Kitchen Cooking Sessions...

Inspired from the book and PBS series; The Kitchen Sessions, penned by the late chef Charlie Trotter, this approach to cooking is paralleled with the types of jazz sessions that arose in the 50's and 60's as jazz musicians would step up to the mike on a dim lit stage for a small handful(or not) of folks and just jam. No real set list, no real format, just raw playing as it came to them for the folks that cared to show up to hear something amazing. Cooking at the chefs table is a lot like that, and in fact it is Charlie Trotter's inspiration of this jazz playing that inspired the conception of the chefs table theory in my kitchen as it did Charlie Trotter way back when. Our table has been in force for over 13 years. It is a style of unrehearsed, creative, "of the moment" passion that unravels before the guests. You are experiencing it as the creator is conceiving it. It doesn't get much better than that. When a artist is creating without borders or restrictions, it allows for something of sheer beauty. When it is confined, it is like a tiger in a cage...dead. Here are a few dishes that have transpired of late...more to follow.

heirloom tomato salad, orange zebra pave, baby sun gold, tomato sorbet, spanish gazpacho
buffalo mozzarella, smokey jal-turmeric vinaigrette, crispy potato

seared local foie gras, peppered nectarines, pistachio-smoked chocolate pancake
wild huckleberry gastric, pistachio dust

grilled alaskan halibut, baby zucchini ribbons, fava bean tapenade, arugula
sweet corn, cured lemons, sea urchin essence

seared swordfish plank, spicy glazed mackerel, quail leg lollipop
shiso, fennel, lobster mushrooms, potato noodles, black garlic
spicy pork dashi broth (not pictured)

pepper & cardamom crusted kobe beef strip loin sous vide
coffee roasted carrots, chanterelles, polenta gratin, cassis pearl onions
sage-cassis sauce

anniversary sweets
lemon posset, s,mores, salted caramel tart, white chocolate-lavender ribbon
peach cobbler, fruits, sorbets

spice crusted bison, lobster mushrooms, silky potatoes, walnuts
quinoa, purple cauliflower, caramelized garlic, walnut powder
black pepper-huckleberry sauce

heirloom tomatoes, shiro plums, french breakfast radishes, arugula
crab-lime salad, tunisian cous cous, plum-jalapeno dressing

seared foie gras, diver scallop, pistachios, nectarine-graham cracker tart
shallot-potato streusel, huckleberry-syrah vinegar reduction