In an era marked by unprecedented federal funding cuts to rural health programs, farmers, and food assistance programs, two Hudson Valley nonprofits are teaming up to support just and resilient regional food systems, locally and beyond. Over three days, they’ll join with the likes of Ruth Reichl and Mark Bittman to eat, connect, and explore what the future of food can be.
Between August 6 and 8, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies and Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming are inviting farmers, chefs, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and food lovers to Omega’s 250-acre Rhinebeck campus for a three-day gathering dubbed Beyond Delicious. Designed to acknowledge and address the real challenges facing our food systems, the events will seek to develop tangible solutions to serve not only food growers and producers but also the communities they nourish.
We sat down with Carla Goldstein, Omega’s president and CEO, to learn more about Beyond Delicious and how the event underscores and extends these nonprofits’ goals.
Question: I would love to hear more about Omega’s mission, and your approach to holistic health.
Answer: Omega’s mission is to provide hope and healing for individuals and society. Our approach is grounded in the belief that the well-being of each individual is deeply connected to the well-being of all living things. When we talk about holistic health, we’re not just referring to physical well-being: True health encompasses emotional, spiritual, environmental, and relational dimensions. At Omega, we design programs that help people reconnect with themselves, with each other, and with the natural world, because we know that true healing happens in that space of interconnection.
Q: How are your programs designed to deliver learning moments that people can bring into their day-to-day lives?
A: Our programs are designed around what we call an embedded curriculum—an approach that recognizes the entire Omega experience as a living classroom. The natural beauty of our Rhinebeck campus; the nourishing, thoughtfully prepared food we serve, and the care and hospitality of our staff all create an environment that supports deep learning and transformation. This immersive, holistic environment helps people internalize what they’ve learned and bring those insights into their daily lives long after returning home.
Q: Has your mission changed?
A: The heart of Omega’s mission has always been about awakening the best in the human spirit and supporting transformation—from the inside out and the ground up. That hasn’t changed. What has evolved is the urgency of the challenges we face today—climate crisis, systemic inequity, widespread burnout—and the need to respond with even greater clarity, compassion, and courage.
Q: How does Beyond Delicious express both your long-standing mission, and the new urgency you feel?
A: We see it as a convergence point—where the values we’ve upheld for decades meet the urgent need to reimagine how food can nourish people, communities, and the planet. We’re thrilled to be working alongside Glynwood again—an organization whose leadership in building a resilient and equitable food system in the Hudson Valley is deeply inspiring. This is our second time hosting the event, and we’re building it out in powerful new ways to deepen the experience and expand the impact.
Q: What can participants expect to experience at the conference?
A: Participants can expect a mix of inspiration, connection, and hands-on engagement. The event brings together chefs, farmers, food justice advocates, and policy leaders—each contributing lived experience and visionary thinking. We are excited to share presentations and culinary experiences from some of the most celebrated voices in food today, including Kathleen Finlay, Mark Bittman, Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport, Stuart Farr, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, and Ruth Reichl.
Beyond Delicious is more than a conference—it’s an immersive, hands-on weekend experience. Yes, there will be powerful keynotes, Q&As, and deep thought, but there will also be tastings, shared meals, movement classes, a film screening, and plenty of room for collaboration and connection.
We’re also so excited for participants to tour the Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL), our environmental education center, and home of the Eco Machine™, a water reclamation system that uses only natural processes to treat wastewater. The OCSL was the first green building in the world to achieve both LEED® Platinum and Living Building Challenge™ certification, and demonstrates what’s possible when we treat water not as waste but as a vital, life-giving resource.
In the face of climate change, drought, and agricultural strain, the health of our water systems is inseparable from the health of our food systems—and from questions of access, equity, and sustainability for all communities. These are the same questions that animate the conversations we’ll be having throughout the weekend.
Whether you’re in the field or at the table, Beyond Delicious is your chance to join a vibrant conversation about food, community, and a growing movement for change.
Learn More & Register: eOmega.org/beyonddelicious
