Vive la France

Influenced by the many meals she enjoyed during her travels in the south of France, Liz Ostoich opened Farm Palm Springs to show how rich and healthy foods can divinely coexist.

“I love that you can go into any little village in France, find these great little restaurants serving healthy food, and each one of them looks like they’re on a farm,” Ostoich says. “We wanted to bring that idea here.”

Born and raised in Riverside, Ostoich has always been a foodie but didn’t come into the restaurant business until later in life. She was a land-use attorney for many years, and when she and her husband, Mark, became Palm Springs residents in 2012, she craved a new venture. “I call it my 50-year-old reinvention,” she shares.

Opening a wine bar sounded like a stellar idea — until Farm’s previous owner, Gabriella Oliva, decided to sell the business in 2016. Ostoich stepped in. She adored Farm’s Spanish-style courtyard in La Plaza, with its white picket fence and vibrant bougainvillea. “The place screamed for a European concept,” she recalls. “It reminded me of being in a small hilltop town anywhere in Europe.”

Local produce and eggs and artisanal meats became the stars of Farm’s Provençal-style breakfast and lunch menus. Prix fixe dinners, served Fridays and Saturdays, change weekly on the whim of the chef. Everything on the plate arrives fresh; there is no microwave or freezer on-site.

Ostoich still travels to France every few years. “Each time I go, I compare our menu to see how we’re doing,” she says. “It’s amazing to see the exact dishes prepared just as well over here.” 

Liz recommends

Hiking to see the wildflowers in spring. “When you get on the hills and trails here, you’ll be surprised by the different shades of purples, yellows, reds, and oranges.”