Flora
- When
- October 18, 2025
- Where
-
Downeast Institute
39 Wildflower Ln
Beals, ME 04611 - Tickets/Info
- Get Tickets
Join us for a Jacques Pépin 90/90 evening created by Chef Ross Florance. To celebrate Chef Pépin’s 90th birthday, 90 events are being hosted around the world and we’re one of them! Hosted at the Downeast Institute, we’ll be serving special Jacques-inspired passed hor d’oeuvres and canapés, featuring the amazing seafood from Three Island Oyster Co.
Details
- The event is $85 per person, due upon reservation confirmation.
- Hatchery tour will begin at 5:00 pm ET at the Downeast Institute: 39 Wildflower Ln, Beals, ME 04611
- Event to follow around 6:00 pm ET
- Thanks to the generosity of the participating event host, a portion of the evening's proceeds will be donated to the Jacques Pépin Foundation to support our mission of expanding access to culinary education. We deeply appreciate your generous support.
- Jacques Pépin proudly supports our 90/90 Celebrations. While he can't be present at all of them, we invite you to check our website for details on the events where he will joining in celebration.
- For more information, contact Flora
Event Host
Ross Florance
Chef/owner, Flora
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2007, Chef Ross Florance trained at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, followed by Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin, where he deepened his technique across every station. Seeking broader experience, he embarked on a European tour, cooking at acclaimed restaurants including Noma and Le Chateaubriand.
In 2012, he returned to New York to join the team at Per Se, honing his craft for three years. Inspired by nature and the seasons, Ross’s cooking reflects a balance of refined technique and rustic sensibility. He later served as Executive Chef at Betterment, where he led food service for 200+ employees and hosted classes and dinners.
Today, he lives in Roque Bluffs, Maine, where he runs the Flora Dinner Series and plans to re-open his cafe and bakery, La Laiterie, in Spring 2026. When not in the kitchen, Ross enjoys fishing, hiking, soccer, and photography — always seeking beauty in the natural world.