From Iberico jamón in Las Vegas and caviar in Zurich to an anniversary dinner for one of the Bay Area’s most beloved restaurants, May’s dining scene is ending on a high note.
Photos: Jill Paider (L); Anthony Mair (R)
Las Vegas: Ibérico Week at Jaleo
From May 20-27, chef José Andrés’ tapas restaurant at The Cosmopolitan will celebrate a week of all things Ibérico ham. Every dish on the special tasting menu will include meat from Spain’s beloved, acorn-fed pigs. Think: jamón croquettes, rice with ibérico de bellota rib meat, and braised ibérico de bellota cheeks. Even the cocktails will incorporate Spain’s beloved jamón. 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; 702-698-7950; jaleo.com.
On May 21, Pavillon, the Michelin-starred restaurant at Baur au Lac hotel, will host a six-course, caviar-centric meal. Featuring regionally renowned chefs, the menu will include flamed sturgeon with champagne sauce and Imperial caviar and salmon noodles with tarragon beurre blanc and Prunier Beluga caviar. The evening is part of Food Zurich, an 11-day festival celebrating the city’s culinary legacy. Talstrasse 1; 41-44/220-5022; aupavillon.ch.
Bonjwing Lee
San Francisco: 12th Anniversary Dinner at Coi
This celebrated Michelin-starred restaurant in the Bay Area just turned 12 and is celebrating with two special anniversary dinners. On May 21 and 22, Daniel Patterson and Erik Anderson will welcome more than a dozen former Coi chefs back into the kitchen to create two lavish 10-course meals. The festive menus include dishes like abalone with chorizo and black truffle, lamb with eucalyptus and pistachio, and a rich cheese tart with halva and rhubarb. 373 Broadway; 415-393-9000; coirestaurant.com.
Courtesy Rancho Pescadero
Todos Santos, Mexico: Guest Chef Series at Rancho Pescadero
From May 24-28, James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Seidel (Fruition, Mercantile) will join the luxury resort’s executive chef, Cesar Pita, for a long weekend of culinary collaboration. The experience includes daily yoga classes, cooking demonstrations, a special lunch, and a multi-course garden dinner featuring dishes like chermoula chicken with carrot salad and octopus with heirloom tomato gazpacho. Camino a la Playa s/n, San Peditro, 23300 El Pescadero; 910-300-8891; ranchopescadero.com.
Photos: Wonho Frank Lee; Clay Larsen (Stone portrait); Colin Page (Shewry portrait)
Los Angeles: Fireside Chat and Dinner with Curtis Stone and Ben Shewry
On May 26, Curtis Stone will welcome Ben Shewry (Attica) at Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant for a collaborative, multi-course meal. The chefs will trade stories about their fresh approach to cooking and their connections to Aussie cuisine. The menu, meanwhile, will focus on Australian cooking through a California lens–including a Cali-inspired take on Shewry’s famous A Simple Dish of Potato Cooked in the Earth It Was Grown In. The dinner is part of the L.A. Food Bowl, a month-long festival dedicated to food and wine in the City of Angels. 6600 Sunset Blvd.; 323-946-7513; gwenla.com.
Roméo Balancourt
Paris: Master the Art of Sushi at Matsuhisa
Sushi novices and aficionados alike can learn from one of the best at Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant at Le Royal Monceau. Starting May 29, chef Hideki Endo will lead a series of interactive Japanese cooking class and share some of Nobu’s signature techniques and dishes. The demo menu includes sushi, sashimi, and shrimp tempura with a spicy-creamy sauce. A private tasting dinner featuring the students’ creations will follow the class. 37 Ave. Hoche; 33-1/4299-8882; leroyalmonceau.com.
