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restaurants
Acadiana is a contemporary interpretation of a Louisiana ‘fish house,’ in keeping with Chef/Owner Jeff Tunks' passion for coastal delicacies, and capturing the true spirit of the bayou with its blend of Old World traditions and New World resources. It is the only fine dining restaurant in the nation's capital serving the cuisine of this flavorful region, inspired by the years that Tunks spent living and working in New Orleans. Together with executive chef Brant Tesky, he creates dishes that reflect the bounty of Louisiana in the finest of seafood and premium meats. Whether you opt for Acadiana’s Charbroiled Oysters with Garlic Butter, Parmesan Romano Cheese, and warm French Bread, or the New Orleans Style Barbeque Shrimp with Garlic Butter, Black Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, and Warm Bread [one of USA Today’s Top 25 Dishes of 2005] – just shut your eyes and imagine yourself in The Big Easy.
Located in The Capital Hotel, Ashley’s refines traditional Southern cuisine. Executive chef Joel Antunes seeks out the best fresh ingredients the region has to offer, from which he creates homey-yet-elegant dishes from Duck Leg Confit with Capital Bacon, Turnip Greens and Blueberry Jam to Mississippi Catfish with Purple Hull Peas, Blackened Cornbread and Pickled Okra. For dining flexibility and value, opt for the three-course prix fixe menu, with or without wine pairings; or the Chef’s Tasting Menu; the Farm Table for Two; or the nightly Chef’s Dégustation menu. Pastry Chef Tandra Watkins brings a sweet finish to all meals at Ashley’s and her special occasion wedding cakes, both of which marry her classical French skills with the foodways of the South. Ashley’s has earned the AAA Four-Diamond Award title since 2008, a distinction it shares with the Capital Hotel.
The first retail outlet for the down-home goodness of Louisiana native chef David Guas is Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery, a rustic ‘funkified’ southern-style hangout in Arlington, Virginia, featuring southern comfort fare and his signature desserts. Guas’ Cuban heritage [through his Havana-born father] inspires the barista-quality coffee service and tasty Pressed Sandwiches. His Louisiana country cooking shines in savory Breakfast Biscuits, House-made Gumbo, Pimento Cheese and his Muff-a-lotta, which was named one of the top 20 “Best Sandwiches in the U.S.” by Food & Wine in 2012. Hot Beignets and Chicory-Coffee Pralines are good-to-go, along with Guas’ more elaborate Pies, Puddings, and his gourmet New Orleans Sno-balls and sweet-n-salty ‘PorKorn,’ a bacon-tinged confection. Prior to launching Bayou Bakery, Guas enjoyed a highly successful career as a pastry chef: in 2004, he won the title of Pastry Chef of the Year from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington; Bon Appétit magazine named him one of eight "Dessert Stars" in the country; and The Washington Post’s restaurant critic wrote of his work, “I have yet to find a single dessert I can say no to.” Guas’ cookbook, DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style, earned heaps of critical acclaim. His comfortable, down home persona gets him regular invitations to appear on The Today Show, the Food Network and Unique Sweets on the Cooking Channel.
The BBQ Joint on Maryland’s eastern shore represents the dramatic mid-career transformation of former fine dining chef Andrew Evans, once known for his critically acclaimed Inn at Easton. Now a master of The Pit, whose competition team, Walk the Swine, is quickly climbing the ranks on the national BBQ competition circuit with a handful of titles already under its belt. Evans’ classical culinary standards are put to good practice through strict use of all-natural heritage meats, seasoned and smoked with proprietary techniques and accompanied by exquisite sauces and traditional homey sides. His lauded competition-quality BBQ has earned praise in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Sliced brisket, pulled pork, picked chicken, and smoked ribs have never tasted better. Eat in or pick up a ‘Quick Party on the Go.’ Evans and his catering team, complete with a food truck outpost, spread the love by bringing home-style American meals to fellow lovers of BBQ across the region.
Belgium is the bold-faced theme of this casual yet stylish hot spot of chef Robert Wiedmaier, a cavernous brasserie run in partnership with his old friend, chef Brian McBride. Modeled on a vintage Brussels train station with old railway clocks overhead, and featuring a large exhibition kitchen and oversized bar, Brasserie Beck transports diners to a wonderland of hearty Flemish cuisine. Here you’ll find a tempting array of mussel preparations presented by chef e cuisine Anthony Acinapura, from Classic White Wine to Spicy Red Thai Curry; Beef Carbonade [Beef Stew braised with Kasteel Bruin beer;] and a Cassoulet of slow-braised Lamb, Garlic Sausage, Duck ConfitPpork Belly, White Beans and Root Vegetables; along with extensive charcuterie and shellfish plates, and the area’s most comprehensive selection of Belgian beers – including some brewed exclusively for Wiedmaier. Esquire called Brasserie Beck one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” when it opened in 2007, and it remains a downtown favorite to this day.
A monumental neon-bright mural of George Washington’s face welcomes you in from Washington Circle to Burger, Tap & Shake, a no-frills / big flavor / counter service burger joint that shares a kitchen and draft beer program with its fraternal sibling District Commons. Virtually everything is made on the premises according to Chef/Owner Jeff Tunks’ exacting specifications, from ten varieties of house-ground custom-blended naturally raised Pineland Farms beef, to the toppings, sauces, and fries, right down to the butter toasted buns. The menu features “build your chuck by the buck,” ranging from choices like the classic Six Buck Chuck to the more adventurous Badger Burger with Pork & Veal Bratwurst. While you’re at it, quench your thirst with a small batch American draft brew – or a nice and naughty spiked Shaketail. Whatever your pleasure, grab it to-go or hang around.
The brief, confident, and straightforward menu of Ralph Brennan’s café b [in the Metairie neighborhood just beyond New Orleans,] offers refined American comfort food in an elegant present-day rendition of a retro bistro. Executive chef and general manager Chris Montero has devised a menu full of flavor – and flexibility: appetizers ideal for conversational style gatherings; superlative pastas and plates from the grill that lend themselves to sharing; and domestic boutique wines to complete the meal. Familiar, comforting dishes like Crawfish Potpie of smothered Breaux Bridge Crawfish Tails, aromatic Vegetables, Creole Seasoning, Tomatoes, and Savory Pie Crust and Pan Roasted Herb Chicken served with Coriander Carrots and café b’s famous Mac & Three Cheeses are elevated to a new level of American gastro pub refinement. The desserts of executive pastry chef Brett Gauthier seal the deal for a sweet finish.
Ralph Brennan’s café NOMA is modern design at its most delicious. The crisp white café interior is a cheerful and welcoming space that invites guests to enjoy light Louisiana Bistro Fare on hip, architect-designed lounge furniture. Executive chef Chris Montero offers a delicious variety of Flatbread Pizzas, Salads, Sandwiches, Charcuterie Plates, and Pastries – as well as Beer and Wine by the glass – to help guests recharge after a stimulating spell in the treasure trove that is the New Orleans Museum of Art. The atmosphere overlooking the lush beauty of City Park is calm and cool, striking and chic, bright and energetic. Inside and out on the lovely patio, Ralph Brennan’s café NOMA is the place to enjoy food for art’s sake.
The name ‘Ceiba’ pays tribute to the imposing umbrella-shaped tree found throughout the new-world tropics, and this elegant Latin-inspired restaurant in the historic Colorado Building brings some sizzle to the heart of the nation’s capital. The extensive travels of Chef/Owner Jeff Tunks and his partners are reflected in Ceiba’s dramatic décor, presentation, and contemporary Latin American menu – which is notably Yucatan (Vera Cruz and Cancun), Brazilian (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), Peruvian, and Cuban, in spirit. From an array of piquant Ceviches to ‘Moqueca Bahiana,’ a Brazilian Seafood Stew with Rock Lobster, Prawns, Calamari, Mussels, and traditional accompaniments, chef Matt Britt’s dishes transport you to a world of sophisticated tropical flavors. A sprawling lounge and glamorous bar offer plenty of space for relaxing with cocktails and savories. Ceiba was voted “Best New Restaurant” by the readers of Washingtonian magazine.
At the Charlottesville, Virginia Relais & Châteaux property known as the Clifton Inn, chef Tucker Yoder is creating exquisite American cuisine that would make Thomas Jefferson proud. Yoder is devoted to the bounty of fresh local Virginia ingredients, forging strong bonds with local farmers and artisan producers – and spending lots of time in the garden, himself. He divides his innovative menu into four categories: Delicate, Light, Full-bodied, and Robust, and offers choose-your-own tasting menus of four-to-six courses -- making the choices among the thoughtful, flavorful dishes [somewhat] less arduous... The “Light” options might include Wild Mushroom Risotto with Sherry Honey, Iron Rod Goat’s Cheese, and Lemon Thyme. “Robust” could be Roasted Squab with Stone Ground Grits, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pear Agrodolce. Yoder also offers a dedicated menu for vegetarians, and another for vegans. Save room for dessert and Yoder’s ever-changing selection of artisan cheeses; enhance each course with a wine pairing from the inn’s magnificent cellar – Clifton has been granted Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.
In a historic cotton warehouse that also once served as the nation’s western-most distribution point of alcoholic spirits, chef Cory Bahr, a 2012 Food Network’s Chopped! champion and 2011 King of Louisiana Seafood, honors his rural southern roots with down-home, no-nonsense panache at Cotton. His North Delta fare is the result of great resourcefulness and determined sourcing of the best local ingredients. Warm season dishes tend to be fragrant and delicate, looking toward Gulf seafood for inspiration; cool months bring slow-cooked earthiness, from smoky ham soups and richly herbed fowl to braised vegetables hailing from deep in southern soil. Year ‘round, Bahr’s signature Duck Fat Fries and Original Muscovy Duck Wraps with a Local Honey Glaze remain menu constants – by popular demand. Bourbon, the spirit linked historically to the premises, is still a mainstay of the house. Restaurant Cotton’s rugged vintage-warehouse atmosphere underscores the honest, old-fashioned goodness of it all – and is a cornerstone of the revival of Bahr’s hometown of Monroe, Louisiana.
The nation's capital welcomed DC Coast as a breath of fresh air when it opened fifteen years ago, and Chef/Owner Jeff Tunks' flagship restaurant has been a Washington institution ever since. Located in the city’s first Art Deco office building, DC Coast boasts a sleek, soaring interior and a stylish bar that is a perpetual downtown hotspot. Tunks’ modern American menu showcases the best of our country’s diverse coastal regions: mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and West Coast/Pacific Rim; executive chef Matt Kuhn’s Charleston roots provide a Low Country edge. DC Coast has been praised by Esquire, Bon Appétit and recently by Travel + Leisure as one of the 32 “Best Restaurants in the U.S.” Its award-winning crab cakes, which are considered by many to be the best in town remain a staple on the menu, along with Tunks’ Chinese Style Smoked Lobster.
Big, brassy, and teeming with life, District Commons is a casual, contemporary, American tavern that anchors its Foggy Bottom neighborhood with a warm welcome and deeply satisfying fare. Chef /Owner Jeff Tunks and his executive chef Alfredo Solis offer classic favorites like the Hanger Steak with Double-Fried Fries, and Mussels steamed in flavorful sauces. A rotating selection of fine Domestic Hams with Biscuits, Butter, and Pickled Cherries feature the boutique pork products of Alan Benton, La Quercia, and comparable hams from Virginia to Iowa. Pastry chef Chris Hutcheson ups the fun factor with other all-American treats like Root Beer Floats and Funnel Cakes, as does the nightly 10 o’clock bell signaling the $12 “Family Meal.” Nearly one hundred different small batch beers, twenty on tap, offer something refreshing for everyone.
Passion Food Hospitality’s latest venture Fuego Cocina y Tequileria located in the vibrant Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia is a temple of traditional Mexican cuisine serving authentic flavors and textures. Literally meaning “fire kitchen and tequila bar,” Fuego Cocina y Tequileria offers a finely tuned menu developed by co-proprietor and chef Jeff Tunks and Mexico City-native and chef de cuisine Alfredo Solis that balances earthiness and complexity much like the décor of the cantina-inspired restaurant. Tapping into his culinary heritage growing up south of the border, Solis has incorporated many traditional cooking methods and childhood favorites that define the culture and the cuisine of Mexico. Botanas, cold and hot plates to share dominate the menu, while daily specials and signature dishes such as Carne Asada and Braised Duck with Black Mole entice guests to return again and again. With food, drinks and a spirited atmosphere, Fuego tempts diners to indulge in boisterous offerings deftly balanced in the exotic and familiar.
Offering lunch and an extended Happy Hour Monday-Friday, Heritage Grill is the go-to spot for those who mix New Orleans business with pleasure. Located in Metairie’s Heritage Plaza complex that serves as a hub to so much of New Orleans’ popular media, Heritage Grill satisfies the range of luncheon whims from just-a-salad to full-mid-day-meal. The New American menu devised by Corporate Executive Chef Haley Bittermann and Executive Chef Steven Marsella emphasizes the flavors of New Orleans, in dishes like Duck & Andouille Gumbo, Baked Louisiana Crawfish Pasta, and the Grilled Shrimp Burger. An express lunch is available for folks on the go who don’t want to sacrifice quality: team up a soup or salad with a selection of favorites for a classic lunchtime combo; the restaurant’s signature dessert, a Warm Bread Pudding Brûlée, takes the edge off having to get back to work. Heritage Grill features select wines by the glass and Heritage cocktails – on Fridays, enjoy a 10-cent martini with the purchase of an entrée.
With the benefit of a truly expansive kitchen at Heritage Grill, Steven Marsella also runs the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group Catering operations from his headquarters here. The Grill itself is available for private parties 7 days and nights a week, a handsome and convenient space for business events as well as social gatherings. The Ralph Brennan Catering & Event Team can also help plan your special occasion at another location of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group family, or off-site at a location of your own choosing.
With the benefit of a truly expansive kitchen at Heritage Grill, Steven Marsella also runs the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group Catering operations from his headquarters here. The Grill itself is available for private parties 7 days and nights a week, a handsome and convenient space for business events as well as social gatherings. The Ralph Brennan Catering & Event Team can also help plan your special occasion at another location of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group family, or off-site at a location of your own choosing.
Full-Circle Chef Robert Wiedmaier is as avid a hunter and fisherman as he is a genius in the kitchen. Devoted to the classic old world techniques of his European training that use the whole animal and waste not a single bit of product, he is suddenly in vogue as ‘culinary sustainability’ at its best. Marcel’s, the haute French flagship restaurant that he runs with chef de cuisine Paul Stearman, regularly tops the best-of lists in the nation’s capital and was rated the top restaurant for food in Zagat’s 2011 Washington DC/Baltimore Restaurant Survey, as well as one of the top five restaurants for service. Its charming ‘old French’ interior and impeccable service puts diners instantly at ease. Wiedmaier’s Lamb Tenderloin wrapped in Phyllo Pastry with Duxelles, Baby Spinach, and Niçoise Olive with Cumin Madeira Reduction leaves traditional Beef Wellington far behind, and his ‘secret,’ off-the-menu Farmhouse Chicken has achieved legendary status among Washington insiders. He was featured on the PBS James Beard award-winning program Chefs A’Field, where he shared his passion to be a dutiful chef, respect for the product, and educated viewers on what it means to the ingredients you cook from their environment to the table.
In the artsy Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans’ infamous Ninth Ward, the hip, historic Rice Mill Lofts complex represents the transformative power of a thoughtful urban restoration. Now, at the heart of it, chef Ian Schnoebelen, one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Top Ten Chef’s in America” in 2007, has opened his second restaurant, Mariza, that welcomes its neighbors with honest, unfussy Italian cuisine that is inspired by the seafood of Venice. Here, Schnoebelen enhances Louisiana’s fresh local product with the flavors of the Mediterranean: a central raw bar serves Carpaccio of tuna and snapper, and hand-made pastas include such marvels as Squid Ink Linguine crowned with Crab, Shrimp, and Mussels. Salume is painstakingly cured in-house; Neopolitan pizza bursts with fresh, flavorful ingredients; and specialties like Whole Roasted Fish, Braised Lamb's Belly, and Hanger Steak vie for your appetito. The wallet-conscious wine list features Italian blends along with signature aperitifs, dessert wines, and ‘sippers.’ The old-school industrial space has been left open and in a raw state that is both casual, intimate and reflective of its edgy surrounding streetscape.
Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s Mussel Bar & Grille Bethesda evokes the roadside dives outside Brussels that he used to haunt in his youth, after-hours, with fellow cooks. Rustic wood paneling, big black board menus, live rock-n-roll, and black-and-white photographs of and by the chef himself make for a distinctly relaxing atmosphere. Besides the delectable selection of “Blue Bay” Prince Edward Island mussels [try the Wild Shroom with Pancetta, Parmesan, and Truffle Cream,] Wiedmaier, partner chef Brian McBride, and chef de cuisine Matt Hagan offer a tempting array of flat-crusted savory Belgian tartes – a northern European cousin of the pizza, and a dizzying selection of artisan beers. Hearty breakfasts are served on weekends. In April 2012, Wiedmaier launched a first venture beyond the nation’s capital: Mussel Bar & Grille by Robert Wiedmaier at Revel, the Atlantic City resort.
The first extension of chef Robert Wiedmaier’s illustrious culinary empire to reach beyond his greater Washington, DC domain is the Atlantic City rendition of his popular Belgian gastro-pub, Mussel Bar & Grille in Bethesda, Maryland. Inspired by his nostalgia for the simple pleasures of the gritty roadside taverns outside Brussels, Robert Wiedmaier's Mussel Bar & Grille at Revel in Atlantic City retains the edge but is elevated in all regards as one of the premier restaurants within the 6.3-million square-foot beachfront resort and casino. Beyond the signature Moules & Frîtes, seafood, comforting from-scratch Flemish fare, wood-fired tarts [the equivalent of a Belgian pizza,] and fine artisan cheeses and cured meats, Wiedmaier’s guests at Mussel Bar & Grille Revel have a choice of over 150 beers, both Belgian and domestic. They can also enjoy a dramatic view of the open kitchen led by chef de cuisine Dean Dupuis, live rock n’ roll, and a relaxed and playful atmosphere illuminated by monumental glass-fronted beer coolers and beer bottle hanging sculptures, and enlivened by Wiedmaier’s custom Bourget hanging from the ceiling.
Located in Northern Virginia’s popular Reston Town Center, PassionFish is the next generation of Chef/Owner Jeff Tunks’ flagship restaurant, DC Coast, taking its tri-coastal seafood theme to a global level. Tunks and his executive chef Chris Clime are passionate about sourcing a premier selection of seafood for their establishment, which features a spectacular raw bar and a dedicated sushi chef. The cuisine of PassionFish represents the bounty of the world's oceans, lakes, seas, and waterways, reflecting flavors and natural resources of the Mediterranean, Europe, Asia, and the Americas in dishes from Classic Peruvian Style Ceviche with Fresh Lime Juice, Red Onion, and Habanero, to a “Basket of Clams” – Crispy Fried Ipswich Clams with Butter Pickle Tartar Sauce, to a Fisherman’s Wharf Cioppino with Prawns, Clams, Mussels and Crusty Warm Garlic Bread.
Within the comfortable elegance of The Jefferson, Washington, DC, Plume is a shrine to haute cuisine. Executive Chef Chris Jakubiec resurrects classic recipes and endows each dish with a light and contemporary flair suited to 21st century tastes. His Bacon-wrapped Monkfish Grenobloise with English Peas, Fava Beans, Morels, and Lemon Brown Butter; and Lobster “Thermidor” with White Wine Saffron Glaçage, Dijon Mustard, Herbed Fingerlings, and Truffled Poularde seasonal Mushrooms, Potato Bonbons, and Baby Leeks are culinary marvels drawing inspiration from the fresh ingredients once harvested from Thomas Jefferson's own beloved gardens. The handsome interior of Plume, aglow in soft shades of pewter and white, underscores this influence with a panoramic mural of the grounds of Monticello. Plume’s cellar, honored with the "Best of Award of Excellence" by Wine Spectator, contains many of the vintages enjoyed by Jefferson himself, as well as many he likely would choose today. It also boasts the country’s largest collection of Madeiras – dating back to the year 1780.
Quill, The Jefferson Hotel’s elegant lounge, is elevating the art of cocktails in Washington, DC with expertly poured drink to accompany fine conversation.
Quill, The Jefferson Hotel’s elegant lounge, is elevating the art of cocktails in Washington, DC with expertly poured drink to accompany fine conversation.
The acclaimed cookbooks of Robert St. John – and his syndicated newspaper column – make us laugh, cry, and drool, sometimes all at the same time. From the man who coined the term “My South,” and whose cookbook of the same name helped spark a powerful culinary movement, comes The Purple Parrot – a restaurant whose refined yet playful focus places it firmly at the forefront of Contemporary Southern Cuisine. To start, the menu might offer the Pork & Egg: Niman Ranch Pork Belly with Tomato Marmalade, Brioche, Slow-poached Egg Yolk & ‘Foiellendaise.’ Depending on the season, you might have the chance to try Striped Marlin in Shrimp and Ginger Broth with Baby Carrots, English Peas & Kimchee and Pork Belly Potstickers. The care that St. John takes with each meal becomes a commitment that extends far beyond his restaurant’s walls: through his charitable organization, Extra Table, he works with Sysco offices to facilitate food donations from restaurants and businesses to local shelters.
In an elegant old building that has served as a coffeehouse or restaurant for all of its hundred-and-fifty years, Ralph Brennan has created a light and relaxed fine-dining establishment that does the legacy proud. Ralph’s on the Park, at the entrance to New Orleans’ City Park, offers a menu of locally influenced global cuisine, made from the freshest ingredients that the local fishermen, farmers, and artisan food producers can provide. Executive Chef Chip Flanagan, a native of the city, creates sophisticated versions of the hometown classics, like Fried Chicken wrapped in country ham, with crispy collards, red eye gravy, and red bean purée, and more exotic dishes like the ‘Disgruntled Shrimp’ – tempura shrimp teriyaki with a spicy chili garlic crème fraîche – making creative use of the local bounty. Desserts are the domain of Executive Pastry Chef Brett Gauthier, who offers up temptations like Meyer Lemon Mousse Cheesecake with citrus caramel sauce, and “Our Banana Pudding” with bittersweet chocolate and dulce de leche. Discerning publications from Bon Appétit to Wine Spectator have cited the fine cuisine, noble cellar, and exquisite service of Ralph’s on the Park.
Red Fish Grill is the go-to place for flavorful, un-fussy Gulf seafood in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Ralph Brennan’s funky-casual establishment at the gateway to Bourbon Street is set apart from the surrounding mayhem, but vibrant and spirited in its own right, bedecked with paintings and sculptures of colorful fish on just about every surface of its industrial-chic interior. Red Fish Grill serves up New Orleans classics as well as more exotic dishes of the freshest local seafood. The signature Hickory Grilled Redfish ‘on the half-shell’ is the restaurant’s worthy namesake, and the Shrimp Po’Boy has been voted the best in town. The BBQ Oysters have been named a “Most Memorable Meals” according for Forbes.com and the restaurant in itself was recently named one of the 2012 “Best Seafood Restaurants in the U.S.” by Travel + Leisure.
Located in Bethesda’s Wildwood Shopping Center, Wildwood Kitchen is a totally new concept for chef Robert Wiedmaier. As the sixth restaurant within his award-winning portfolio, the local bistro offers unique, modern cuisine influenced by the 23 countries surrounding the Mediterranean – an area distinctly south of the Franco-Belgian territory with which Wiedmaier is normally associated. Its emphasis on coastal offerings and farm-fresh vegetables cooked without butter or cream reflects the healthful diet of southern Europe and is bolstered by a strong wine program and classic cocktail offerings. Wildwood Kitchen offers a selective menu of eight appetizers, eight entrées and artisanal charcuterie and cheese selections. Appetizers and entrees range from Fresh Semolina Pasta with Little Neck Clams, to Slow Braised Lamb Meatballs with Potato Purée, Harissa and Shaved Rocca, and Bacon-wrapped Duck Breast with Chestnuts & Brussels Spouts and Tuscan Cauliflower.
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hotels
Tucked away on a quiet hill in Charlottesville, Virginia is the casually elegant Clifton Inn, a fine Relais & Châteaux hotel whose history, like so much in the area, is linked directly to the family of Thomas Jefferson. The stately main house and out buildings contain seventeen cheery and comfortable rooms and suites, all individually furnished and ranging in style from ‘chic colonial revival’ to ‘rustic elegance.’ The peaceful 100-acre grounds feature a croquet lawn, an infinity pool, and the area’s only clay tennis court. In the dining room, the exquisite American cuisine of chef Tucker Yoder highlights the bounty of fresh local Virginia ingredients, accompanied by wines from a cellar that would be the envy of Jefferson himself. The Clifton Inn has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence; the AAA Four-Diamond Award; the Exxon-Mobil Four-Star Award; and was named one of the South’s Coziest Inns by Southern Living Magazine.
The Crescent City’s first true boutique hotel occupies the historic Beaux-Arts building in the Central Business District that was once home to the United States’ first World Trade Center. In the same spirit, and true to the cultural crosswinds that shape the distinctive flavor of New Orleans, it exudes a worldly sophistication with a quirky local flair. The stylish bar, loa, whose very name means “divine spirit,” embraces New Orleans’ own special Voodoo culture with candlelit ambience. The resident “Spirit Handler,” Alan Walter, is the city’s acknowledged cocktail authority, with a relationship to drink akin to that of a fine chef to food. The lobby décor and staff uniforms observe the tropical ritual of changing to suit the season. Perhaps most enchanting of all, throughout the year the lobby becomes the setting for special customs and rituals peculiar to New Orleans, such as St. John’s Day in June, and Louis Armstrong’s birthday, in July.
With 96 exquisitely furnished and recently renovated guest room and suite accommodations, The Jefferson, Washington, DC enjoys a well-earned reputation as Washington’s finest small hotel. The Preferred Boutique property has achieved Four-Diamonds from AAA, Four Stars from Forbes, and the “World’s Best Award” from Travel + Leisure magazine, ranking it seventh Top Small Hotel in the United States. Condé Nast Traveler named it one of the eight Top Hotels in the World in 2012, the only U.S. hotel to be so honored. Since 1923, this Beaux Arts jewel has presided over the corner of 16th and M Streets, NW, catering to savvy Washingtonians and the world’s elite travelers. Rich in historical details, this downtown hotel is both European and Washingtonian in style, and inspirations from its namesake, Thomas Jefferson, are found throughout. It is home to one of the city’s finest restaurants, Plume.
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cookbooks
David Guas’ critically acclaimed cookbook, DamGoodSweet, Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth New Orleans Style [Taunton Press, 2009,] is a sweet travelogue devoted to the author’s hometown in the deep south. It was nominated for both a James Beard Book Award and an International Association of Culinary Professionals Award in 2010, and was hailed as Food & Wine Magazine’s “Favorite new dessert cookbook.”
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pro-bono efforts
Chefs as Parents, a professional chef-run non-profit, is making public school history by overhauling and servicing a school cafeteria in its entirety. Enlisted by First Lady Michelle Obama’s office in the war against childhood obesity, this group of Washington DC based chefs – all of whom are parents -- have come together to use their skills as chefs and as parents to transform the way schools are feeding children, one lunch system at a time.
Chefs as Parents has been accepted by the Office of the Chancellor/Office of Nutrition Services for DCPS to take over the entire breakfast and lunch program for Tyler Elementary School in southeast DC; the plan has yet to be implemented, pending additional qualifications. As a group, Chefs as Parents will continue to balance the food that children already enjoy with healthy and locally-sourced choices that they can learn to appreciate and love.
Chefs as Parents has been accepted by the Office of the Chancellor/Office of Nutrition Services for DCPS to take over the entire breakfast and lunch program for Tyler Elementary School in southeast DC; the plan has yet to be implemented, pending additional qualifications. As a group, Chefs as Parents will continue to balance the food that children already enjoy with healthy and locally-sourced choices that they can learn to appreciate and love.
Mission - To encourage Fairfax County Public School's Food and Nutrition Services (FCPS FNS) to implement the following changes: Increase the quantity of fresh, naturally-grown fruits and vegetables on a daily basis (e.g. salad bars); Eliminate highly processed food and replace with real food; Remove flavor enhancers like MSG, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed protein, etc.; Remove trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils) and fully hydrogenated oils; Remove artificial additives, dyes and preservatives; Remove high fructose corn syrup and limit excess added sugars; Provide cups of water or bottled water for free or at an economical price; and Provide organic milk as an option.
Since its creation in March of 2006 by Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney, the St. Bernard Project has been tirelessly addressing the physical, emotional, and psychological devastation of survivors of Hurricane Katrina, and more recently, the disastrous Gulf oil spill. The St. Bernard Project counts over 24,000 people from across the country among its volunteers, and together they have constructed or rebuilt close to 325 homes for families in need, providing them not only with places to live, but with the psychological counseling sometimes necessary to return to a life they once knew…even better!
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former clients
Restaurants:
American Sector – New Orleans, LA
August – New Orleans, LA
Besh Steak – New Orleans, LA
Catch at The Terrace – Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Catch Restaurant – Winchester, MA
Domenica – New Orleans, LA
La Provence – Lacombe, LA
Lüke – New Orleans, LA
Meson 923 – New Orleans, LA
Monkey Bar – New York, NY
Picholine – New York, NY
PS7's – Washington, DC
Seeger’s – Atlanta, GA
The Polo Restaurant – New York, NY
TenPenh – Washington, DC
TRUE Restaurant – Mobile, AL
Chefs:
Jason Andelman
Terrance Brennan
John Besh
Kevin Graham
Kurt Gutenbrunner
Kerry Heffernan
Kyle Ketchum
Mark Levy
Erik Loos
Kevin McCarthy
Robert McCormick
Steve McHugh
Steve Pernetti
Dean Maupin
Chris Parsons
Baruch Rabasa
Jason Robinson
Guenter Seeger
Alon Shaya
Craig Shelton
Jared Tees
Wesley True
Cliff Wharton
Books:
DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style
Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One
Stealing Magnolias: Tales From a New Orleans Courtyard
Hotels:
Aurora Inn
Brown’s Hotel – London
Cal-A-Vie – Vista, CA
The Capital Hotel
E.B. Morgan House
Excelsior Hotel Gallia – Milan, Italy
Grant Hotel Palazzo Della Fonte – Fiuggi, Italy
Grosvenor House – London
Hotel Bristol – Warszawa, Poland
Hotel de la Trémoille – Paris
Hȏtel Des Bergues – Genève, Switzerland
Hotel Eden – Rome
Hotel George V – Paris
Hotel Hana-Maui – Hana, HI
Hȏtel Plaza Athenée – Paris
Hotel Ritz – Madrid
Hyde Park Hotel – London
Inn at Dos Brisas - Washington, TX
Inn of the Five Graces – Santa Fe, NM
International House Hotel – New Orleans, LA
Lake Placid Lodge – Lake Placid, NY
Loft 523 – New Orleans, LA
The Roxbury Motel
Sandy Lane – Barbados
Soniat House – New Orleans, LA
The Chanler at Cliff Walk – Newport, RI
The King Edward – Toronto
The Lodge at Vail – Vail, CO
The Point – Saranac Lake, NY
The Watergate – Washington, D.C.
The Westbury – New York, NY
The Westbury - London
The Willcox – Aiken, SC
The Williamsburg Inn – Williamsburg, VA
Tourism:
Leading Hotels of the World (Advisory Board)
Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board
Louisiana Tourism and Cultural Development Committee (Media Advisory Board)
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu Katrina Fund
Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau
Southern Food and Beverage Museum
Events and Fundraisers:
Art of the Feast
Chefs Ashore
Country Music Television (CMT) Artists of the Year
Great-American Seafood Cook-Off
Iceland Food & Fun Festival
Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off
Pajama Party Inaugural Ball (Obama Inaugural Events)
Po’ Boy Power
Southern Foodways Alliance – Annual Dinner
StarChefs Rising Star Chef Gala – Washington, D.C.
Other:
Chefs as Parents
Ekistics
Interior Designer L.M. Pagano
John Georges Mayoral Campaign
St. Bernard Project