Why Open Hand

Only the Best Ingredients

We try to source our ingredients as locally as possible, but always with an eye on finding the best of what is available. If that means we get lemons from Sorrento then we get lemons from Sorrento. Usually it means it we get most of our ingredients from farmers around here - from VA to PA. We purchase ingredients from people we know and trust who do their best to work in harmony with nature. Sometimes we even help them out on the farm. Sometimes they grow things just for us. When you support us, you also support them. We try to stay away from food purveyors and big suppliers as much as possible - nothing can compare to fresh food from small farms run by passionate and hard working people.

Packaging

Because all our ingredients are fresh, the food prepared and ready to be cooked, all our packaging is designed to protect the integrity of the meal. The instructions for preparing the meal have been detailed for you to have a wonderful experience.

Proper Technique

The best ingredients in the world mean nothing without proper technique. Take parmesan cheese for example - something that takes years to make yet seconds to destroy in a food processor. We welcome innovation, but honor tradition. We do as much as possible by hand and only use machines when absolutely necessary. Even our pasta dough is finished by hand and rolled with a mattarello alongside our sheeter.

Safety Practices

With an ever-evolving world full of uncertainties, we at Open Hand are staying up to the minute with all the CDC regulations and guidelines along with Food Handling Safety Practices. Your safety is our number one priority.

Engaged in the community

We at Open Hand strive to create a delicious dinner experience, with the best ingredients from our local farmers. Being engaged in the community has allowed us to build trusting relationships with our suppliers, to share information and helpful tips with each other, creating a collaborative community to provide the best product for our clients, while supporting the local economy.

The Taste

When you sit down to eat your Open Hand meal and taste the unique flavors specifically picked to activate all your senses, you will wonder how you ate anything else in the world.

Our Executive Chef, John Wood

John’s passion for humble, authentic food developed from a childhood spent moving around in Africa and Central America. As the son of diplomats, he moved a lot as a child, immersing himself in the rich cultural and culinary traditions of different nations. In his teens, John got a job as a dishwasher in a small French restaurant in DC. It was there that he fell in love with the kitchen and decided he wanted to be wanted to be a chef. John has spent the last 20 years working with the areas best chefs and restauranteurs like Bob Kinkead and Ashok Bajaj. Strict adherence to proper technique and sourcing quality ingredients are the foundation of his cooking.