When the email arrived that James Beard Nominee, Chef Jamie Bissonette (Toro, Little Donkey, Coppa) would be hosting a Bourbon and BBQ dinner @ Chef Andy Husband’s Smoke Shop I immediately thought what a great “road trip” for our leadership. We all spend an awful lot of time together, doing the cooking-serving-cleaning and tending to guest service, but not nearly enough time outside of work–being tended to and enjoying each other’s company! I checked the calendar, clinked on the link, and reserved seats. I then sent emails to both GM’s and both Executive Chefs– “Be my guest”–and feel free to invite any of your key peeps.
The dinner was last night and what an amazing job they did–these long time friends, bbq enthusiasts and leaders in the Boston culinary scene–and what a great time we had. Included in our group was our director of ops and a young aspiring chef–who giddily said at one point, “I’m eating things I never thought I’d eat before.” We began on the back patio as Chef Jamie grilled oysters topped with chile butter and Chef Andy’s staff passed Sweet Potato bread topped with kosho butter (its trending) and salmon roe, and (amazing!) foie-gras hot-dog bites on brioche buns. Dinner was a seemingly endless and celebratory flow of family style “messy salad” (with Vietnemese’ish Bhan Mi ingredients), a sick, cheesy-toothy corn dotted rice, ridiculous collard greens stewed with ham bones and tripe, tender lamb ribs, spicy pork ribs and platters of really excellent cornbread.
Makers Mark sponsored cocktails and local Trillium beer flowed, we made some new friends–some other Boston restaurants represented as did Stones Hospitality, and later, buzzed and stuffed, we were talking about our next “field trip” on the way home. **You know its a great and substantial event when seven restaurant folk choose to go home at 9pm rather than stay out–a rare occurrence indeed.
The only thing better than a fun, family-style bbq hosted by two great Boston chefs is attending with the special folks that make our own restaurants so great!
A great experience indeed.