Tonight we dress up to the nines.  I put on my best suit and we are off to Gagnaire I have waited two years to dine at this Michelin three-star restaurant which is on everyone’s “world’s best” list.
 
We are greeted with a smile and whisked off to our table. The captain works the room with precision and it’s fun to watch.  We start with Henriot rose champagne and some world class canapes before ordering two tasting menus. The canapes – they are classic with a modern twist – just my style. Each item is prepared with precision, imagination and balance, this is by far one of the best meals I have ever had. It better be, though! It cost me about 700 euros!
 
Eight savory courses later, three cheese courses follow. Yes, that’s right – three. Each of the cheese courses are presented with the flair of composed dessert  -  each with a few unique garnishes.
 

If you’re looking for a sublime dining experience in Paris, and you don’t mind dropping 700 to 1,000 euros for two people, then you must go to Gagniare. It’s a text book rendition of contemporary French cuisine should be in this day and age ……a true triumph of gastronomy! When our meal concludes, we say our good byes and are handed a small cup of green tea to drink just before we walk out the door. It’s a nice touch, especially since we will walk back through the City of Lights, capturing one last glance, all lit up and grand.

Au revoir, Paris.

Thank you all for reading this blog and taking this virtual journey with me. I’ll see you at the Mansion

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YBj2xF294p4

I wake early as this is my last day in Rome. Our flight to Paris leaves at 5pm so our day will be pretty leisurely.  We don’t have any set plans or places we’re required to be.

We choose to have lunch one more time at Enoteca. Today they greet us like family and ply us with wine antipasti, pastas more wine. I love this place (as if you couldn’t tell). When we’ve cleaned our plates and paid our tab, we head back to the hotel and stop for some gelato along the way.

We pack our bags and head to Fiumicino, bound for Paris for a final pass through the City of Lights.

We land in Paris around 8 and catch a cab to our hotel. We had dinner at a local bistro and indulged in distinctly non-French gourmet food: club sandwiches, cheese burgers, French fries and macaroni and cheese. But at least we topped it off with some rose champagne.

After 20 days on the road, I feel longing for my kitchen and Dallas, the Mansion and my exceptional, talented kitchen team. My head is rested and filled with fresh new ideas and I am eager to bring them to fruition in the Mansion’s main dining room, Chef’s Room and the new patio restaurant which is going to be awesome. We finish our comfort food feast and head back to the hotel for some rest. Tomorrow will be one last jaunt around Paris and a dinner at Pierre Gagnaire. I’m very excited about that. I’ve waited two years for this dinner and it is the reason I flew back to Paris after Rome. I can hardly wait till tomorrow …

Mieke and Umberto head home after we make plans to have one last lunch together tomorrow at the Enoteca wine bar. We head back to the hotel for a nap so we can be refreshed and ready for an evening in Roma.

Our evening passes quickly as does the next morning. Just before 2:30, we stroll the route to the Enoteca. We pass the Four Fountains, the Spanish Steps (in an earlier post I referred to the film Roman Holiday and it was Gregory Peck who stared with Audrey Hepburn, not Carey Grant. Sorry ladies.), the Trevi Fountain and countless other sites in Rome. We arrive at Enoteca and we’re practically a regular at this point, since this is our third meal here in the past six days. I love the staff, I love the concept and hope to bring some of this dining style to the Mansion’s newly renovated patio and bar, which will be, by far, the best al fresco dining in Texas. We are greeted by our usual servers: a smiling Italian waiter and a pretty young Italian woman who is also a sommelier. The wine glasses are already up on the bar and filled with a wine the sommelier has chosen for us.

Shortly after our arrival, Umberto and Mieke arrive on scooter, a popular mode of transportation in Rome as traffic is heavy and parking is difficult. We start with the antipasto misto, a mixed plate of vegetables, cheeses, salumi, olives, the sweetest roasted peppers I have ever had, and then the pasta, Bigoli, a thick spaghetti with a ragout of duck in a spicy tomato sauce. Umberto is in charge of the wine list today and he decides that we will go to Tuscany. We start with a white to match with the first course, which is rounded out with more pasta, tortoloni with four cheeses which is so light, tender and cheesy. Then we try the smoked swordfish and smoked salmon and pair it with another white from Tuscany. Everything is fresh and delicious – it is a wonderful meal. We have so enjoyed our time with Umberto and Mieke. They are so special and have become our good friends.  We hope to see them again soon. With our bellies full and our heads dizzy from the wine (and a gift of some grappa from Umberto and Mieke), we sadly exchange hugs and kisses and thank them for everything they’ve done for us on this truly wonderful journey. I walk down the avenue reminiscing about some of the moments we’ve spent together.

We stop in a gelateria for some cold gelato to enjoy as we walk back to the hotel.

Just as I turn the corner, a scooter beeps its horn and startles us, I jump straight up in the air and turn around, only to see Umberto and Mieke give us one last wave good bye, Umberto has a smile that is still frozen in my memory as he drives his scooter off into the sunset. Ciao, I miei amici!

We thought we’d seen all of the Mascarelli grapes yesterday, but we were wrong, there are more.  Today we have another tour guide named Marco, he’s an agronomist and is responsible for the care and feeding of all of the grapes, olives and land in this family empire – it’s an awesome responsibility.

We get right to the tasting even though it’s before noon, and sample some merlots, some cabernets and more of the prince, Montepulciano. As we roll through the countryside, row after row vine after vine, Marco shows us the method he uses to tell if the grapes are ready. It’s a combination of skin and seed observation, then he uses a brixometer which measures the brix which is the sugar level in the grape. The tool adds to his decision making to determine when the grapes are ready, but for the most part he does it from experience and feel.

As we tour the rolling hills, we begin to see more trees on the property, we notice the leaves are the beautiful silvery green of olive trees and realize we’ve arrived in the olive grove. There are four different types of trees, each one produces olives that create a distinctively different olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil, the spicy flavor-packed liquid gold from the hills of Abruzzo – you can almost smell it in the air. Marco takes one last turn up a hill and we park the cars in front of a large shed. Inside the shed is a press, a processor to clean and prepare the olives for pressing, and several filtration systems and stainless steel storage containers, very much like the ones used to ferment the wine.

The containers are then filled with nitrogen to retard the oxidation process while storing the olive oil. We taste the oil and talk about the process with Marco and when we turn around, we see that Rocco has laid out a spread of prosciutto, three types of salami, and some young pecorino cheese and, of course, more wine. This is all delicious bread, cheese, salami and olive oil all made just steps away from where we’re standing. One of the breads is made from the most aromatic flour called senatore de capelli …it is just flour, but it smells like spice and cinnamon. It’s centuries old and only from Abruzzo and it’s by far the most amazing flour I have ever heard of let alone tasted. It’s made in a brick with natural yeast from the very grapes we are drinking. The Italians have such a respect for nature and ingredients and I’m in awe of this simple but amazing bread. The prosciutto melts in my mouth like butter when it hit my tongue. We soak up the oils with the crunchy, aromatic breads and accent our experience with the bounty of Abruzzo as we wash it all down with the prince, Montepulciano.

This moment is priceless and I wish we could stop it. The view is spectacular and will be indelibly etched in my mind. Rocco takes my chair and moves it to the entrance of the shed and hands us each one last glass of wine. He tells us to look into the hills and feel the wind and remember us. And you know what? I will, forever. I’ll never forget this moment, this trip, the Masciarelli family or the region of Abruzzo. Arrivederci, Abruzzo. Mi mancherá Lei, grazie mille!! Grazie Rocco, Angela, Marco e la famiglia intera Masciarelli per il Suo amore, l’ospitalità e tempo.

After our two hour lunch we start our journey up and down the many hills and valleys of Abruzzo. In this mountain town over looking the Adriatic Sea, the air is pure –  free of cars, machines and industry. The Masciarelli’s land is spread out all over the Valley, which is why these grapes are very versatile.  We drive from field to field looking at the many vistas and sampling the grapes; you can really taste the land in the fruit.

Some of the fruit is kissed by the sea air, some by the morning sun, some by the afternoon sun, some are on top of the hills, some are at the bottom. This diversity helps make the wine superior. The grapes are tended to and the wine is made with a great respect for nature. The harvest will start in October and finish in the first week of November. They will not be picked until nature says it’s time.

As Rocco and Angela describe each plot of land to us, we can sense and feel their passion, their love for wine, the land, and what they do for a living.

After two-and-a-half hours of driving, surveying and tasting, we arrive back at the vineyard where the wine is made, stored and aged. We go through the various processes and learn much about fermentation, aging and how these wines are made. Some are aged in French oak, some of the barrels toasted, and some of the wines are aged in stainless steel.  Most of you who are reading this blog have already been to a winery, so there’s no need to get too technical. Suffice it to say that in addition to the demonstration in organic chemistry, we received a demonstration in gracious hospitality, passion, respect and integrity.

As our tour ends, we climb back to the top of the vineyard at road side, and as we reach the top of the stairs we are greeted by Mrs. Masciarelli. She welcomes us with a large smile and a hug for Umberto.  For the next hour, she extends her time and her hospitality to us, telling us stories of the passions, dreams and life of her husband and how he created this amazing business.  She lives just across the street in the villa where her husband was born, it is called Villa Gemma, a beautiful villa steps away from where their many wines are made. There is even a line of wine which is also named after the Villa Gemma which we will taste this evening.  

We say our good byes, exchange cards, numbers and e-mails so we can all stay in touch. As we walk to the cars Mrs. Masciarelli tells us to enjoy the castle, which confuses me. What castle?

Rocco gestures us to jump in the car and off we go to the castle. On the way we stop at a few more plots of land and taste more grapes and catch more views of the valley and the Adriatic. Back in the car and further down the road we approach a large fence with a lock on the gate. Rocco gets out of the car and unlocks the gate. We walk up the path to the castle, a 17^th century home once owned by a baron.

The view from this property is breathtaking; we tour room after room, many still the way the baron left them complete with furniture, art and even the children’s toys which are still in place.  There is a wine cellar with enormous barrels dating back to 1680. It’s incredible.

One of Gianni Maciarelli’s dreams was to convert this castle into a luxury resort for his guests and for people who are looking for luxury in Abruzzo. I think to myself – this might make a really nice Rosewood hotel!

As we tour the property, we enter the baron’s bedroom which has a private entrance into the neighboring church, designed this way so he could have a private balcony in the church. Some of the rooms have high ceilings hand painted with sparkling with antique chandlers. Some are currently under renovation – the dream of the luxury resort is about two years away, but you can sense how beautiful the finished product will be. There are beautiful views from the villa.  The gardens are beautiful. In one area, there is a 300-year-old olive press. The gardens have grapes vines, fruit trees, pomegranates, pears, peaches, vistas of the surrounding country side and a private family church. It is beautiful and makes me want to have more plants in my high-rise back in Dallas. We climb the stairs to the top floor, a suite with a 360-degree panoramic view of the entire valley and an ocean view with a small porch with an even better view.

As we watch the sun set on the valley, the sea grows dark on the horizon. Rocco tells us again that it’s time to drink more wine.  We retire to the dining room, still left the way the baron left it. We taste the 99 Villa Gemma- it’s delicious  – so smooth and balanced and made more so by the surroundings and the company. After a glass I halfway expect the baron to appear. This has been an incredible day, but it’s far from over. After we finish our wine, we are on our way to a town by the sea for a seafood dinner and more Villa Gemma.

The Masciarelli’s have lived in Abruzzo for generations. Mr. Masciarelli’s grandfathers grew grapes, but didn’t produce wine, so two generations later, after traveling to France and around Europe, Gianni Masciarelli came home to Abruzzo to make wine. His grandfather told him that he wanted him to make wine, but wouldn’t just give him his grapes. Instead Gianni would have to purchase the grapes from his grandfather. For years Gianni paid his grandfather for the grapes and made his wine. When his grandfather passed away, they found a stack of checks that he had never cashed. He didn’t want Gianni’s money, he just wanted to teach his grandson a business lesson. And it worked.

Gianni Masciarelli has not only made some of the best Trebbiano, and Montepulciano wine in the world, he has created an imports business, has been a developer, farmer and had been converting a 17^th century castle, once owed by a baron, into a boutique resort in Abruzzo.

Sadly, a week before we arrived in Italy, Mr. Masciarelli passed away suddenly at the young age of 53. He left behind a young wife, Marina, and three beautiful children. Despite his family’s heartbreaking loss, their friendship with Umberto is so strong they insisted on showing Umberto and his guests from America the world of the Masciarellis. For that I am eternally grateful.

This is a polite, gracious and generous world filled with family, friends and passion, especially for the wine they produce and the region in which they live. Our visit starts after a scenic three-hour drive from Rome. We arrive at the wine-making facility of the Masciarelli family greeted by Rocco, a kind gentleman of great grace and hospitality. We are also greeted by Angela, she, too, is amazing and she speaks English as well which is going to make my day a lot easier!

Rocco tells us we must first have lunch as the day would be long, so we are whisked off to an old restaurant called Torre di Pretoro which is literally carved into the mountain side. The room we sit in for lunch is surrounded by the carved walls of the mountain. The granite walls naturally cool the room. Who need air conditioning when you can carve your restaurant out of a mountain?

The chef there is a sweet Italian woman who is a real nonna. We begin with, zucca three ways: blossoms with anchovy and fresh pecorino; grilled and stacked with tomato and mozzarella; and baked with a scrambled farm fresh egg. We pair this with one of the Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo wines, which are so balanced, so special and unique in the world of white wine making.  We move on to the spaghetti a la guitarra, thin pasta cut with an old world hand cutter called the guitarra, the guitar. This pasta has thin strips of green squash, olive oil, herbs and some of the freshest ricotta cheese I have ever had, more Trebbiano –  this one rounder and smoother with a slight touch of mineral.  Then the star of the show comes — the cannelloni. I can still taste its gentle soft pasta filled with veal ragout, borage and parmesan cheese topped with the richest, lightest and most amazing tomato sauce that I have ever had, then finished with some fresh basil.

The cannelloni is paired with a Montepulciano, the prince of Abruzzo, one of many we would try that day.  I look at Umberto he looks at me at the same time –without words only gestures, we agree that the basil with the cannelloni is genius. This lunch is proof that simple and fresh are all you need. Everything on the table is “0 kilometers,” which means that everything is all from the land surrounding us. Everything we are eating is produced here in Abruzzo, literally yards away.

We finish with roast leg of lamb with fresh rosemary, roasted potatoes and, of course, more Montepulciano. We are then offered Neapolitan coffee and some small homemade cookies. I don’t think I have ever had a better Italian meal, so filled with love, passion, technique, local ingredients, simplicity and integrity –  this meal was pure. We toast one more time to the passion and memory of a great man  - Bravo Gianni!

Now it’s time to leave. We hug our chef and express our appreciation to her. She is so sweet and so happy to please us, we say good bye and gaze at the valley below. It’s now time to see the grapes and learn how the wine is made. Didn’t I tell you it was going to be a long day?

Spirituality has always been a part of who I am – throughout my life, my spirituality has helped me be strong and focused when I didn’t think it was possible.  Today, we are headed to Vatican City to spend the day in one of the most religious, and for me, spiritual, places in the world.  The Vatican is the capital of the Catholic Church, the residence of the Pope, and, the place where the tomb of Simon Peter, the Rock upon which the Church was built, rests quietly deep below the beautiful mosaics. For me, and for many people, regardless of which church they belong to, the Vatican is a symbol of hope, prayer and respect for all religions and faiths of the world.

Today will be another walk through time and history of ancient Rome. The Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica and Saint Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museum  – we intend to experience all of them in a day, which will be tough.

Fortunately, the line this morning is not very long.  We are lucky and we quickly escape the heat of midday Rome and slip in to the Museum.   This entrance to the Museum is also the way to the Sistine Chapel. The Museum is filled with art, artifacts and history of the Roman Catholic Church and all of Italy.

We stroll the amazing courtyards, the long hallways, first the maps of the region, through the tapestries and then past the Egyptian art and the 20-foot marble and bronze Roman statues, then more artifacts and an endless array of pottery, jewelry, furniture, text, and ceramics. It’s an amazing journey of art and history, mosaic floors that boggle the mind, hand painted walls and ceilings that leave you breathless. How can you NOT have a religious experience here?  These works of art are inspired by God and made with God-given talents.

We wind our way through the compartments and corridors, each one more spectacular as the next, as we make our way to the Sistine Chapel.  Finally, we reach the doorway of the chapel. It is a profound experience to walk into the Sistine Chapel for the first time. We agree that no matter what you have heard or seen in photographs about the Sistine Chapel, nothing compares to seeing in person. It will take your breath away, a true wonder of the world.   Michelangelo’s talent, devotion, perfection -  all for you to consume.

No speaking. No photographs. No sitting. You are only allowed your thought and observation and right now I will leave those thoughts to you.

As we leave the Chapel, we go around the corner following the large walls constructed to guard the church during the crusades, the walls end and we enter Saint Peter’s Square.

We’ve all seen TV coverage of crowds of people filling the square waiting for the Pope to appear. The balcony is empty on this day but you can sense the power of what’s behind that window just by its very existence. We enter the square, which is so much larger that you get a sense of on TV, and find ourselves in the line to the cupola the rotunda the top of Saint Peters Basilica. Again, we are glad that the line moves quickly around the square, we enter and decided to walk rather than take the lift.  Step after step, this journey to the cupola reminds me of the walk up Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Statue of Liberty – this is a tourist’s physical challenge.  We reach what we think is the summit taking a turn around the cupola looking down on the Basilica. You can only imagine how large this palace of worship is. It’s the largest Church I have ever seen times 10.  We make our pass and then proceed to climb the narrow steps to the top of the copula and the ultimate panoramic view of Rome.

Step after step turn after turn, narrow hallways with bent walls around and round we go, and finally, the outside -  a shoulder-to-shoulder bedlam, everyone of us wondering how we got up here and everyone of us jockeying for the perfect view of Rome. It is breathtaking.  We look down at the row of apostles standing guard around the courtyard. From the ground they look huge. From here they look tiny.  We have gotten close enough to see their size, which is actually about the size of a Chevy Suburban standing on end. They are that large, which again illustrates how massive this complex is.

We descend the numerous steps and after several moments and countless circles around the tower, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of Saint Peter’s Basilica. We tour the various chapels, the alters, the confessionals, and the Holy Sacrament of Communion is being offered nearby.

This majestic house of worship is overwhelming to say the least.  The tombs of the Popes, the bronze statue of Saint Peter – this is certainly an immersion in religion!  And after 10 hours of this, I have run out of superlatives and things to say.  I’m exhausted.

We grab an easy dinner at a nearby enoteca wine bar to quench my thirst and feed my stomach after the day of feeding my soul. We indulge in lasagna, gnocchi, antipasti misti and a few nice red wines. This has been a true Italian experience today. We eat, we laugh, we feel moments of relaxation and friendship.  We talk of our trip  in the morning to Abruzzo. Ciao and God Bless.

Rome is not a big city, I think you can walk just about anywhere in a few hours, but the fact that it is 2000 years old is mind boggling.  We went to the coliseum and we could see where the lions, tigers and gladiators all co-existed. It’s not in my imagination. We can see what the ancient Romans created is something we still can see today.  It’s fascinating.  The cell phone, the computer, wi-fi — these are all inventions of the day just as scissors, the magnifying glass and the creation of left and right shoes were inventions of the day in ancient Rome.  When I’m in Roma, I can’t escape the thoughts about how civilization was created, the prolific innovation of the day, the cultivation of society, the development of the arts, architecture and, of course, amore – all parts of my life that I love and are in one way or another, translated into my cooking.

It’s amazing what being in a virtual time warp can do to your concentration!  I’m here on a quest for the best food and wine. Umberto told me to go to Via Della Croce and seek out the Antica Enoteca wine bar. Amazing! Many different wines, at least 100 different tapas style plates, salumi, pasta, pizza, fromaggi, etc. It’s an incredible display of beautiful everything you can imagine. I started with a crisp Gavi with some cheese, olives and salumi then moved on to a brunello to sip with the lasagna, gnocchi and slightly heavier dishes.  I love Spain and France, but I really love Italy. This is a perfect lunch.  When I finish my Amarone, I check out and head back to the hotel for a swim on the roof-top pool before a pre-dinner run around Rome.

Tonight’s dinner is at the restaurant in the Hassler, a legendary Roman Hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps.  Remember Roman Holiday? Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant.  This is pure romance. The restaurant is Imago and it has a spectacular view of the city. The food was very good.  It was noting cutting edge but good quality, well-prepared food.  I enjoyed my sidewalk lunch so much that I’ll admit, it was hard to beat. 

Tomorrow we visit the Vatican so I will call it a night.  A domani.

Mieke and Umberto

In Rome, we are set to meet up with Umberto and Mieke, close friends of the Mansion’s Managing Director, Duncan Graham. Umberto is a renowned chef here in Rome and throughout Italy.  Mieke is practically a life-long friend of Duncan’s and is the Executive Housekeeper for the Hassler, a world-class hotel across in Rome.

 I don’t drink coffee, which might seem odd to some since I’m a chef and I work long hours.  But I never touch the stuff. But today, as I sit beneath a sun-drenched umbrella drinking coffee, I think to myself, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” So I’m drinking coffee and I like it.  But I draw the line at smoking cigarettes! That’s one very Italian habit I won’t take up.

 Mieke and Umberto tell us that they have planned the day for us. They, as are most people in Rome, and all of Italy for that matter, are on holiday. They have graciously taken one of their vacation days to take us to the sea. Yeah, open water! I thought I wouldn’t see it again during this trip. No waves this time, we are on the tranquil Mediterranean which is a shockingly bright blue with a light breeze which carries the scent of salt water.

 We drive in Umberto’s car to a small town 30 minutes outside of Rome on the Mediterranean. It’s called Ladispoli-Palo Laziale and our ultimate destination is La Posta Vecchia. In 2 B.C., Palo Laziale was discovered by affluent Romans and merchants who thought the seaside would be the perfect place to spend the hot summer months. During this period, Marcus Aurelius and the emperor Tiberius constructed gorgeous villas. La Posta was built as a hostel to accommodate visitors who came to the emperor’s castle, which is still adjoining the property.

In the early 60s J Paul Getty purchased and restored this beautiful piece of Roman history and made it into his little private museum. During the renovation of the property, the ruins of two ancient Roman villas dating back to 2 B.C. were discovered. Remnants of these ruins can still be seen today in this five-star Relais & Chateau hotel and one Michelin Star restaurant.

 I am going to have lunch in a villa that was part of the birth place of modern civilization! I love it. We stroll through the chef’s gardens that are filled with vegetables, herbs and various local produce. Hello? I believe this garden-and- restaurant thing has been going on for century, no?  That’s exactly why we installed a vegetable and herb garden at the Mansion. It’s an idea that’s survived centuries.

 We are escorted to a patio with umbrella tables; only a brick wall separates us from the sea but the smell of the salt air is already starting to excite me. The fundamentals of the celebration arrive, Henriot champagne, which would make The Mansion’s lead som, Michael Flynn proud.  We served Henriot at the James Beard House dinner I did in June. It’s beautiful champagne. The canapés, tomato water, salmon, and cheeses just keep coming. After an hour of laughter, great conversation and a little more champagne, Umberto says in the beautiful rhythmic language of his country, “This is the time in the meal where my grandfather would go to the table,” so off we go.

Stuffed squash blossoms

We amble further down the patio to another table – this one set for lunch – yes, a four hour lunch! I could get used to this.  We have a splendid feast. There’s fish, pasta and more fish. Course after course featured spectacular and artfully prepared dishes. First the vegetable stuffed squash blossoms, fresh from the chef’s garden, then the crudo, raw fish with fresh herbs and olive oil – three different choices! The crudo was layered like ravioli and stuffed with fish and more vegetables from the garden. We ate spaghetti with octopus, garganelli with mushrooms and cream, then a whole, skin-on all codfish with salt cod and spinach, orata with peppers and eggplant, spiny lobster with fresh vegetables and foie gras. Last but not least, bass with basil and tomato –  each so fresh, so simple.  I have a hunch that the chef doesn’t shop the market, he just sticks a fishing pole and his hand out of his window every time he get an order.

Heavenly cheeses

We wash all of this amazing food down with a white wine from Sardinia and another from Sicily. My friends at the table are ready to burst. Me? I am looking for more! I never want to leave this place. I just want to sit here, smell the sea air and grow old gracefully!  I’m brought out of my fantasy by a progression of Parmesan cheeses. I would love a glass of red wine with them but I pass. As they say in Italy, “Basta!” Enough!

We have a happy ride back to Rome and take a walking tour of the neighborhood – one more activity planned by the lovely Mieke. Umberto has left us to attend to his beach house where, tomorrow, his new kitchen is being installed. A chef must be there to oversee this kind of installation. Mieke will meet him there and they will spend more of their holiday on their little sailboat on the Mediterranean. This is, indeed, la dolce vida!

Off we go in to the dusk, sun setting, top down, appetite in tact, yet another journey in the direction of the unknown, down the auto route toward San Sebastian, except no mountains or sea this time, this one is in the center of the town across the second bridge (which I now know to be the second bridge and by my count was really the 3^rd bridge but what do I know I am from Dallas?) more on that later.

We venture into town off the auto route, desperately trying to follow the vague Google map on my BlackBerry, driving in circles, I am being the typical male, too proud to make the  call to the restaurant.

I finally break down and make the call in broken Spanish and ask for directions, the polite man on the phone asks me where I am? If I knew where I was, I wouldn’t be calling, gracias. I say I don’t know so he tells me to call back in 15 minutes when someone who speaks English will arrive.

After four frustrating phone calls and countless circles around town and trips over bridges, we come across a festival with marching bands and crowds of proud Spaniards in full motion – motion that is further preventing me from getting where I want to go. At this point I am ready to pack it in and go get some pizza. 

But I’m not a quitter and my love of food and the quest for new fire are more powerful than my NY Irish temper …..Finally I get to the correct instructions it turns out I should have turned on the second bridge (which was really the first bridge). I just quit trying to make this make sense and I just drive.

Finally, we arrive 40 minutes late and enter the legendary hallway. It looks old on the outside but the inside shows a cool, modern reception area. I apologize for my numerous phone calls and my tardiness and then we proceed to retrieve my reservation. After several minutes of looking through the book they say “Oh yes, Tesar.” I don’t feel quite as welcome here.  I think it was punishment for the phone calls I made earlier. I am starting to get an uneasy feeling but we are seated and the events of the evening begin

The usual amenities appear – canapés, champagne and then the question:  Ala carte or the chef’s tasting menu. Of course we select the tasting menu each with a choice of different proteins: one lobster the other langoustine; one sole the other monk fish; one squab the other lamb.  I order a nice Muga this from Rioja, a Spanish gem which is 100 percent tempernillo 03. (OK, Scott how did I do? Happy Birthday and congrats on a well-deserved, most excellent victory in Austin….. just curious what a real expert thinks on my wine choice!)

Our som decants the wine and tells me to let it sit. This baby has mucho earth but it’s oh so tasty!

As the courses start to arrive, the food looks good and has flavor but by this time in our journey we have been spoiled by the excellence of our two pervious experiences, and we feel that this restaurant seems to be resting on its laurels.

I am sorry to say I am not impressed. The food is well prepared and well presented but lacks passion and soul. Service is completely off. Our server forgets to mark our table prior to the arrival of the next course. Doing that once, I could understand — but not four times in a row, after all, this is a 3- star restaurant.  As I  finish my cheese course I look across the dining room and see the chef coming towards our table. Throughout my travels, one of the experiences I enjoy the most is meeting the chefs at these amazing restaurants.  Juan Mari is a legendary chef and a key person in the development of modern Spanish-Basque cuisine. He’s a larger than life character and he approaches our table.

“Good evening,” he says in perfect English, “where are you from?” I tell him Dallas and I’m pretty sure I see him rolling his eyes, mentally dismissing us as tourists. As he is about to walk away, I add that I’m originally from New York and I am a chef. I read off some of my past experiences as a chef and, of course, mention that I am now at the Mansion. He seems disinterested and, now, so am I. Arzak seems to have rested on its laurels. I’m not sure why because all of the elements are there – great location, great chef, great food – but it’s just off. Maybe they were just out of sync that night.  We know it happens in the restaurant business. This has been a great experience for me to see how a guest feels when he or she isn’t warmly greeted and treated by the chef and staff.  It’s no fun. I silently vow to do everything in my power to make sure guests don’t have the same kind of experience at the Mansion.

This was one of the most disappointing dining experiences in my life. But it’s actually not a bad thing. It’s a good reminder to always remember your passions.  If you are lucky to be talented and successful try, remain humble and focused and remember that a good restaurant is nothing more than a great team of people. The rules don’t change just because you have skills  - you’re only as good as your team and the Chef is nothing more than the leader of that team.

I realize in this moment what a great team of people I really have and how they make what I do possible!