The FoodLab at Stony Brook Southampton is a center for education, innovation, and collaboration dedicated to the future of food.

Originally founded as a series of informal meetings among farmers, chefs, educators, and concerned citizens on the East End of Long Island, The FoodLab began with a simple goal: to take the pulse of the region’s food systems. What started as thoughtful conversations has since grown into a full-fledged initiative focused on shaping a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food future.

Rooted in the belief that good food is essential to healthy communities and a healthy planet, The FoodLab now operates as a hub of hands-on education and engagement. Through dynamic programs in sustainable agriculture, food studies, and culinary innovation, we equip students, practitioners, and the public with the tools to understand and influence the complex systems that shape what we eat — and how it's grown.

Today, The FoodLab has a permanent home at Stony Brook Southampton Campus, where we’ve expanded our mission into a living, learning environment. Our campus includes teaching gardens, test plots, and a growing number of spaces for workshops, gatherings, and research. From immersive farm-to-classroom training to regional symposiums that bring together national thought leaders, The FoodLab continues to grow as a place where knowledge meets practice.

We remain committed to fostering meaningful connections between people and food — cultivating not just crops, but a new generation of informed, inspired changemakers.