12 days: geese a-laying (merges)…

~ On the sixth of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me one of my favorite chefs in the country right now, Matthias Merges. Formerly the chef de cuisine of Charlie Trotters for more than a decade, Merges now owns his own restaurant, Yusho, in the Logan […]

Continue

12 days: geese a-laying (merges)…

~ On the sixth of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me one of my favorite chefs in the country right now, Matthias Merges. Formerly the chef de cuisine of Charlie Trotters for more than a decade, Merges now owns his own restaurant, Yusho, in the Logan […]

Continue

12 days: golden rings (franey)…

~ On the fifth of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Jason Franey of the storied restaurant Canlis in Seattle. Kostow and Franey first met in the kitchen at Campton Place in San Francisco, where both cooked under then-executive chef Daniel Humm.  Franey moved on with […]

Continue

12 days: golden rings (franey)…

~ On the fifth of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Jason Franey of the storied restaurant Canlis in Seattle. Kostow and Franey first met in the kitchen at Campton Place in San Francisco, where both cooked under then-executive chef Daniel Humm.  Franey moved on with […]

Continue

12 days: colly birds (brioza and krasinski)…

~ On the fourth of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, the second husband and wife team to cook at this year’s event. At a question and answer session at the Culinary Institute of […]

Continue

12 days: colly birds (brioza and krasinski)…

~ On the fourth of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, the second husband and wife team to cook at this year’s event. At a question and answer session at the Culinary Institute of […]

Continue

12 days: french hens (foss)…

~ On the third of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Phillip Foss of the restaurant ELideas in Chicago. When Phillip Foss left Chicago to come to St. Helena for the event, his ten-seat restaurant (which only serves one-seating each night), was under renovation.  When he […]

Continue

12 days: french hens (foss)…

~ On the third of the Twelve Days of Christmas at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Phillip Foss of the restaurant ELideas in Chicago. When Phillip Foss left Chicago to come to St. Helena for the event, his ten-seat restaurant (which only serves one-seating each night), was under renovation.  When he […]

Continue

12 days: turtle doves (shields)…

~ On the second day of the Twelve Days of Christmas at the Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me two turtle doves, one named John, the other, Karen. Husband and wife, John and Karen share the last name Shields.  Not only are they two of the most exciting and forward-thinking chefs in America […]

Continue

12 days: turtle doves (shields)…

~ On the second day of the Twelve Days of Christmas at the Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me two turtle doves, one named John, the other, Karen. Husband and wife, John and Karen share the last name Shields.  Not only are they two of the most exciting and forward-thinking chefs in America […]

Continue

12 days: partridge in a pear tree (anderson)…

~ On the first day of the Twelve Days of Christmas at the Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Scott Anderson from the restaurant elements in Princeton, New Jersey. Our day started early and ended late, especially for Kostow, who boarded a plane in New York yesterday morning after cooking at the Bon […]

Continue

12 days: partridge in a pear tree (anderson)…

~ On the first day of the Twelve Days of Christmas at the Restaurant at Meadowood, Christopher Kostow gave to me Scott Anderson from the restaurant elements in Princeton, New Jersey. Our day started early and ended late, especially for Kostow, who boarded a plane in New York yesterday morning after cooking at the Bon […]

Continue

foreign and domestic…

~ Last year, I quit the firm and lept into a brave new world.  Landing, unexpectedly, in an amazing suitcase party, I traveled, photographed, and ate around the globe, visiting nearly a dozen countries, and just as many states.  I thought I’d never have a year like it again. I was wrong. 2012 has been just as […]

Continue

foreign and domestic…

~ Last year, I quit the firm and lept into a brave new world.  Landing, unexpectedly, in an amazing suitcase party, I traveled, photographed, and ate around the globe, visiting nearly a dozen countries, and just as many states.  I thought I’d never have a year like it again. I was wrong. 2012 has been just as […]

Continue

review: sensationalist success… (lady & sons)

~ I solicited nearly a dozen of my most well-traveled friends for dining suggestions in Savannah. Without exception, every one of them – including a friend who forwarded me a fairly long list – told me I’d find very little there worth the effort. Go to Charleston instead, they urged. But I had already been […]

Continue

review: sensationalist success… (lady & sons)

~ I solicited nearly a dozen of my most well-traveled friends for dining suggestions in Savannah. Without exception, every one of them – including a friend who forwarded me a fairly long list – told me I’d find very little there worth the effort. Go to Charleston instead, they urged. But I had already been […]

Continue

travel: caricatures and meatsnacks…

~ Hurricane Sandy spurred an inspiring rally rise of support among chefs and restaurant industry folk in New York City. Overnight, Pete Wells, the reigning restaurant reporter at The New York Times turned his Twitter feed into command central for industry news and exchange (his coverage continues). Uptown, chefs, like Daniel Boulud, David Chang, and Gavin […]

Continue

travel: caricatures and meatsnacks…

~ Hurricane Sandy spurred an inspiring rally rise of support among chefs and restaurant industry folk in New York City. Overnight, Pete Wells, the reigning restaurant reporter at The New York Times turned his Twitter feed into command central for industry news and exchange (his coverage continues). Uptown, chefs, like Daniel Boulud, David Chang, and Gavin […]

Continue

preview: twelve days of christmas…

~ In September, while I was in Napa, I spent a fair amount of time at Meadowood Napa Valley, a Relais & Châteaux resort in St. Helena, and home to the three Michelin-starred Restaurant at Meadowood.  Although I have already written about my business in Yountville during that trip, I wanted to devote a separate post […]

Continue

preview: twelve days of christmas…

~ In September, while I was in Napa, I spent a fair amount of time at Meadowood Napa Valley, a Relais & Châteaux resort in St. Helena, and home to the three Michelin-starred Restaurant at Meadowood.  Although I have already written about my business in Yountville during that trip, I wanted to devote a separate post […]

Continue