Posts tagged "Trey"
Blue Hill at Stone Barns: My Staging Experience
I’ve never done a “stage.” Well…maybe as part of interviewing for a new position, but never to just hang out and learn or absorb what another chef is doing. About six months ago I started thinking about staging with Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. I’m not sure what prompted the thought, but I believe it had something to do with the creation of our TBL3 concept. My relationship with the farms we use, especially Chino Farms, has shown me the responsibility I have to use their produce with the utmost respect and I knew Dan was living this same reality, although on a grander scale. I wanted to go not just to see the food, but also to get a sense of how the relationship between a chef and the ingredients translated into a clear and personal culinary vision.
Read MoreLocal Lobster Season: A Bust (Part 2)
This is a note I sent to all our staff last week. Because this is the second year in a row that we will not be able to offer our popular spiny lobster tasting menu, I felt it was worth sharing in a broader context. "The spiny lobster season recently opened and once again the local community is being priced out of the market..."
Read MoreA Celebration of American Regional Cuisine at Craft, NYC
It’s cool how attention comes in waves. The last couple of years I’ve been participating in many local culinary events, but not much on the national scale. Then, within the same week, I’m invited to participate in two New York City events with a lineup of chefs that humbles me. The first event was put on by blogger/author Steve Plotnicki of Opinionated About Dining and the excellent Opinionated About U.S. Restaurants guidebook on September 14th at Craft, Tom Colicchio’s restaurant that just received three stars from the New York Times.
Read MoreWhy We Use Niman Ranch: A Reminder
One of the challenges of owning and running a restaurant is escalating food costs. My philosophy is that we do not change our standards. Instead we look for creative ways to manage these increases throughout all aspects of our operation, from how we control waste to how we purchase. After speaking with some of my colleagues who have changed all or parts of their Niman Ranch program, I started thinking maybe I should stop being so hard-headed and rethink the whole Niman relationship.
Read MoreTaking on the Bay Area with Jason Knibb
I just got back from a very quick eating trip to Los Gatos and San Francisco with Jason Knibb (of Nine-Ten). We flew up Friday afternoon and drove straight to Los Gatos for dinner at Manresa. I have wanted to eat year for a couple years and finally made it. The following day we started out at the Ferry Plaza Marketplace and ate our way through many stops, including a new favorite, Saison. What is interesting about San Francisco, a truly great food city, is how it is branching away from its predominantly Mediterranean/Italian vibe to a city with many different inspirations.
Read More
