Good Mornin’ Owen! Time to make the Cowffee …
I hope all of you are enjoying your summer wherever it is you may be. Here on the Vineyard we have hit the dog days of summer. The evenings seem to last for ever and the fireflies seem to be in full force this year and I just love it! Each summer we are lucky to have really great young adults join us on our team. This year I want to introduce you to Owen Favreau. I have known Owen since he was 10 years old. Watching him grow up into a wonderful, thoughtful, kind and humorous man has been a true pleasure.
You might have met him at our Cowffee Trailer. Yes, I said Cowffee. Cowffee is our Chilmark Coffee Company x Grey Barn roasted coffee. Owen brews it up and our Cowffee Trailer is open 8am to 12:30pmish during the summer season.
Read on to find out more about this awesome human!
Hey Owen … I know your story but would you share with everyone where you grew up?
I grew up in West Tisbury but I moved here from New York City when I was 10.
Like I said, I know where you have gone to school … But where did you graduate High School, and What about College?
I graduated from MVRHS and from there I went onto Amherst College (which I LOVED) & I graduated this year.
Now that you are out of college what’s your plan? BTW I cannot believe that you are out of college!
I am working her, at the Grey Barn this summer then in the fall I am moving to New York City to work in management consulting. I am happy to be home working in a beautiful place but I am also very excited to move to the city.
From Amherst to Grey Barn? How did you come to making Cowffee for the summer?
Don’t tell anyone this, but I am not a coffee drinker; however, my parents are obsessed and my house constantly smells like coffee. We have all been patrons and friends of the Grey Barn for years. So when I saw the opportunity to work for them I knew I wanted to take it. While I don’t have any Cowffee drinking experience, I do have hospitality experience and I knew I would enjoy talking with customers, playing fun music, and serving good coffee in a beautiful place. So far so good!
Speaking of music what are you listening to right now? Can we share your playlist?
I mostly listen to the playlist I’ve made for the Grey Barn Cowffee truck. Here it is below!
Did you have a favorite childhood food?
That’s a hard one. Probably spaghetti with meat sauce but don’t hold me to that.
Owen, I know you are an amazing chef especially when it comes to pasta. Do you have a favorite dish right now or what's your go-to summer recipe?
My go to summer recipe is spaghetti aglio e olio. It’s a surprisingly easy pasta dish made with lots of garlic and olive oil with hot peppers, parsley, and lemon. It all comes together in less than 15 minutes and it’s a great side with any protein.
And what about a yummy cocktail? Do you have a favorite this summer?
Lately I’ve been making a margarita with an added mixture of basil, cilantro, mint, pineapple juice, simple syrup, and jalepeño that’s been pretty good.
You are a Vineyarder so what’s your favorite thing to do in the summer on the vineyard?
That’s a great question. You’re not getting any local inside scoop here, I love going to Lambert’s Cove Beach in the evening after work.
Do you have a dream vacation?
I have always wanted to visit Australia. The dream doesn’t really get more specific than that but I am fascinated by their wildlife and I have never traveled that far away from home before.
Anything about your time here at the GB you want to share?
I have really enjoyed my summer so far having great conversations with my coworkers and customers who come to get Cowffee.
What is your favorite GB product?
Prufrock is my favorite Grey Barn original product, especially served warm with some bread and jam, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention the book Unequal: A Story of America, by Marc Favreau and Michael Eric Dyson. It’s a great read and in stock at the Grey Barn today. Be sure to preorder their new book Represent: The Unfinished Fight for the Vote.
Owen, I have to ask … who is your favorite animal on the farm?
From the coffee trailer I have a great view of Usagi, the black bunny who roams around the field in front of the farmstand. He’s my favorite GB animal so far.
Thanks so much for chatting with me, Owen. I throughly enjoyed it! I hope you all enjoyed getting to know a bit more about him. He’s been at my house so often that sometimes I forget to ask questions. As our kids grow up and move on with their amazing lives it is such a pleasure to have a moment with them one-on-one.
Our CCC x Grey Barn Cowffee Truck is open from 8am to 12:30pmish.
Happiest Summering to all of you from Chilmark