alice waters

Dario Cecchini to Prepare Special Five Course Meal at Mario Batali's Del Posto

Filed under: Dining

On Monday, January 24th, Mario Batali's Del Posto restaurant in Manhattan will feature a unique five course meal specially prepared by by Dario Cecchini, world famous butcher and chef, who will travel from Italy for the event.

"Dario is the Maserati of butchers, the Bob Dylan of the Tuscan cow, the Jimi Hendrix of juiciness," an enthusiastic Batali told Luxist. "There is not one person more integrally involved in the true Italian beef experience than this single heroic figure. He can recite Dante and sing Verdi while taking a half a cow down to individual portions in an hour."

Often referred to as the "Michelangelo of Meat", Cecchini has a unique philosophy of respect for each and every part of the animal. He works with whole animals, beef and pork, utilizing each cut to its greatest potential, transforming what some might regard as lesser cuts into tasty dishes. Dario's consideration for the entire animal follows his family's traditions-they've been butchers for over 250 years, and at home they prepared the cuts that clients weren't interested in.

Cecchini's passion, hospitality and expertise have won him recognition from the likes of Alice Waters, Anthony Bourdain, Jamie Oliver and Prince Charles. His butcher shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini and restaurants Solociccia, Officina della Bistecca and Dario+ in the Panzano village of Chianti, Italy, are well-known culinary destinations for food-lovers from all over the world.

The evening on January 24 will begin with a cocktail reception from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm featuring Del Posto Executive Chef Mark Ladner's selection of passed assaggi (hors d'oeuvres), Bellinis and Fontodi Chianti.

Guests will be seated at 8:00 pm in the Piemonte room at Del Posto for the five course meal.

Gallery: Mario Batali's Del Posto

A view of the interior of Del Posto from the lounge

Tags: Alice Waters, Anthohy Bourdain, Dario Cecchini, Del Posto, dining, dining out, Jamie Oliver, Mario Batali, Mark Ladner, Prince Charles

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Chez Panisse Tableware

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When it comes to high end dining, most consider the food, rather than the tableware. At Berkeley's Chez Panisse, chef/owner Alice Waters worked with Heath Ceramics to design custom place settings. Her reasoning was that since her food was locally sourced, her tableware should be, too. While you can buy the full range of Thomas Keller's tableware, Heath Ceramics has only released a 4-piece set, along with some serving dishes, for home use from their Chez Panisse Collection. The set is available in a neutral almond/ginger color. Price: $146.

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Tags: alice waters, berkeley, ceramics, chez panisse, ChezPanisse, dinner, dinnerware, heath ceramics, placesetting, plate, plates, serving, tableware

Taste3 Mondavi Conference

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine, Events

This summer the Robert Mondavi Winery is holding a new conference, Taste3, which will bring together wine, food and the arts. The conference will take place in Napa, California from July 13-16 at Copia: The American Center of Wine Food & the Arts. The list of people tapped for the conference are widely eclectic, ranging from Austrian crystal designer Georg Riedel to archaeological chemist Patrick McGovern and Leo McCloskey, founder and president of Enologix, a wine consultancy that uses chemistry to predict taste score. There will be winemakers, scientists, writers and sommeliers and even Robby Barnett, the artistic director of the dance troupe Pilobolus. The conference will feature a variety of chefs such as Alice Waters and Thomas Keller. The event will include epic dinners at famous Napa Valley wineries such as Harlan Estate, Quintessa and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and the most anticipated meal, the Great Chefs of Robert Mondavi Winery Alumni Dinner on Saturday, July 15, in which some of the world's most famous chefs will create dishes paired with special anniversary selections from Robert Mondavi Winery's wine library. The conference will end on July 16, the 40th anniversary of the Oakville winery. Taste3 costs $2,350 per person.

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Tags: alice waters, celebrity chefs, mondavi, napa, riedel, taste3, thomas keller, wine conference, winery