’s coupon booklet
  • Private shopping experience at Reclaimed Home
  • Signature Photography Session with Tina Wilson / Wilson & Co.
  • Three 5×7 professional prints
  • $100 gift certificate to Body Health & Mind Day Spa
  • Bonefish Grill excursion dinner for eight

Item 8

Lake Life, Elevated: The Ultimate Staycation

Value- $2200

Donated by Deer Jones Getaway, Chef Michael Archdeacon, Carefree Boat Club & Charcute

Eight guests. Two nights. One fabulous lake house. And absolutely nowhere else you need to be.

Escape to Deer Jones Getaway, a modern lakefront retreat tucked along the shores of beautiful Boone Lake. And don’t just take our word for it—Deer Jones boasts a 5-star rating on Airbnb, earning rave reviews from guests who have already discovered this special lakeside escape.

The agenda here is wonderfully simple: slow down, eat well, get out on the water, and enjoy your people.

Wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and catch the sunrise over the lake. Spend the afternoon swimming or grab the provided kayaks and explore Boone Lake. When evening arrives, slip into the saltwater hot tub, pour a glass of something wonderful, and settle in for a little stargazing.

Inside, an open floor plan, contemporary design, and polished concrete floors create a stylish, modern setting made for gathering, relaxing, and reconnecting.

And just when you think lake life couldn’t get any better…your private chef arrives.

Enjoy an exclusive private dinner for eight prepared by Chef Michael Archdeacon, the culinary talent behind the much-loved Foodie Fiction food truck. Chef Michael brings decades of culinary and hospitality experience directly to your lake house, transforming one evening into a memorable private dining experience.

No reservations. No crowded restaurant. The chef comes to YOU.

Then experience Boone Lake from the best possible vantage point—the water! Carefree Boat Club will take your crew out for a captained lake cruise, so everyone gets to relax, enjoy the scenery, and leave the navigating to someone else.

And because every fabulous lake weekend needs something delicious for grazing, Charcute will provide a beautiful charcuterie spread for your getaway—perfect for cocktails by the water or a leisurely evening with friends.

This isn’t simply a weekend away. It’s lake life done right.

Your Lake Life Experience Includes:

• • Two-night stay at 5-star-rated Deer Jones Getaway on Boone Lake. For more information, click here.
  • Gorgeous lakefront setting and sunrise views
  • Saltwater hot tub
  • Kayaks and lake access*
  • Stylish, contemporary accommodations
  • Private chef dinner for eight with Chef Michael Archdeacon
  • Captained Boone Lake cruise courtesy of Carefree Boat Club
  • Charcute charcuterie spread
  • And two glorious days when your toughest decision might be: lake, hot tub, or another glass of wine?

Item 9

Created in the Moment: An Original Jason Flack “Community” Painting

Value- $800

Artist: Jason “Jay” Flack
One-of-a-Kind Original Artwork — Created LIVE

Tonight, you’re not simply bidding on a work of art.

You’re watching its story unfold before your eyes.

Throughout this evening, acclaimed Johnson City artist Jason “Jay” Flack will transform a blank canvas into an original work inspired by COMMUNITY—painted live, right here, as our own community comes together in support of the mission.

Jason is an award-winning Urban Folk expressionist painter, community leader, speaker, and one of the Appalachian Highlands’ most recognizable artistic voices. Known for his electric use of bright color, bold black lines, and unmistakable energy, Jason creates work designed not only to catch your eye, but to make you feel and think.

His journey as a painter began following the sudden loss of his twin sister, Jessica, in 2010. Painting became a way to turn grief into movement and purpose. From there, Jason emerged as a passionate advocate for local artists and for the idea that art can bring people together.

And tonight, that belief in the power of community becomes the art itself.

Jason will create this original piece in real time during our event, drawing inspiration from the people, energy, generosity, and shared purpose in the room. When the final brushstroke is made, there will never be another painting exactly like it—because there will never be another night exactly like this one.

At the end of the evening, one bidder takes it home.

This isn’t a print.
This isn’t something ordered from a gallery.

This is YOUR community, YOUR evening, and YOUR impact—captured on canvas by Jason Flack.

Item 10

The Best of Bristol: Where the Music Runs Deep & the Engines Roar

Value- $1735

Featuring: Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol Motor Speedway, Speedway Children’s Charities, Stir Fry Group & Mud Hollow Farms

There are plenty of places with great music. Plenty with legendary racing. Plenty with fantastic food.

But there’s only one Bristol.

This package brings together the sounds, speed, flavors, history, and hometown spirit that make Bristol one of the most unique destinations in our region.

Start where country music history was made with admission for two to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, then experience that musical legacy LIVE with two weekend passes to the 2026 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. For one unforgettable weekend, downtown Bristol becomes a celebration of roots music, with stages, musicians, and fans filling the historic streets of the city where Tennessee and Virginia meet.

Then trade the guitars for horsepower.

Experience the legendary Bristol Motor Speedway—“The Last Great Colosseum”—in not one, but TWO incredible ways. Enjoy two Friday passes to the Speedway Children’s Charities Suite, taking in the action from an elevated race-day setting. Then come back on September 19 with two Grandstand Passes and experience Bristol the way generations of race fans have: surrounded by the lights, the crowd, and the unmistakable roar of engines echoing around the high-banked half-mile.

And all that excitement is going to work up an appetite.

Enjoy $200 to spend with the Stir Fry Group family of restaurants. In Bristol, that includes 620 State Restaurant | Sushi + Asian + American + Cocktail Bar | Bristol, TN, while Stir Fry Group’s restaurant family also includes Southern Craft, Label, Post, Juan Saoi and Stir Fry Cafe. Whether it’s sushi, steaks, barbecue, cocktails, or a celebratory dinner, consider this the culinary portion of your Best of Bristol adventure.

Finally, take a little bit of our region’s farm-to-table goodness home with Mud Hollow Farms, including a $50 certificate toward a weekly CSA box, a dozen farm-fresh eggs, and a beautiful local flower bouquet.

From guitars and racing tires to great food and farm-fresh flavors, this is Bristol from every angle.

Your Best of Bristol Experience Includes:

• • Two weekend passes to the 2026 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
  • Two passes to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum
  • Two Friday passes to the Speedway Children’s Charities Suite
  • Two Grandstand Passes for the September 19 race at Bristol Motor Speedway
  • $200 Stir Fry Group gift card
  • $50 Mud Hollow Farms CSA certificate
  • One dozen farm-fresh eggs
  • Local flower bouquet

Item 11

Smoke, Sizzle, & Star Power: Pitmaster for a Day with Celebrity Chef T

Value: $7,500 – minimum bid $2,500

Donated by Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire

You’ve watched celebrity chefs battle it out on television. Now imagine having one all to yourself.

Gather up to six guests and step behind the fire with Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire for an exclusive, hands-on culinary experience that brings serious star power to the grill.

Chef T is no stranger to the national culinary stage and has built a reputation for bringing bold personality and even bolder flavor to the kitchen.

And when it comes to cooking over fire, this is personal for Chef T. Growing up in the Caribbean, live-fire cooking was part of her culinary foundation. Today, she combines those soulful, island-rooted flavors with fine-dining technique and the fearless creativity that has taken her into some of television’s toughest culinary competitions.

For one unforgettable day, Chef T is YOUR chef, coach, and pitmaster.

You and your guests will get hands-on as she shares the techniques behind incredible barbecue—from controlling fire and smoke to seasoning, grilling, and creating signature meats and sides. Ask questions. Learn her tricks. Cook beside her. And, yes, there may be a little friendly competition along the way!

Then put down the tongs and pull up a chair for the ultimate reward: a family-style BBQ feast created together with Chef T.

You’ll leave with full bellies, new skills, behind-the-scenes stories and recipes, a group photo with Chef T, and a signed chef’s apron to prove you spent the day cooking alongside a bona fide television culinary star.

Your Celebrity Chef Experience Includes:

• • Private, hands-on BBQ experience with Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire
  • Experience for up to 6 guests
  • Instruction in fire management, smoking, seasoning and grilling
  • Preparation of Chef T’s signature meats and sides
  • Family-style BBQ feast
  • Chef T’s insider tips and recipes
  • Group photo with Chef T
  • Signed chef’s apron

Mission Moments

Second Harvest Programs for Seniors

• One in eight senior citizens in Tennessee face food insecurity, many due to mobility or transportation issues.
• Second Harvest distributes food to seniors in Northeast Tennessee through 22 designated senior mobile food pantries and makes deliveries to 275 homebound senior homes.

Second Harvest’s Mobile Food Pantry

• The Mobile Food Pantry brings food to areas in our eight-county region where local food pantries and soup kitchens are not available.
• Second Harvest provides 76 distribution sites throughout our Northeast Tennessee region helping individuals, families, veterans and seniors experiencing hunger and food insecurity.

Second Harvest’s Children’s Programs

• 1 out of 4 children in Northeast Tennessee are experiencing hunger and food insecurity.
• The Food for Kids Backpack Program provides take-home bags of easily prepared meals and healthy snacks twice a month during the school year as well as healthy food boxes for their entire family before holidays and school breaks.
• The Summer Food Service Program takes over at the end of each school year by providing nutritious weekday meals at sites where children can gather during the long summer break.