Kitchen and Bell
The ringing of the bell at Ox-Bow is the main form of communication for all of campus. The bell has always been located at the back of the Inn, near the kitchen. It rings half an hour before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and again to mark the start of mealtime. In the event of an emergency, the bell is rung continuously to call everyone to the Inn.
Various bell towers have been built over the years. At one time, there was a bell tower that held three bells, but one of the bells was stolen. While some of the towers were elaborate, the current one is a simple square post with the bell at the top.
At Ox-Bow, we view cooking as an essential practice of care within our tightly woven community; an endeavor to make everyone feel welcome, included, and safe. Artist-run for longer than any of us can recall, our kitchen is an incubator for curiosity, knowledge, and creativity. We perpetuate and pass down Ox-Bow’s traditions and history, from Thursday’s giant guacamole bowl, to mushrooms foraged in the Tallmadge Woods, to the cranking tunes that color our days. Guiding the rhythm of camp life, instilling a work ethic in young artists, learning from one another, feeding people—these are the contributions that bring joy and purpose to our work.
Explore this page to see a zine made by Ox-Bow kitchen staff, listen to an interview with former Head Chef Mikey Henderberg, purchase the Ox-Bow cookbook, and view photos from over the years.
Soup Head
Every day during summer, the kitchen serves a new soup. Someone once asked Chef Eric May, “What do we do with all of the leftover soup?” He responded, “Soup Head!” Since then, tradition holds that whatever poor soul asks that question is to be held by their ankles and have their head dipped into the soup bucket. Mac Akin has done it three times—once in exchange for a genuine Prickerman doll created by John Rossi.
STORYCORPS INTERVIEW
In 2018, Ox-Bow partnered with StoryCorps to capture stories and conversations of the people who help to form what the place is today.
These interviews are provided courtesy of StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and share humanity's stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. www.storycorps.org.
Please contact Molly Markow at mmarkow1@ox-bow.org for a text version of the audio interview.
OX-Shop Merch!
Spanning over two decades of chefs, cooks, dishwashers, and farmers, Ox-Bow Cooks at Home features recipes for Ox-Bow’s most beloved dishes. Compiled by longtime Ox-Bow Chef Eric May, with contributions from Erin Chapla, Mikey Henderberg, Mac Akin, Carmen Price, Lauren Anderson, and many more.
“This is not a manual, but more of a memoir of sorts.” - Eric May, former Head Chef at Ox-Bow
A humble Zine by our kitchen staff
The Ox-Bow Kitchen
The Power of Positive Pickling
Digital print, 20 pp.
8½ x 5½ in.
2018