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Steeped in viticulture history, Bordeaux embodies the true harmony between nature and cuisine. From the field to the plate, I believe this journey represented the basics of cuisine and the bond between man and nature. While I did not have the opportunity to work along side Chef Palladin, I have always held deep admiration and respect for his accomplishments in redefining and modernizing French cuisine in the Americas. I thank Jean Luis Palladin, Ann Brody and Clint Arthur from the bottom of my heart for giving me a trip that embodied his spirit and generosity. My mentors, Chefs Charlie Palmer, Philippe Rispoli and Vincent Pouessel, have had such an impact on my culinary career, skills and philosophy; I thank them for believing in me and shaping me into the Chef I am today. I am eternally grateful for the memories and new found friendships I built in Bordeaux with Christophe and Sophie Chateau and their children, Jean Pierre Xiradakis, Michael Rossi, Dennis Stella, Jeffrey Lizotte and most of all Sarah Kosikowski, I will cherish this experience and nourishing ideal forever.
June 10, 2007
The dry desert landscape was replaced with mountain vistas, prairie fields, cityscapes and miles of ocean. The flight not only offered a geographic overview of America but allowed me to reflect upon the journey ahead. The anticipation of this trip had been building for weeks. As a sous chef, at Charlie Palmer’s Las Vegas Aureole, being awarded the Jean Luis foundation internship in Bordeaux, France was an honor and opportunity of a life time. This joint internship represented the ideology and appreciation of fine food and wine by the late Chef Jean Luis Palladin and the Cote de Bordeaux Wine producers Association. The focus of the days ahead would fuse cultures, educate and help us to build a new relationship and respect between food and land. At this point in time I was not aware how much a major impact this experience would have on me, both from a personal and professional perspective.
June 11, 2007
After fourteen hours of traveling and the nine hour time difference we landed in Bordeaux, France on the following day, late Monday, June 11, 2007. Our host, Christophe Chateaux, Director of Cote de Bordeaux, his wife Sophie and their four children welcomed us into their home. Christophe’s mission to educate and expose the world, to the premiere wines available in Bordeaux would be our focus over the following days to come.
Our immersion into the French way of life began immediately as we joined Christophe and Jean, the owner of L’estaquade restaurant. A local favorite, this rustic restaurant mounted on stilts overhangs the Garonne river. Christophe and Jean paired each plate with a selection of premiere Bordeaux wines. The table overflowed with the freshest catches of the day, along with cuttlefish in garlic and parsley butter, tuna tartar and assorted freshly baked desserts.
Our evening was capped off with a visit to La Tupina in the heart of Bordeaux where we were re-acquainted with Chef Jean Pierre from our visit to New York in May. His award wining restaurant prepares classic rustic French food on an open coal burning hearth. We sat for a quick visit with Jean Pierre and Jeffrey Lizotte, last year’s Jean Luis Palladin internship winner who traded his apron at New York’s Le Bernadin for a year of experience with Jean Pierre at La Tupina. The first day was the beginning of many snapshots into life in and experiences in Bordeaux
June 12, 2007
Over the next few days, we would get acquainted with terms like vinification, maceration, fermentation, vat time and aromas, while tasting premiere vintages in all the Cote de Bordeaux regions.
Our first day in the vineyards began with a drive in the appellation of Cotes de Blaye. Cotes de Blaye is situated on the right bank of Gironde, some fifty kilometers downstream from Bordeaux. The word cotes translates to slope in English, describing the lush hillside vineyards with excellent south or south east sun exposure resulting in high quality grapes. This region is known for its premier red and white wines grown on clay and gravel soil.
Our first stop, Chateaux domaine des Graves D’Ardonneau was a family run and third generation of winemakers with a heritage dating back to 1763. The sunny skies were left behind as we were guided through the darkly lit cellars filled with French and some American oak barrels and stainless steel vats. Madame Rey and her son Laurent shared their history, method of production and areas of distribution. We finished our tour in the tasting room, swirling, swishing, savoring and comparing several varietals and vintages of their premiere cote de Blaye. The vineyard was spread out over 34.7 hectares of vines comprising of sauvignon, colombard, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc
Christophe’s colleague and counterpart from Blaye, Jean Lissaque joined us as we navigated through the country roads and reached our destination, lunch at Au Sarment. This transplanted Chef from the Caribbean fused the flavors of his homeland and French cuisine for a truly amazing gastronomic experience.
The outside patio of weathered stone, flowing bougainvilleas was welcoming and relaxing. Our feast began with la degustation de fois gras, la charlotte de homard with Chantilly a l’oignon rouge and several other tasting plates. The Wine was masterly paired to accompany our main dish of locally caught fish. A parade of amazing desserts arrived; chocolate tasting, les peche soufflé, the sorbet peche de vigne and the largest millefeuille a la nougatine topped with crème caramel et glace confiture de lait. Each course was paired with wines from local vineyards that not only complimented the food but showcased the wine maker’s talents
Our vineyard tours resumed with a leisurely visit to Chateau Dubrand. Owners Alain and Celine Vidal joined Christophe, Jean, Sarah and I, as we were interviewed by a reporter from haute Gironde, the local Blaye newspaper. After questions were answered we all gladly posed in the vineyard for a photo opportunity that graced the cover of Blaye Gironde newspaper later that week.
Sarah and I joined Alain and Celine Vidal for a tour of their cellars. Tasting premieres cote de Blaye Blanc, made from sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle grapes. Premiere cotes de Blaye rouge made from merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Our favorite was their Bordeaux Claret comprising of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.
Christophe left us with Jean for the afternoon and headed back to Bordeaux to plan for his hectic Vin Expo agenda. The response to his planned events was so successful that he was challenged to run two outdoor dinners at the Vin Expo Bordo Mundo. Jean gladly took us off Christophe’s plate and after a relaxing ride in the countryside we arrived in the center of Blaye. Walking around the perimeter of the town’s gated Citadel; John shared with Sara and me, the historic significance of the fortress and some interesting facts regarding the area.
The afternoon gave way to endless photo opportunities of statues, canons, vineyards and Chateaus. With countless stories, facts and figures under our belt, Jean wheeled us into the vineyard of Château Continot where owners Florence and Yann Boucasse greeted us with open arms. This was our first opportunity to actually stay at a Chateau, break bread with the family and have a laid-back stroll in the vineyards. We joined Flo in the field as she demonstrated how they tuck the vines under the wire and explained the significance of this practice and how it helps the growth of the vine. Their commitment to producing premiere cote de Blaye wines is very apparent with their state of the art technology, temperature controlled environments and their passion for winemaking.
This family also deserves several stars for their hospitality. After tasting numerous vintages from their own vines, Flo and Yann’s dinner guests, also winemakers, treated us to stories and what seemed like an endless tasting of premiere wines. Snapping off heads and eating gris Crevettes from the local river was the starter for our dinner. Yann’s quick witted sense of humor and interesting perspective on George Bush and Robert Parker was the highlight of the evening next to Flo’s delicious cheese soufflé. We sat with our new friends laughing and sharing experiences until the wee hours.
June 13, 2007
The next morning, we awakened to the sound of a rooster and the blazing sun, soon to be overshadowed by the drizzling rain. Nothing could dampen our spirits as we headed out to Cape Ferrer. A couple side trips took us into Blaye on a windy ferry ride and a shortcut through the Medoc region. We stopped for a roadside photo opportunity at Chateau Charles Palmer, the Chateaux with the same namesake as my boss noted American chef Charlie Palmer. A little jaunt down the road, Châteaux Margeaux was our next stop. This fairy tale like Chateau stood amongst the old oaks; Chateau Margeaux was a breathtaking site as we took a brisk walk around the famous grounds. Accompanied by Christophe’s cousin we snapped many photos as a keepsake memory of this most famous institution.
Our shortcut through Medoc saved pavement and time as we arrived early to our seaside destination. When we arrived at Cape Ferrer it was evident that oyster farming and vacationing were the two main attractions and livelihood for this area. The mist from the ocean, and the salty air helped us build up our appetites for lunch at L’Escale located on the boardwalk. Over lunch Christophe shared childhood stories and accounts of bringing his own children to this lazy seaside oasis. Chef de cuisine, R. Espaignet showcased fresh fish from the ocean and local produce. Christophe masterly paired wines as we dined on the catch of the day, oysters from the a local oyster farm, bullots with aioli, cipion in squid ink, duck fat cooked French fries and a parade of decadent desserts. The trip to the cape focused on the value of using the freshest ingredients with minimal preparation re-emphasizing the true connection between nature and man.
Later that evening the dreary weather was soon replaced by a roaring fire and the warm glow from the coals of the open hearth at La Tupina. Christophe and his wife Sophie joined Sarah and I at Jean Pierre’s private table. Jean Pierre selected each dish and wine with great care as we enjoyed stories about his old friend Jean Luis Palladin. Jean Pierre’s rustic style of cooking mirrors the same philosophy of using only the freshest ingredients with simple cooking techniques. French fries cooked in duck fat, Poelee d’oeufs a la tomate, braised beef, and boudin noir baked chicken blood, a true delicacy. With our forty years in the restaurant business, and voted as one of the best bistro’s in France it truly is an amazing experience to dine and bond with such a talented Chef like Jean Pierre Xiradakis.
June 14, 2007
On Thursday we visited two new appellations; Cote de St. Emillion and St. Castillon. White tents from the Vin Expo celebration reached out from the cities boundaries, to the sidewalks of this postcard perfect town of St. Emillion. Joined by Christophe’s stagier; Etain, we made our way to Chateau Terrason owned by Marie Jo and Christophe Trasseau. Mary-Jo’s culinary skills were challenged as she prepared delicious vegetarian dishes that were equally paired with wine selections from her vineyard and her winemaking friends. Chateau Terrason’s wine is made using a combination of grapes from her vineyard and other vineyards in the neighboring area.
Topics such as vine planting, grape varietals, the weather and insects, all real life circumstances that the winemakers face on a daily basis and have such an impact on their final product. Every Chateau we visited, the owners shared their successes and realities of running a full production vineyard, offering knowledge and insight into the world of winemaking not attainable by reading a book
Grassy knolls and rolling hillsides were the backdrop to our next stop, Chateau Blanzac home to award wining wines and a horse riding academy. As we sat in the drawing room of their stately estate with the owners and our new lunch time friends, we listened to their wine making stories and fielded many a question on life in America. After a leisurely stroll around the estate our new friends sped us away in a cloud of dust for a ride in the St. Castillon countryside.
After countless fascinating renditions of re-enactments and historical tidbits, the gals drove us down the winding tree lined road of Chateau Pitray our destination for the evening. Madame de Boigne greeted us with open arms and gave us a tour around the stone castle. Steeped with 600 years of family history, Chateau Pitray sits on 100 hectares of land and had been labeled by everyone we spoke to, as the “sleeping beauty castle”. Keeping with noble tradition this breath taking castle is completely surrounded by a forest of trees as to block out any unwanted views of the 37 hectares of vineyards.
Sarah and I found ourselves in many a “pinch me I can’t believe this is really happening” moments as Madame de Boigne proudly escorted us throughout the castle and onto the well manicured grounds.
Using what seemed like ancient metal skeleton keys she opened the heavy wooden door and gave us a tour of her son Nicolas’s private wine cellar. The collection included bottles from the likes of Chateau Pommeroy, La Fitte and Petrus to name a few of this much coveted wine collection.
At the helm of this family owned estate and winery are Madame de Boigne’s two sons, Nicolas and Jean both hands on business men and winemakers. We completed our tour of the grounds with a glass of frambroise and blush wine in the main parlor of this four story stone castle. Later that evening we joined Madame de Boigne and her son Nicholas to a delicious dinner in a mahogany walled family dining room. The table was elegantly appointed with silver and wine decanters. Nicolas gave us a full account on the many Pitray wines that we tasted and his biggest surprise was a bottle from the renowned, Chateau Palmer estate. As we ate an incredible dinner prepared by their private cook we sat in silence and listened to family stories and descriptors to the many museum quality artifacts and paintings that appointed their home. We topped off the evening by sitting on the front stone porch sipping on Armengac and listening to the orchestra like sounds from the resident frogs.
June 15, 2007
Awakening in a castle turret is somewhat dreamlike and gives way to thoughts of staying put forever, but our reality check was soon to burst as our new day was to unfold. After an amazing tour of the wine casks and cellars we drove off the property with three deer leaping alongside Christophe’s car.
A visit to the oldest cooperage in Bordeaux was fascinating. Boutes, tonnellerie de France located on the outskirts of Bordeaux has been an integral part of the wine making process since 1880. Giving wines their rustic tannins and transferring oak aromatic profiles the barrel is no longer viewed as just a container but is an integral part of the maturing process and improves the character of the wine. We watched in awe as the aged wood was cut, stressed with metal straps and toasted on the open fire. After numerous steps performed by skilled laborers, the barrels were scanned by the computer, logos wood burned and graded to ensure that they met the criteria and specifications.
We were joined on our cooperage tour and at our next destination at Chateau Malherbes by the students from the Cote de Bordeaux certification program led by Wendy Marby. The rich soil, outstanding sun exposure and the sustainable wine making approach garners this estate premiere award wining wines year after year. Perched on a hill overlooking the Bordeaux skyline, Wine makers Clare and Jean Pierre Sancier are known for t heir sustainable farming and as “green” as they can approach to farming their vineyards under the “green” banner as much as they can. After a gourmet lunch paired with wines from his estate, Jean Pierre walked us through the vineyards and throughout the cellars. He shared with us his vision and approach to wine maturation and ratio of vat to barrel, like a good recipe the formulas were precise.
A tour of the estate was concluded with a short slide show and lecture on Cote de Bordeaux, its mission, vision and information on each of its appellations.
That evening was the first of Christophe’s Vin Expo events, the Bordo Mundo. This event was one of many that the Cote de Bordeaux Association that Christophe and the association’s president would host during the week of Vin Expo, this tented restaurant was located in the heart of central Bordeaux on the edge of the Gironde River. This evening was a dry run and opportunity to welcome guests who could not attend on the upcoming Monday. The guest list received as much attention as the well selected wine list and the tents were full to capacity. Michael Rosso the winner of the Jean Luis Palladin internship year two, joined Sarah, Christophe and myself for a night to remember. Nicolas de Boigne our host from the evening before, also a member of the association joined us and took the opportunity to meet other fellow members of the association. Our dinner was exceptional with the highlight was a huge piece of the famous Beef from Bazas. The evening was capped off with the arrival of a wooden ship from Acapulco. Its large masts were peppered with crew members singing their national anthem – a memorable sight. Tonight and for the remainder of our visit we would be staying at Sophie’s mothers Bordeaux apartment. The generosity and welcoming spirit of our hosts was exceptional.
June 16, 2007
Our main focus for the day was a casual trip to Bordeaux’s Saturday market to purchase food for our cooking extravaganza scheduled for the following day. Our guide, Jean-Pierre, led Christophe, Michael, Sarah and I through the stalls as we inspected meat, tasted fresh oysters and selected the fresh fish of the day. The highlight was stopping at Jean Pierre’s fish vendor and selecting an 80lb Majeure for the next day’s dinner. Our exposure to the French Market experience left us with a picture perfect postcard shot of stalls brimming with colorful vegetables and products from the local area and the waffling smell of freshly baked bread. Arms full with oysters, shrimp, Mar de bois, foie gras, duck proscuitto, brioche and bags of fresh vegetables we made our out of the market envious and proud of our shopping experience.
No menu would be complete without a selection of cheese. We made our way to shop owner and master fromager. Jean d’Alos’s cheese cave. This 150 year old establishment was overflowing with fresh eggs, cream, yogurt and yes, the largest selection of cheese I had ever seen. Our cheese selection comprised mostly of fromage not available to us in America, unprocessed cheeses with many forms of preparation and flavor profiles, an amazing treat and welcomed addition to our menu.
Sarah and I left Christophe and Michael and continued shopping in the city center. After a leisurely lunch in downtown Bordeaux we walked around the downtown core snapping photos of signs, people and architecture. Being off on our own was a delightful opportunity to practice our French and navigated around the city.
That evening we went to an event at Vin Expo, the award dinner for the Grand Wine Awards. The ceremony was held at the Bordeaux Casino located on the Vin Expo site. Both residents of Las Vegas, Sarah and I were shocked at the low key, lack luster style of the casino. The only familiar and common sound was that of the slot machines. Tasting wines on a patio overlooking Vin Expo exhibition was truly breathtaking. The Citadelles du Vin grand wine tasting award dinner, showcased and awarded 1,466 wines from 32 countries and were tasted by a panel of judges several days prior. Some of these award wining wines were paired with our dinner selections. As we closed our casino experience for the evening, we watched in delight as our new friends from the Irish Rugby association took their chance with lady luck and won some euros at the slot machines.
Michael, Sarah, Christophe, Sophie, their friends and I made our way to the Bordeaux city center Vin Expo food fair. There we topped off the evening, listening to festive carnival music while sipping on Mexican Mojitos- truly a memorable Bordeaux moment.
June 17, 2007
We awakened to a dreary drizzly day, the perfect kind of day to stay indoors and cook. Christophe’s father, Philippe picked us up and took us to the supermarket to get some last minute groceries that we needed to prepare our dinner. The supermarket was an truly amazing, aisles and aisles of cheese, meats and fresh vegetables. With the freshest ingredients available, it is apparent why the French shop daily and produce some of the most amazing gastronomic selections. On the drive over to Christophe’s parent’s home, we stopped at his dad’s favorite oyster roadside stand. Straight from the seaside of Cape Ferrer that morning, these oysters were fresh and had the lingering ocean air smell.
Today’s dinner was a celebration of Christophe’s mother’s birthday, father’s day and our opportunity to thank everyone for their hospitality. Joined by Christophe’s writer Caribbean friends the group was delighted with our American-French style of fusion cooking. In a nut shell, the freshest ingredients minimally cooked.
The spotless kitchen soon gave way to Michael, Sarah and I as we unpacked our groceries and started to prepare our mise-en-place. Soon after, Dennis Stella, also a Jean Luis Palladin winner from the year prior, joined us in the kitchen. Our menu soon took shape and the celebration began.
Menu
Canapés – prepared by Anne and Dennis
Potato latkes with Duck pate
Majeure sashimi with fresh ginger
First course prepared by Dennis
Shrimp and ginger bouillon, basil butter, pickled peaches, ginger foam
Second Course, prepared by Anne
Poached oysters and scallops, piquillo and piment d’espellette cream sauce with a leek fondue
Third Course, prepared by Anne
Seared Foie Gras Club
Carpaccio of tomato, Arugula, brioche, truffle mayonnaise, duck proscuitto, crispy pancetta
Fourth course prepared by Michael
Pan seared herb roasted Majeure
Leek and potato fricassee, fish sauce
Assortment and selection of fresh cheese
Baked fresh bread
Sweet Course, prepared by Sarah
Cornmeal Financier
Fresh berries, brown sugar crème fraiche, balsamic reduction
2nd sweet course - small bites
Root beer marshmallows, malted milk chocolate pot de crème with malt balls,
Cocoa Krispie treats with butterscotch and toffee ice cream sandwiches.
Selecting the freshest ingredients on our shopping excursion afforded me the opportunity to play with flavors and textures, fresh scallops with attached livers are rarely, if at all available to us in Las Vegas. I was able to infuse my cream sauce with scallop livers, therefore, resulting in a thicker and robust sauce. My version of the foie gras club sandwich was spawned after talking to Sarah whose was focusing on American style cooking. The result of all of our hard work was applauded by the guests. I stood proud as I watched famed chef and long time friend of Jean Luis Palladin, Jean Pierre of La Tupina, lick his lips and say magnificent, it was music to all of our ears. This dinner was not only about the food and the incredible wine selections; Chateau Margeaux, Pommerol, and Chateau Lafitte but the entire dining experience of breaking bread with our new friends.
June 18, 2007
Our day began in the world re-known exhibition halls of Vin Expo at the Cote de Bordeaux Association booth. After taking in the massive scope of endless aisles of booths showcasing wines from around the world we made our way to the VIP club. Michael, Dennis, Sarah and I had a lingering breakfast of champions; champagne and croissants.
We had waited for today with much anticipation, it was the day that Michael, Jeffrey, Dennis, Sarah and I would be awarded and inducted into this highly regarded Cote de Bordeaux society. The Cote de Bordeaux Bordo Mundo dinner and the award ceremony grew some attention and afforded some media opportunities for everyone. We were joined by the French national and local television affiliates at Jean-Pierre’s restaurant, La Tupina. We donned our respective Chef coats and stood for a group photo and interview opportunity around the open flamed hearth. Jean Pierre’s team prepared a hearty lunch comprising of his signature dishes.
After our leisurely lunch we drove 15 kilometers to the outskirts of Bordeaux to Chateau Deyonne to meet Marie Dominique, co-owner and winemaker. The film crew from the French National T.V. joined us as we walked through the temperature controlled cellars. Large vats filled the exterior room and rows and rows of French oak barrels lined the interior cellar. Fielding questions from the Television reporter, Marie gave us a brief history about the winery and their philosophy of wine making. Marie confirmed that the proximity of the river plans an essential part of the climatic balance necessary for vine growing. Jeffrey did an amazing job answering his questions in French while sharing his perspective on life in Bordeaux. A walk through the vineyards and a comparative tasting finished off the filming.
That evening Christophe, Sophie, Jean-Pierre, Jeffrey, Michael, Dennis, Sarah and myself respectively went for a water taxi ride on the Gironde river. The air was warm and the skies were overcast, but Christophe’s fears and stress over a rainy venue had all but vanished. This picture perfect setting was the ideal backdrop for the Bordo Mundo dinner and award ceremony. We took the opportunity to gather our group to take a snapshot for prosperity and confirmation of our new found friendships.
As our Friday night menu was the dry run for this evening we knew we were in for some exceptional cuisine and equally premiere wines. The sounds of the saxophone and fiddle had everyone stamping their feet, the music was festive and spirits were high. The sound of the trumpet brought the Consulstable de Gruynne and Premiere Cote de Bordeaux Association directors to their feet. With heavy velvet capes in hand they announced Michael, Jeffrey, Dennis, Sarah and my names to approach the center stage. With a ceremonial flare the master read a list of accolades for each recipient, followed with a framed certificate and official medal. We were inducted into this prestigious and historical association. For me, this moment of recognition was a representation and culmination of years of perseverance, passion and appreciation for the world of cuisine.
June 19, 2007
This incredible experience had to come to an end. On our last morning, before heading to Paris, I went with Michael and Christophe for a walk around the endless aisles of the exhibition halls of Vin Expo. I stopped dead in my tracks when I approached the wine spectator booth, I had traveled half way around the world and was astonished to see a past front cover photo bearing food that I had helped stylized from a photo shoot the year prior. It was a surreal moment and a time to reminisce and reflect on the past weeks experience. Teary eyed and sad to say good bye to my new friends, I said my fare wells, looked upwards to the heavens and said my thank you to Jean Luis Palladin for this life changing experience.
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