As pre-arranged a gentleman named Jarald picked Janet and I up at the Atlanta airport around 1:30. We’d come in from Miami. Nice man with a soft Texas accent I would guess. He transported us to the college town of Auburn in Alabama. The ride was smooth with some gently rolling landscape. Jarald had graciously packed us waters for the ride. He spoke quietly and occasionally about the passing vistas. After about 90 minutes, Jarald wheeled the big car into the porte cochere of our destination. Our host Mr. Hans Van Der Reijiden was there to welcome us along with a few members of the hotel staff. After warm greetings we were quickly escorted into the beautiful boutique hotel named, “The Laurel Hotel and Spa”. The room they had for us was incredibly elegant. They had a lovely welcome tray of dried meats, nuts, dried fruits and soft focaccia on a tray along with a handwritten note from the team. To be on time we had to get down to the cooking labs to meet the students and teachers. I don’t think I’ve ever in all of our travels seen a more beautiful set up for teaching and learning made even more so by the rapt attention of the 25 or so students and the clear passion the instructors had for teaching how to cook. It was respectful and genuine. I could tell the teachers were a bit happily surprised that I was there. It has everything to do with the vision of the Founder and CEO of this endeavor, which is Hans Van Der Reijiden. The man positively beams hospitality!
We were in the culinary labs for two hours that flew by. The students were learning three different dishes. This allows them to see what it also means to construct menus versus a solitary dish with no sense of composition. The first one we saw being made was in process as we were introduced. Chef Eric Rivera might have been leading that dish. It was a smoked/raw scallop (a crudo) with an emulsion sauce, a few raw vegetable elements and caviar. The smoke was done with a Breville smoking gun. The scallops were U-10’s, (quite large) and of the highest quality. The student I observed had a scallop on a plate and covered with a glass upturned bowl. The tube of the smoking gun was inserted just under the rim of the bowl and with a click smoke filled the chamber. Within a minute the scallop was perfumed with the enticing aroma of hickory smoke. These scallops were plated as a cold, first course presentation. We were invited to try it. Unadorned, natural and delicious. The next courses included a beautiful Rabbit Lasagna a chef from Atlanta, whom I came to know and enjoy his teaching vibe made it with a lightly cocoa scented béchamel. Craig Richards is his name. He has restaurants in Atlanta and drives about 90 minutes each way twice a week to teach here. Dedication. Another dish that was being taught by Irish born Chef Mark Traynor was a beautifully wrought, very clear Rabbit Consommé which was filled with a rabbit mixture stuffed into hand-made tortellini the students carefully filled as they worked around the large, gleaming prep tables. We had a ‘Q and A’ session around this time. The students were shy at first but then did ask some questions. The first was, “Chef. How do you stay motivated?” Such a great question! Another student on crutches said to me a bit later when we were ‘one on one’. “Chef I’m in my PhD part of my studies and I would love to know some books you would recommend that I should read”. I’m glad she told me about the PhD. That is another kind of mind and deserved a thoughtful answer designed for such a studious person. I told her about Jean-François Revel, Raymond Sokolov, Waverly Root and Harold McGee, all huge influences on my work. She carefully wrote their names down in her notebook.
Hans came in to escort us on to see more of the complex. Ithaka is a proud partner with Auburn University’s Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management. Through this unique partnership, they work with students, faculty and staff to give back to the next generation of hospitality industry leaders. “Ithaca was, in Greek mythology, the island home of the hero Odysseus. The specific location of the island, as it was described in Homer’s Odyssey, is a matter for debate. There have been various theories about its location.” When I used the term ‘complex’ before it was no exaggeration. For it is a rolling series of opportunities for students to learn about many, many aspects of the hospitality world. The Laurel Hotel and Spa, which is a ‘Triple AAA, Five Diamond’ property is about six stories tall. There are perhaps 35 hotel rooms. It is reminiscent of the grand, small hotels we stayed at in Europe. The staff training is first class with that mixture of care, knowledge and humility wrapped in true human charm.
We took in a glassed in brewery and then the coffee mill, where we watched coffee beans being roasted. Then Hans led us on to the “Hey Day Market” food hall which was as if it were taken from a very hip neighborhood and stitched precisely into the rich fabric of this enlightened educational village. The food offerings were perfect not only for students in their twenties but also for residents and visitors to Auburn of all ages. I loved how Hans knew the names of dozens of the people on the staff. Janet and I finished this part of our tour with Hans at “Walt’s” located on the rooftop, a serene place to watch the sky and have some bubbles. Which we did. There was a small, curated menu offered, but we knew we were heading down for a Chef’s Tasting Menu dinner at what would be a Michelin starred one if Michelin were in Alabama. It is named, ‘1856’ which, I learned from one of our servers, is the year Auburn University first opened. It has been primarily an agricultural school over the decades. This project brings in a shining star to the city and to the entire South.
The full name of where we dined is “1856-Culinary Residence, A Teaching Restaurant”. It is behind a gleaming glass expanse. This, I’m sure is about the capacity to show visitors what can be learned by coming here, whether for the food hall, coffee bar, brewery or for a ‘three star’ dining experience. This season the ‘Chef in Residence’ is French born award winning Joël Antunes who is now the third to be featured in this way. He has said, “It’s very important to me to teach the next generation because I was lucky to learn this way and I want this opportunity for students at Auburn.” So true and I can identify with that completely.
The kitchen is wide open for us to watch the theater fine dining avails. We sat with two key members of Hans team which included, Chef Leo Maurelli and Chef Antony Osborne. The warmth and the wealth of experience of all of them made for a fantastic evening!
I cannot move on without saying how much in love I was with the teaching that happens at ‘1856’ as it does in the school. It is so fluid and integrated into every aspect. There were two young, professionally attired ladies that had the job of describing the food as it was delivered. One was from the nearby area I’d guess. She was the teacher in this case. The other was from Northern Vietnam, and she was the student. The teacher stood nearby to hear her charge, but she didn’t have to step in and rein things in one bit. The Vietnamese young lady spoke perfect English despite the challenges of words many Americans might not recognize in that the menu is a mix of culinary terms not necessarily part of the jargon of many. The Chef’s Tasting Menu featured five savory courses, a cheese course, a dessert and then petit fours. That was a lot to explain and even with some questions it went off like a ballet in the Paris Opera House.
We sat at a beautifully set, handsome rectangular table. Janet and I were seated facing the open kitchen where there were, once again, vetted teachers working alongside the students. With our combined years of being in the hospitality business literally around the globe our dining conversation was active! We knew a good number of the same folks and friends. That is when I learned that Chef Antony did a festival with my dear friend and brother, the late Charlie Trotter over in Singapore. He showed me a photo from that time. Touching. Chef Antony is a world class pastry chef, (evidenced by all we dined on in that department). Back then, Charlie had brought along his pastry chef at that time in Singapore, Michelle Gayer. Janet and I knew Michelle from many events and times over the years. Antony spoke generously of her. He is a quiet man who I was quite impressed with. I could tell that if he wanted to brag, he would have many reasons to. But this man has a Zen bearing that made me want to dine with him and cook with him often. Chef Joe Maurelli the Managing Partner of Culinary operations reminded me of my midwestern upbringing pals. He works hard but never lets it show. The world of hospitality at this level is tightly knit and we realized over the course of the meal of a number of colleagues we had the pleasure of working with over our careers. Chef Marc Osier was directing the kitchen and doing a great job of it.
The Master Sommelier is at ‘The Laurel’ is Thomas Price. He struck me as man I would have loved to have taken college courses from. He knows his subject so well he knows how to have fun. Thomas demonstrated his humor and intelligence in a way I shall not forget. We had been discussing why the wine tasting was working so well at some point in our experience when he was reloading the glassware for the next course. We might have just had the Crab Dumpling with the White Burgundy which we all loved. He smiled puckishly and asked the table, “if we ever had Flaming Doritos with a Riesling”. I replied, “Can’t say as I have”. He said, “Give me just a minute”. He soon returned with a bowl of the Doritos and glassware to test his thesis. This is going to be a lesson I know many of the students will always remember. It was a revelation! And that is the point of teaching! An amazing evening I will treasure.
We met Hans for coffee the next morning. His energy is of a person who absolutely loves what they are doing. And we are all the luckier for it. Just before getting in the car to return to the airport Hans said, “Wait! I see Chef Ana is in the lab!” It was another illustration of the beautifully interlaced the world of hospitality is. It was Ana Plana who I first came to know when I was teaching at a cooking school in South Miami years ago. I met her with her mother who was also taking my class. We hugged and reminisced.
Today I learned I have been invited to return for what is called an ‘Epicurean Experience’ where I will be the featured Chef. I am honored to be part of this mission in this way!
Hit the link to see more about this beautiful place and the events and amenities to consider for you and yours. For anyone who loves learning about cuisine, fine dining, a world class spa and more this is your destination to consider! Come visit when I’m there if you can!