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Posts Tagged ‘3 Michelin Stars’

Eleven Madison Park Revisited

Posted 10 Jan 2017 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining

It’s always nice to start the year with a benchmark visit to an excellent restaurant. I never take for granted how blessed and fortunate we are to have the opportunity to explore the food, beverage, and service at the best restaurants in the world. The creativity is amazing and every visit results in deep learning and reflection that I take back to my classroom and to life in general. This year we begin with a visit to Eleven Madison Park. It’s a Saturday evening at 7:00 pm and we have a prime table reserved for six (a wonderful group of chef-friends I have known for 25+ years). When we arrive we are treated like royalty – everyone is. We waltz over to our six-top round and take our seats. It isn’t long before we settle in for an awesome ride. Being here feels like flying first class on a great airline or taking a ride in my neighbors Mercedes S63 AMG – its so well engineered and thought-out, the experience and environment are luxurious and exciting while also comfortable, and relaxing. Lighting is great, acoustics are refined, spacing is excellent (there’s plenty of room to move) and the company I am sharing is world-class. It’s so darn easy to settle in here.

It isn’t long before the food starts to arrive. First there’s the mystery box with a savory cookie. You have to interact with this item and open it to enjoy it. Next a sampling of delicate hors d’ oeuvres presented in a set of artisan wooden boxes – the boxes themselves are striking. When the caviar Benedict comes the simplicity and contrasting flavor and texture is pure culinary craftsmanship at its highest level (this dish was mind-blowing) not to mention the custom embossed tin the dish is served in. Every item we experience is exceptional – in many cases producing pure awe and joy. Then we visit the kitchen for a standing course while observing service in action.

The kitchen at Eleven Madison Park is the epitome of professionalism. It is so nice to see a spotless back-of-house running like a Swiss watch. Every member of the culinary brigade in production has a pristine chef coat and hat, the kitchen is immaculate, every station is organized; you can hear a pin drop it’s running so smoothly. Though Eleven Madison Park is inspired by the tenets and philosophy of Jazz, executive sous chef Brian Lockwood’s kitchen is more like a well conducted symphony its so smooth. I don’t overlook how hard this is to achieve and have a new benchmark for my own practice. Humbled is an understatement.

And so it goes throughout the evening – incredible food paired with a refined and precise eye for all the tiny details in service, service-ware, guest interaction, timing, temperature, and aroma. This is hospitality, luxury, and craftsmanship at its highest level and it brings me such joy to see how far our profession has evolved over the past 30 years. I send warmest gratitude to Chef Daniel Humm and his partner Will Guidara, Manager Billy Peelle, Chef de Cuisine Dmitri Magi, Executive Sous Chef Brian Lockwood and our Maitre d’ Todd Holtry. Thank you Eleven Madison Park for teaching us what the finest hospitality is supposed to be like.

Black and White – Savory Cookie with Apple and Cheddar

Celery Root with Black Truffle, Salsify with Garlic and Thyme, Parsnip Pie, Rutabaga with Celery and Walnuts

Caviar Benedict with Smoked Sturgeon, Ham, and Pickled Egg Yolk

Crab with Sea Urchin, Kohlrabi, and Apple

Foie Gras Seared with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon

Lobster, Butter Poached with Rutabaga and Pear

Striped Bass Poached with Fennel and Clams

In the Kitchen – It Takes Many Years to Grow Old Friends!

Kitchen Course:

Foie Gras Bon Bon – Pear Ginger Syrup Center, Candied Hazelnut Crust

Hermann J. Weimer “Noble Select” Riesling

Celery Root Braised with Black Truffle

Beets Roasted with Onions and Almonds

Duck, Honey and Lavender Glazed with Turnip and Huckleberry

Cheddar Tart with Apple and Mixed Greens

Pear Sorbet with Caramelized White Chocolate and Riesling

Chocolate “Name that Flavor”

Pretzel with Sea Salt

St. George Eleven Madison Park Apple Brandy Eau De Vie

Morning After! The Best Granola Ever – Thank you EMP

Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Avenue,

New York, NY 10010

212.889.0905

info@elevenmadisonpark.com

Tags: 3 Michelin Stars, Best Restaurants, Eleven Madison Park, Fine Dining, James Beard Award Winner, Michelin Starred Restaurants, Three Michelin Stars

Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville Crissier

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Posted 26 Aug 2015 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining, Travel

Lake Geneva is spectacular in the summer and Lausanne is one of our favorite places to settle in for a few days to walk the quay, cruise on a boat, and withdraw to the cooler Alps for a hike. The Canton of Vaud, where Lausanne is located, spans nearly the entire north shore of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) with a break above Vevey that leads up the E27 directly into the Canton of Fribourg, and the towns of Bulle, Broc (home of chocolatier Callier) and the touristy but delightful fortress at Gruyere. A perfect home base to explore, relax, eat and enjoy. We stop in Lausanne to get into the Swiss vibe, soak in the culture, and sample the local cuisine. Though I won’t provide too much about our other incredible dining experiences (yet), I do want to share a summary of our evening at Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville Crissier with Chef Beniot Violier and his wonderful wife Brigitte – theirs is a family business. When you walk in the entrance Brigitte blankets you in authentic hospitality and her perfectly groomed team warmly offers greetings with precision, professionalism, and the level of eye contact and delight that the best restaurants always radiate. There are four of us and we are here for Chef Beniot’s Grand Tasting menu of 10 courses with wine and cheese (2015, Menu No 18).

My interpretation of Beniot and Brigitte’s aesthetic is one of balance – menu items highlight local and regional ingredients from in and around Vaud at peak freshness. Sources are sustainable and grounded in ecological consciousness (something the Swiss have been doing for decades compared to the US). Techniques are modernist with moderation (no fancy gadgets or additives) yet grounded in tradition. His Bubble” of Paudex Tomatoes is a perfect example – a gorgeous vine-ripe peeled and cored tomato filled with a light tomato mousse, oil made from tomato seed, and glazed in a “melt-on-your-tongue” traditional aspic of perfect bloom (I hate aspic that fails to liquefy at or above 36.6c). Chefs’ cuisine also leans geometric including the use of vegetable ribbons as borders (see Rounds of Loctudy Scampi below). His style is uniquely his own. My pictures fail do to the meal justice (with apologies Chef Beniot). The meal was fantastic and Chef Beniot was a generous host whose kitchen was surgically clean and operating like a local precision timepiece. Enjoy the photos and add a visit to Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville Crissier to your itinerary the next time you visit Fribourg or Vaud.

Multi-colored light crab Veloute from Cap Frehel

“Bubble” of Paudex Tomatoes in a selection of Ocientra Imperial Caviar

“Mariniere” of Bouchot mussels from Mont Saint-Michel Bay with Mountain Saffron

Fresh summer porcini mushrooms “Aestivalis” and field mushroom with subtle

Vintage Porto emulsion

Golden brown Wild Turbot from les Sables-d’Olonne with citrus fruits and crushed start anise

Rounds of Loctudy Scampi, served in a delicate Colombard Rose jus

Prepared Roast rack of lamb from the hills of the Haut Var with Marjoram, Brive Violet mustard jus and potato “spirals”

Selection of fine cheeses

A Frozen duo of Luizet Apricots and Caramel almonds served with a hazelnut streusel

Fingers of Mara des Bois strawberries in Tahiti vanilla

Seasonal Mignardises

Post Script: Passing of Chef Viollier

I reflect back on my time with Chef Benoit Viollier with such joy though sadness at his tragic passing remains. The herculean commitment required to reach the level of perfection and acclaim achieved by Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville Crissier and others like it must never be taken for granted. Chef’s give their heart and soul in pursuit of perfection each and every night. Ours is one of the hardest professions in the world but also one of the most rewarding. Chef Violier was such a gracious host inviting us into his kitchen, assuring we had a translator, spending twice the amount of time with us than he had to. It was a blessing to spend time with him. I will never forget him nor will I ever forget his commitment and sacrifice.

Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville Crissier

Rue d’Yverdon 1, 1023 Crissier, Switzerland

+41 21 634 05 05

reservations directly on website

Tags: 3 Michelin Stars, Best Restaurants, Fine Dining Switzerland, Travel

Osteria Francescana, Modena, IT

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Posted 09 Oct 2012 — by S.E.
Category Fine Dining, Uncategorized

It has taken almost a year but finally we are on our way to Osteria Francescana after several days of floating with the crows in Florence. The mid-day drive up the A1 is gorgeous, lots of sun flowers and clear roads cruising at 130kmh. We make it to Modena in record time, park along the Viale Vittorio Veneto and walk to Via Stella just a few minutes away. Culinary curiosity sends waves of thought through my mind as we feel our way toward the restaurant with high anticipation after being invited for a visit nearly a year earlier. Massimo Bottura and I met in New York at the 2011 Starchefs conference at Park Avenue Armory. I had been tracking him since Osteria Francescana broke the top ten of Pellegrino’s 50 Best Restaurants in the World. In 2012 the restaurant is ranked 5^th (behind Noma, Roca, Mugaritz, and D.O.M. in Brazil).

When Bottura spoke at the Armory he waxed poetic about the food of his youth, of Cotechino sausage and chicken embryos. His deep rooted connection to the culture and foods of his native Emilia Romagna radiated authentically while he spoke. Behind him his assistants used syringes to drain chicken embryos while keeping the exterior membrane intact and refilled them with warm ham broth forming gorgeous little yellow ham juice bombs, a new take on an old favorite. My first impression then was that of a mad scientist evoking culinary emotion; the core theme of Starchefs in 2011. And now we are walking toward the restaurant.

The entry is tucked down a narrow side street and is subdued enough that you could walk right past it if it not for the polished brass signage. Inside the dining room is divided into two rooms with wide spacing between tables and lots of natural light. The first room is small with six tables and seating for twelve. Further back is the main dining room with seating for approximately forty.

Tables are double draped with pressed white linen and napkins and silver tubular single stemmed bud vases. A fair amount of thought must have gone into the design of the dining room particularly the scale and lighting. Light from south facing windows is diffused through frosted glass in some places and white muslin draping in others softening the glow in the room to a bright but muted glow. Chairs are upholstered in black leather and the walls decorated with framed black and white photos. It feels more like an art gallery than a restaurant interior.

From the moment we enter the front of the house team enrobes us with comfort. They know we are visiting for the first time, that we are American, that we met Massimo in New York, and that we have come to eat. Menus are presented as a formality so we can explore and discuss each item. Curiosities are explored, philosophy discussed and preferences defined. The quality of the food at Osteria Francescana would exceed my word limit but Bottura does a masterful job applying modernist techniques and interpretations to the traditional foods of the region. However the real surprise was the quality of service and the staff’s ability to draw us in and put us at ease. A defining moment came when we were asking questions about the menu and our options and our server stated “we are three Michelin stars but we are not a museum. We can make anything you like in our kitchen and would be glad to make what you want. It would make me very happy if you truly enjoy yourself.” We truly did enjoy ourselves and it was worth every ounce of effort it took to get to Modena. My favorite dish: Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano…put this dish on your bucket list.