“This is one of my favourite flavours in the world,” chef Albert Ponzo says excitedly, plucking a delicate cluster of tiny yellow flowers from a stalk in an herb garden 15 minutes from the kitchen where he plies his trade. He hands me and my friend a few golden blooms, each petal no bigger than a grain of rice. “Bronze fennel flowers.” The taste, at first, is familiar—reminiscent of fennel seeds’ anise-like notes—but soon transforms into a citrusy sweetness that lingers. “I eat them like mints. I put them in everything,” he says with a playful grin.
Chef Albert Ponzo in the lobby of The Royal Hotel. Photo: Claire Sibonney
Ponzo recalls how wild fennel grew in his paternal nonna Ninetta’s garden at her beach house an hour from Rome, where he would spend summers as a child, and learned to cook with the flowers. Today, his fennel plants flourish some 7,000 kilometers from his family’s homeland, at Edwin County Farms, a sprawling 650-acre property nestled in Prince Edward County. Dozens of other herbs and vegetables are cultivated here too, destined for The Royal Hotel, a boutique heritage property owned by the Sorbara family.
The Royal Hotel in Picton. Photo: Prince Edward County Tourism
Ponzo is executive chef at the hotel, which recently earned a Michelin Key, highlighting its exceptional architecture, service and unique guest experience—an honour that complements its standout restaurants and the remarkable character of the property. During regular visits to the farm, he’s always thinking about how to incorporate the ingredients into new menus at the hotel, such as a collaboration with the acclaimed New York City restaurant Rezdôra, as well as into the Countylicious offering this fall.
Chef Albert Ponzo and his team in the open kitchen of The Royal Hotel. Photo: Claire Sibonney
Ponzo’s journey to Prince Edward County began in Toronto’s bustling kitchens, where he spent a decade at Le Sélect, one of the city’s most beloved French bistros. His time there sharpened his focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients—a philosophy that has also carried him through stints in culinary regions as varied as Napa Valley, Denmark, Hungary and Tuscany—as he craved a deeper connection to the food he prepared. One day at Le Sélect, he learned about the Sorbara family’s latest project when architect Pina Petricone—who had designed Le Sélect—was having lunch there. Petricone mentioned that she and her firm, Giannone Petricone Associates, were working for Greg Sorbara, the former Ontario finance minister, to redesign The Royal. She also spoke of the family’s farm outside of Picton, with its cattle and market gardens, which immediately piqued Ponzo’s interest. Drawn by their shared Italian heritage and a passion for local ingredients, Ponzo asked for an introduction, and soon after, he left behind his big city life to join the Sorbaras in their latest venture.
Edwin County Farms lettuce and kale salads, and ricotta with Ponzo honey, fennel flowers and focaccia. Photo: Claire Sibonney
Ahead of the hotel opening, Ponzo joined members of the Sorbara family—including Greg’s son Nick—on a research trip to Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns, an ambitious farm-to-table operation located on the old Rockefeller estate in Pocantico Hills, New York. The trip left a lasting impression, not only on Ponzo but also on Nick, a film producer who had only dabbled in farming in the past. “I worked on a couple farms growing up, like, when I got suspended or something.” His experience at Stone Barns inspired him to pursue farming full-time, and now, as we walk together on the farm, he gestures to the thriving rows of vegetables and herbs, saying, “I just thought, ‘Do I want to sit in front of a computer for the rest of my life, or do I want to be here?’”
Nick Sorbara at Edwin County Farms. Photo: Claire Sibonney
He proudly shows off some of his latest projects—like the nepitella, a fragrant herb that Ponzo requested for future dishes, reminiscent of both oregano and mint. Outside the greenhouses, young fig, mulberry, and chestnut trees grow tall, the result of a root training technique Nick taught himself. The farm has become a lively hub for the Sorbara family—where Nick’s wife, Claire Telford, creates her eponymous natural skincare line and one of the hotel’s teas, using herbs grown onsite. On this bright sunny day, their three children can be seen running through the fields with other kids from the community as part of their alternative education (a private school founded by Nick and Claire).
Ponzo’s own passions have been diverse over the years—he once pursued a career as an electric bass player, earning a degree in jazz performance. These days, it’s scuba diving, from the St. Lawrence River to the Caribbean Sea. But closer to home, his focus has shifted to life on the land. In addition to running The Royal’s multiple restaurants, Ponzo keeps his own small farm nearby with his wife, Marlise, a sommelier, and their three kids. Together, they manage chickens, horses and about 20 beehives, with Ponzo’s honey making its way into the dishes and jars at the hotel.
Edwin County Farms is also home to honey bees raised by local beekeeper and queen breeder Julian Katz of Here and There Honey. Photo: Claire Sibonney
Today, Edwin County Farms produces enough organic produce to supply The Royal and other farm-focused County restaurants, including Flame + Smith, Theia and the Drake Devonshire. In addition to vegetables and herbs, the farm produces wood-fired maple syrup and raises pasture-fed chickens, Black Angus cattle and Hungarian Mangalica pigs—a rare, wooly breed known for its fatty, well-marbled meat, akin to “Kobe beef” in the pork world. Ponzo’s enthusiasm for these pigs began years ago when he attended a workshop led by Austrian butchers, and it led to incorporating the rich, flavourful meat into his menu.
Edwin County Farms’ pigs are raised in a cedar forest where they can root and forage to supplement their diet of organic vegetables and grains. Photo: Claire Sibonney
As we continue walking through the farm, Lucas, Nick’s older brother, gives a wave from his tractor, overseeing the larger agricultural side of the operation. He’s the one who handles the heavy equipment, managing the fields that produce hay and grains for their livestock. Kailey Bosch, the market garden manager, greets us too, her perky yellow mixed-breed dog, Fender, never far away. She offers a quick update on the state of the crops—it’s peak tomato season, and the heirlooms, in all their jewel-toned splendor, are clearly the stars. She also shows Ponzo the gezahntes, a lesser-known variety that’s perfect for stuffing. At this, the chef lights up, inspired by the tomato’s potential for a new menu item. “We can call them Zia Maria Pia’s tomatoes!” he muses, already thinking of the story he wants to share with diners.
Heirloom tomatoes at Edwin County Farms. Photo: Claire Sibonney
Later that afternoon at the hotel, I run into more of the family. Sol Korngold, the Sorbara son-in-law and general manager of The Royal, is there, still overseeing the fine details and design choices that saw the hotel’s nine-year transformation from ruins to regal. Passing us in the grand lobby, Greg, the former finance minister himself, carries a giant vase of his wife Kate’s colourful zinnias, freshly picked from their farmhouse’s front garden. And as evening settles, my friend and I make our way to the hotel’s elegant terrace, decked out with equally warm and cozy salmon-pink cushions.
The Royal Terrace. Photo: Jeff McNeill
As the sun sets and warmth filters through the trees, we find ourselves still savouring the afterglow of the farm’s essence, now beautifully plated before us. County G&Ts made with nearby distillery Kinsip‘s gin and local wines like Grange Pinot Gris and Closson Chase Chardonnay perfectly capture the spirit of this place.
The Royal hoteliers, former Ontario finance minister Greg Sorbara (right) and son-in-law Sol Korngold. Photo: Claire Sibonney
The meal begins with Venetian ricotta, adorned with the very fennel pollen we tasted earlier and honey from Ponzo’s own beehives. Next comes the burrata, served with heirloom tomatoes from the farm. The bread—sourdough made by former Fogo Island Inn pastry chef Sarah Villamere—has a starter named Francesca, whose story is as full of character as the bread’s flavour. A light, airy whitefish mousse follows, its origins dating back to one of the very first dishes Ponzo made for the Sorbara family.
Next up is casarecce pasta with Sicilian pesto and eggplant, a tribute to Ponzo’s childhood memories in Sardinia and his maternal nonna Maria . Meanwhile, the hand-pinched agnolotti, filled with peas, prosciutto, spinach, and ricotta, demonstrates Ponzo’s signature approach: simple, balanced and seriously delicious. A salad of lettuces follows, dressed in a sherry and mustard vinaigrette that cuts through the richness of the pasta. The crispness itself is a revelation—showing just how wonderful a simple, farm-to-table salad can be.
Not to be outdone, Ponzo’s famous wood-fired sourdough pizzas arrive, made with a starter from Copenhagen’s Baest restaurant. Finally, for dessert, he serves his classic cannoli—ricotta, lemon and chocolate—another nod to his nonna Maria and still made using her original molds.
As the evening winds down, I reflect on how every part of the meal—from the fennel flowers to the honey, and even the family stories—captures the heart of the farm: thoughtful planning, respect for the land, and a community’s shared effort. It’s a meal that lingers with me, with its satisfying perspective that lasts long after the plates are cleared.
