CULINARY

Chef Tae Strain is a Seoul-born, Maryland-raised chef whose cooking is shaped by acclaimed kitchens across Baltimore, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., and by a deeply personal commitment to seasonality, culture, and place. His food is thoughtful, grounded, and generous, guided by care, restraint, and a deep respect for ingredients.

Over more than 16 years, Tae has built a career defined by high-level execution and quiet leadership. He served as Chef de Cuisine at The Progress in San Francisco when it earned its first Michelin star, developing a precise, ingredient-driven style rooted in Northern California agriculture. He also cooked in Michelin-recognized kitchens in New York City, including PUBLIC, and later became Executive Chef at David Chang’s Momofuku in Washington, D.C., where he led a major evolution of the restaurant’s food program.

In Baltimore, Tae continued to develop his own voice through thoughtful, high-caliber dining experiences, including ggoma, an intimate supper club exploring memory, identity, seasonality, and belonging through food. As a Korean American adoptee, Tae brings a personal perspective to the table, allowing story, place, and emotion to inform his cooking without overwhelming the ingredients.

Today, Tae serves as Culinary Director at Old Westminster Winery and chef-partner at our sister farm, Burnt Hill Farm, helping shape one of Maryland’s most exciting food and wine destinations. His work is rooted in the same values that guide our wines: farming, patience, seasonality, regional identity, and a deep respect for what the land can express.

At Old Westminster, that philosophy comes to life through relaxed winery dining centered around seasonal wood-fired food, garden snacks, small plates, local cheese, prosciutto, house-made sweets, signature coffee, and some of Maryland’s best wood-fired pizzas. Every dish is designed to pair beautifully with our terroir-driven Maryland wines and to make a day on the farm feel joyful, generous, and easy to share.

This partnership is especially aligned because Tae’s cooking and our winemaking are both grounded in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Together, we’re deepening our relationships with farmers, growers, cheesemakers, watermen, and producers who shape this region. The goal isn’t to import a restaurant concept onto the farm. It’s to build a culinary program that belongs here.

At our sister farm, Burnt Hill Farm, Tae’s work takes on an even deeper expression through the Chef’s Counter, where farm, vineyard, fire, and personal storytelling come together in an intimate tasting menu experience. Across both farms, our shared commitment is simple: cook with intention, source with care, support local agriculture, and create genuine moments of joy through food, wine, and hospitality.

We believe Maryland has an extraordinary agricultural story to tell, and we’re proud to tell it at the table.