Last night I attended a celebration for the 60th anniversary of the Relais & Châteaux group at the French Consulate in Manhattan. Cake was eaten and champagne was sipped as the owners and chefs of some of the top hotels in the country mingled beneath the floor-to-ceiling tapestries and crystal chandeliers. Very grand all in all and, happily, the food and fanfare of the occasion is continuing in cities across the U.S.
To celebrate their anniversary, Relais & Châteaux have been hosting special dinners at their hotels and restaurants around the globe and in October the festivities arrive in North America. You can see the entire calendar of dinners here, which include meals with chefs like Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Michael White. Here are a few I wouldn't mind sitting down to the table at:
October 7: Holland America Dinner at Camden Harbor Inn, Maine Host Chefs: Chris Long & Shelby Steven The Meal: 7 courses highlighting the food of Maine and dishes from the Dutch country side, paired with wines and views of the water
October 11: Dinner at Addison in San Diego, California Host Chef: William Bradley The Meal: 7 courses created in collaboration with French chef Claude Bosi of London's Hibiscus restaurant, with dishes like les oeufs with smoked mousse, cornichons and caviar
October 13: Dinner at the Fearrington House Inn, Spa & Restaurant in Pittsboro, North Carolina Host Chef: Colin Bedford The Meal: Grand Chefs Raymond Blanc, Gary Jones and Benoit Blin from Relais & Châteaux Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons will travel across the pond to collaborate on this dinner hosted on the garden terrace of this charming country property, where hors d' oeuvres and champagne reception will kickoff the 7 course tasting menu
October 14 & 16: Dinner at Daniel in New York, New York Host Chef: Daniel Boulud The Meal: Chef Boulud collaborates with chef Emmanuel Renaut of restaurant Flocons de Sel in Megève, France on a six-course menu inspired by the terroir of the French Alps, Renaut’s home, served alongside champagnes from Pommery
October 19: Dinner at Château du Sureau in Yosemite National Park, California Host Chef: Erna Kubin-Clanin The Meal: Kubin-Clanin will be working with Chef Tony Morwald to create a six-course menu of classic Austrian fare with wine pairings, with a cocktail celebration and dancing to boot, all with the gorgeous backdrop of Yosemite National Park
October 21: Reunion of Friends Dinner at the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia Host Chef: Patrick O'Connell The Meal: The Inn at Little Washington's O'Connell teams up with dear friend and proprietress of Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, Dominique Loiseau and her Grand Chef Patrick Bertron to create six courses with pairings
October 25: Fall Gastro Getaway at the Lake Placid Lodge in Lake Placid, New York Host Chef: Truman Jones The Meal: Not one, but three days of wine and beer tastings, culinary demonstrations, bartending classes and decadent meals at this beautiful property situated in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. The final event of the weekend will be a cocktail party and collaborative seven-course menu from Lake Placid's Truman Jones and guest chef Rafael Casin, paired with a Clos du Val wine.