From Field to Farmhouse
Inside the house at The Pines, it's a game night gathering, but we're not playing Scrabble. This night was all about savoring family, friends, and 11 exquisite dinner courses, respectfully harvested, hunted, and handcrafted by Fargo's Philip Bruckbauer, alongside his dad, Mike Bruckbauer. While the small, multicultural dishes demonstrated a fusion of culinary prowess and Midwest tradition, each bite retold their journey to the table, greeting guests with gratitude for the untamed bounty of our forests, prairies, and lakes.
BY Tracy Nicholson
PHOTOS BY Morgan Allora, Studio Freshly
Host: Philip Bruckbauer
GATHERING & GRAZING
Philip and his family found inspiration for the feast five years ago through the work of Steven Rinella, podcaster and author of “The Scavenger’s Guide to Haute Cuisine: How I Spent a Year in the American Wild to Re-create a Feast from the Classic Recipes of French Master Chef Auguste Escoffier.” In the book, Rinella recalls his year of gathering and hunting to create a 45-course meal served over three days for eight friends. Tales from this experience, led by Rinella’s strong ethical hunting philosophy, struck a chord with Philip, offering a new way to share their beloved traditions of cooking, eating, and appreciating what they harvest.
Philip has always been an avid outdoorsman and grew up eating wild game at home, where he learned the basics of butchering, flavor profiles, and a few key recipes. “As an adult, stockpiling meat in my own freezer, I sort of took on the challenge and philosophy that I should learn to be a better cook with the game that I procure,” explained Philip.
As for the skills of becoming a better chef, he’s primarily self-taught, finding inspiration in his travels and continually learning new techniques through trial and error. While many of his dishes have roots in the Midwest, others have evolved from several different cultures, including India, Japan, and New Mexico, all respectfully adapted to native ingredients like Minnesota walleye and North Dakota wild turkey.
This year marked Philip’s fourth time hosting the annual game dinner, which usually takes place at his family’s home. Over the years, the number of courses and the guest list have grown, now including 18-20 of Philip’s closest friends and family.
THE RENAISSANCE MAN
Philip, known by those closest to him as a modern-day renaissance man, was born and raised in Fargo, graduated from Shanley High School, and went to college for Business Development, attending St. John’s University and Concordia College, where he played Cobber Soccer. In 2013, he was an original partner and furniture builder at Grain Designs, working alongside his friends Grant Koenig and Blain Mikkonen, as well as his cousin, Pat Bresnahan, helping to develop and expand the venture Grant and Blain started one year earlier. In 2018, Philip left the partnership behind to pursue his many other passions; in the kitchen, the outdoors, on vocals/guitar in his band King Sage, and at work at Halberstadt’s On Broadway, all while still contributing to The Pines as lead bartender. Philip also teaches guitar lessons at Central Cass’ high school and middle school and is renovating an abandoned farmstead. “I’ve spent a couple of summers tearing down old barns, saving wood, and renovating an old granary building, which I’m hoping to turn into rentable space soon,” added Philip.
After meeting the Bruckbauers, it’s not surprising Philip grew up with the ambition to pursue a spectrum of creative avenues, including cooking, woodworking, hunting, and music. His mom, Katie, is a dancer, poet, and published author. His brother, Danny, is a musician and potter, and his sister, Kellie, is an assistant director and teacher at the Peace Academy, as well as an advanced trainer in the Nurtured Heart Approach®. Philip’s dad, Mike, is an insurance agent, avid at-home chef, and passionate outdoorsman. Altogether, with contributions from friends and family, this group’s zest for life was felt across the table, making this a dinner and show worth savoring.
MEET MARIA: SETTING THE HARVEST TABLESCAPE
Styling the harvest and small-plate spread at The Pines’ farmhouse was the owner of Fargo’s Eco Chic Home, Maria Bosak. “Maria and I have known each other for upwards of 10 years, so I knew she would understand my style and provide exactly what we needed for the table decor,” said Philip. “I prefer a pretty simple decor and she nailed it with the earthy tones, wispy grasses and wheat, deer antlers, and candles.”
Eco Chic Home is a family-owned and operated boutique, offering an extensive collection of gifts, home decor, and furnishings, including seasonal accents, rugs, pillows, kitchen necessities, floral, and wall art. Visit Maria’s storefront at 3265 45th Street South, Fargo, or shop her latest fall and holiday collections online at shopecochichome.com.
“It was an absolute treat for me to style Phil’s event. I’m a big fan of Phil’s family, and getting to join in on the event was a blast. As a farm girl (also married to a hunter), I had a good idea of what this event needed to bring the tablescape to life. I gave it some Harvest Glam, featuring some of my favorite personal pieces, along with some favorites from Eco Chic Home. ”
SMALL-DISH POTTERY
For the Bruckbauers, talent lives on every branch of the family tree. Nearly all of the night’s small dishes were served on a beautiful collection of handmade pottery by Philip’s brother Danny, who flew home to assist with the dinnerware and entertainment. Danny studied ceramics and pottery in Fargo for eight years before moving to California two years ago. Today, his home is Koreatown, where he creates and sells his newest collection, teaches pottery classes in downtown L.A, and completes pottery production for other companies. “Danny is definitely more of the dreamer and enjoys expressing himself through design and craft,” explained Philip.
All in all, I think we used upwards of 75 of Danny’s plates, bowls, mugs, and ‘everything cups’ in the serving of the dinner.” Follow Danny’s work @potterybydnnny.
GAME NIGHT MIXOLOGY
Husband and wife duo, Josie Perhus and Tyler Gefroh were the night’s mixologists, pairing an eclectic mix of cocktails with several of the dinner’s courses. Fun Fact: Josie went to bartending school in Amsterdam and is the lead vocalist alongside Philip in the local band, King Sage. Tyler is also a friend of Philip’s and an Intern Architect at Craftwell Architecture + Construction.
INTERMISSION
DINNER & A SHOW
Between courses, guests gathered in the living room for a casual King Sage concert led by Philip, Josie, and Danny, all members of the original Americana-Folk trio, which formed in 2014. After Danny moved to California, Josie continued performing as lead vocalist, with Philip on vocals and guitar. The duo primarily plays a highly skilled and eclectic collection of acoustic covers from artists like Jason Isbell, Dolly Parton, and the Fleet Foxes. You can find King Sage in the lakes area and downtown hotspots like 701 Eatery, The Troll Lounge, and Fargo Brewing Company. Follow the music @KingSageFargo.
POETRY IN MOTION
While the King Sage concert was brilliant, one of the night’s most captivating and heartfelt performances came from Philip and Danny’s mom, Katie Bruckbauer. Katie is an accomplished dancer, poet, and author of Time to Soar: Word Dances and Bird Songs for Every Season, which launched in April. Her interpretive performance, “Word Dances: Poetry in Motion,” beautifully fused her passions for modern dance, art, and poetry, delivering a stunning choreopoem that immersed guests in the harmony of the human condition.
Although Katie performed solo at the dinner, Word Dances recently debuted as a collaboration at The Sanctuary, choreographed and performed by Katie and Barb Wieland, along with a small troupe of dancers. For nearly 30 years, Katie and Barb were performing dancers, instructors, and part-owners of two former Fargo dance studios, Mahkahta Dance Theater and 8th Street Studio of Dance.
Katie’s book, illustrated by her cousin Mary Jo Savageau, is a collection of personal poetry written over nearly four years, beginning in 2019. Every page takes readers on a spiritual journey through the seasons of life, finding solace in nature’s message of hope, joy, and healing. For more information about her poetry and performances, visit worddances.com.
SAVORING THE EXPERIENCE
We witnessed Philip and his dad Mike quietly and methodically prepare all 11 courses, in awe of how the two remained consistently cool and calm. We didn’t see any of the typical chaos in the kitchen. “To be honest, it has always gone very smoothly. If anything, this year was the most chaotic, as we were cooking in a new place,” added Philip. “We also normally have another friend and hunting partner helping with the cooking, but he couldn’t be here this year. There are definitely still lessons to be learned every year. Getting the timing right between courses, scaling recipes to taste right when making large amounts, and learning about drink pairings are all things that have gotten easier over the years. All of this still doesn’t mean we nail it every time, but overall, we seem to problem-solve well and make the best of each situation.”
“It’s an awesome experience to get to do this alongside my dad,” said Philip. “He was the person who introduced me to all of these outdoor activities and who I go on all my hunting and fishing trips with, so it only makes sense that he’s there cooking with me. I may be the one coming up with the majority of the recipes, but he does just as much, if not more of the procuring ingredients, butchering, and day-of-event cooking. We both have a tendency of wanting to be in charge, but for these events, he does a good job of letting me take control and execute whatever needs to get done.”
Surprisingly, Philip has never seriously considered pursuing the career path of chef, but he is considering hosting additional multi-course events to share what he’s learned with more people, setting a new table open to the public. “To me, North Dakota still has a strong hunting culture and presence in the general local zeitgeist. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a North Dakotan who doesn’t know someone who hunts or fishes if they don’t already do it themselves. So, I don’t run into much pushback about hosting a meal like this in Fargo. A few years back, there was more media buzz about vegan/vegetarian versus hunters and people who eat meat, but what I tend to hear more these days is a push for knowing where your food comes from, eating non-processed high-quality meat and produce.”
“That’s one thing I love about eating wild game and processing it myself, knowing where that meat came from and knowing that it is some of the best quality, free-range meat you can eat. I also love showing how good wild game can taste, and in turn, challenging other hunters to become better cooks and honor the game by turning it into delicious food,” explained Philip.
“Before I started doing this event, of course, I loved hunting and fishing, and I cooked and ate everything I harvested. Now, there is an added element of purpose and drive to become a better cook and create more interesting dishes and experiences. This dinner really does mean a lot to me; I get to combine a variety of skills and passions, from hunting and cooking to playing music. It’s really fun to get everyone together and in a way, ‘perform’ for people. I tend to get a little shy and I don’t always want to be in the limelight, but it’s a little easier with so many family and friends supporting and performing with me. I love seeing everyone in the room listening, eating, and enjoying a really unique experience.”
BOOK THE PINES PROPERTY!
Just southwest of Fargo, hosts can reserve one of The Pines’ two stunning venues, including The Pines White, and the newest venue, The Pines Black, complete with black grain bins and agrarian-inspired architecture. Both venues have access to the property’s farmhouse for event-day festivities inside or around the pool.
The Pines Wedding & Events
4487 165th Ave SE, Davenport, ND
hello@thepinesvenue.com
701.645.3274
thepinesvenue.com
@thepinesvenue