The Finger Lakes region of upstate New York may be in a growth era. The area is forecasted to experience a boost from the breaking of ground at the nearby Micron Technology’s $100 billion-plus semiconductor facility (think: increased tourism and job opportunities). Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that cities in the Finger Lakes region will receive millions in funding for downtown revitalization projects. The Finger Lakes was also named Wine Enthusiast’s American Wine Region of the Year in 2025 (garnering attention for its Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and ice wines).
At the same time, this part of New York has long been an agricultural hub as a top producer of dairy, apples, maple syrup, and, of course, grapes. The Finger Lakes are also a nature lover’s paradise, home to 11 long, glacial lakes (hence the “fingers” in the name), hundreds of waterfalls, and thousands of miles of hiking trails. The landscape beckons visitors to play outdoors year-round with activities ranging from cross-country skiing to paddle boarding to fishing.
As for the hospitality scene, the norm has mostly consisted of modest accommodations (with the 26-year-old Mirbeau Inn & Spa being a notable exception). However, a new crop of luxurious resorts is blooming, such as the Inns of Aurora and the Lake House on Canandaigua.
Finger Lakes Hospitality Gets An Upgrade
The newest addition is the Skaneateles Fields Resort & Spa, a family-friendly property that invites visitors to enjoy the great outdoors with fire pits, putting greens, mountain bikes, snowshoes, and walking trails set on 100 acres of land. The resort also encourages guests to focus on wellness, equipped with a full-service spa, hot- and cold-plunge pools, outdoor saunas, and a yoga and wellness studio.
Part of Hilton’s Curio Collection and owned by the Woodbine Hospitality, a Central New York-based company, the property embodies its roots by spotlighting local craftsmen, artists, and farms that prioritize responsible and sustainable practices. Local craftsmanship by Artistry in Wood is on display, from the timber beams in the lobby to the guest room dressers. The curated artwork adorning the lobby walls is from Skaneateles’ Barrow Gallery, and includes art by 19th-century painter John D. Barrow, known for his Finger Lakes landscapes. The retail shop next to the front desk, called Fields Pantry, sells everyday essentials, such as hand-crafted soaps, alongside a collection of curated goods, many from local artisans and producers, such as maple salt from Tap Root Fields farm or gourmet chocolate from Fine And Raw.
It is, however, the farm-to-table, all-day Fields Restaurant that makes it a must-stop destination in the Finger Lakes in and of itself.
Fields Restaurant: World-Class Dining In The Finger Lakes
Fields Restaurant mimics the rustic-yet-elegant vibe reflected in the rest of the property. It features birch wood accents, a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows to invite in the outdoors, and nearly 100 hand-blown glass lights hanging invitingly above the bar.
During a visit to the resort, I sat down with Executive Chef Esperanza Guzman (previously of RPM Italian in Chicago, Otra Vez in New Orleans, Bondo at The ‘Quin House in Boston), to learn about her inspiration behind the farm-to-table culinary program.
Chef Esperanza says she can see the vision for the menu before she starts to build it. “Architects have to see the vision before they draw it, and for me it’s the same thing with cooking,” she says. “I see the food, I see the plates, and I see the people enjoying the meal even before I create the menu.”
The menu includes simple-yet-innovative dishes, such as homemade pasta with butter sauce, chives, wild local mushrooms, and pecorino; koji-preserved carrots with amaranth grain, greens, and adorned with local flowers; fresh-baked focaccia with cultured butter, black garlic salt, and pickled radish. Techniques such as pickling are used to preserve vegetables when they are not in season. Meats may be koji-aged, a culinary technique that dry-ages steak or pork in just a few days rather than the roughly 45 days traditionally required to give meat that tender texture.
The menu is born out of many iterations and experimentation. “There’s always been this itch for me of how I can make something better. There isn’t an item on the menu that I haven’t recreated probably 110 times,” says Chef Esperanza. “The focaccia could always evolve; the pasta could always change.”
The wine list, curated by sommelier Alison Ferretti of Vine & Voyage, is of course stocked with a variety of bottles from the Finger Lakes. The cocktail program, overseen by William Elliott of Maison Premiere and Tigre in New York City, emphasizes seasonal ingredients. For example, when plum blossoms bloom in Upstate New York in the spring, the bar offers a seasonal cocktail called the Spring Blossom, which uses ingredients such as infused New York vodka, a fruity bergamot liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon juice, local orange bitters, and a house-made plum cordial.
Focus On Sustainability: Partnering With Local Farms
Amazing food starts with fresh ingredients of course. Chef Esperanza plans the menu ahead based on which ingredients will be available locally. To do this, she partners with the property’s neighboring farm, Tap Root Fields, as well as other local producers such as Syracuse Salt Co. and Hudson Egg Farms. Tap Root Fields uses regenerative farming techniques, and Chef Esperanza says sustainability is a touchstone for her.
“I have a lot of nieces and nephews, and I would like them to have a world until the end of time,” she says. “That’s one of the reasons why I’m hyper-focused on sustainability. We compost our scraps so the farm can use it to nourish the soil, which then goes back into growing the vegetables.” Menus are created around the different harvest times, and she partners with Tap Root Fields to learn which crops will be available and what the quantities will be.
Jamie Hunt, product manager at Tap Root Fields, shares Chef Esperanza’s passion for growing food sustainably. “The regenerative farm that we’re creating [at Tap Root Fields] means we’re mindful not only of what we’re putting on our crops, but also what we’re doing on the entire property,” says Hunt. “How are we managing the water we use? How are we being mindful of what we’re putting the vegetables in after we grow them? A lot of organic farmers put their organic vegetables in non-recyclable plastic. There’s a bigger footprint that we want to encompass and be mindful of at Tap Root Fields.”
From supporting pollinators to upcycling municipal waste, such as fallen leaves for composting, to leveraging biodiversity for soil health, Tap Root Fields emphasizes growing nutrient-dense produce that tastes delicious in a way that also preserves the land.
Hunt’s own career spanned from being a chef to running a restaurant to working in food supply chains to the production of food itself upon joining Tap Root Fields. He says his background has helped him deeply understand the importance of delivering fresh ingredients to Fields Restaurant, as well as all the work it takes from farmers to get those ingredients there in the first place.
Hunt’s upbringing also shapes the work he does today. “My grandfather, being Italian, had a huge garden where he grew garlic and other vegetables,” Hunt recalls. “Food was always a part of our culture growing up; it was about getting together around the table and knowing where that food came from.”
Food: A Connection To People And Place
A memorable culinary experience is born from the creativity of the menu, freshness of the ingredients, an inviting vibe, and engaging service. For Chef Esperanza, food goes even deeper and is also a source of connection to people and place, which stems from growing up in Mexico and the Midwest in a big family that includes five brothers and sisters. The intention behind the cooking is important to her, as is cooking with passion, which she says is something that can’t be taught.
“Three people could make the same burger with the exact same ingredients, but one might stand out because of the intention and passion that went into the cooking process,” says Chef Esperanza. “The intention that the food is made with a lot of love and passion will always shine through.”
Her hope is that guests can taste the intention that goes into every aspect of the dining experience, and that they will walk away with more than a full belly, but also a lasting memory. “The thing that makes me feel most accomplished as a chef is that people really enjoy the food, and that Fields creates that special moment for the people who visit,” says Chef Esperanza.
Address: 1000 Mottville Road, Skaneateles, NY (daily shuttles available to the village of Skaneateles)
Website: skaneatelesfields.com