Deacon Dining Hosts 4P Lunch and Learn Celebrating Ethical and Regenerative Food Systems

April 23, 2025 – Wake Forest University

Wake Forest’s Deacon Dining welcomed faculty and staff to the annual 4P Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, held on the upstairs outdoor patio of Reynolda Hall. The event celebrated the ongoing partnership between Deacon Dining and 4P Foods, a regional food hub dedicated to creating a regenerative and equitable food system.

4P Foods connects smallholder and family-owned farms across the East Coast with large institutions like Wake Forest, helping scale access to ethically sourced, sustainable ingredients. Many of the farms they work with are part of farmer collectives—groups of farms working together to support one another and expand their reach.

The lunch featured a keynote from 4P Foods founder Tom McDougall, who shared the organization’s mission and values. He spoke about the importance of building a food system where farmers can thrive, where the soil is actively restored through regenerative practices, where animals are treated with care, and where all communities have fair access to nutritious food. He also reflected on the power of food to bring people together and emphasized the need for high-quality, ethically sourced food to become the norm—not the exception.

While they listened to our educational speakers, guests enjoyed a chef-curated lunch featuring ingredients from 4P partner farms, with a variety of food stations showcasing local, seasonal, and regenerative ingredients.

Salad and Mezze Station

  • Chocolate Black Butte Chickpea Hummus (SIMPLi– Regenerative Organic Certified)

  • Golden Beet Hummus (Van Dessel Farms, VA)

  • Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Pine Knot Farms, NC)

  • Labneh with Olive Tapenade

  • Pickled Oyster Mushrooms (Schofield Farms, VA)

  • Grilled Sourdough (Homestead Oven, VA)

  • Pita Flats (Mastiha Artisan Greek Bakery, Rockville, MD)

Main Entrée Station

  • Smoked Pork Belly and Grits

    • Featuring Benton’s pork belly, Tidewater Midlin Grits (NC), Pimento Cheese (Birdies, VA), Collard Greens (Farmer Foodshare, NC), and Crispy Enoki Mushrooms (Schofield Farms, VA)

Dessert Experience

  • Liquid Nitrogen Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

    • Made with Ran-Lew Dairy ice cream (NC), rosemary shortbread, candied lemon zest, and fresh berries from Found Market (VA)

In addition to the meal, attendees had the opportunity to speak with 4P representatives Tom McDougall and Jennifer Palmer, as well as Harvest Table’s Chief Culinary Officer Jay Vetter, about the shared mission and future of regenerative food partnerships.

At the close of the event, 4P Foods recognized Wake Forest’s commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing by presenting the Institutional Partner of the Year Award to Director of Culinary Development Jonathan Burns and Sustainability Coordinator Quin Wolters. The award is given annually to accounts that demonstrate outstanding impact in building a better food system.

Deacon Dining extends its thanks to all who attended and looks forward to continuing to grow its partnership with 4P Foods in support of a more equitable and sustainable food future.