OK, this one is not about music…mostly. This is about the first time in perhaps five years since I’ve seen my good musician/vegan chef friend Philip Gelb.
My partner and I embarked on a pilgrimage from Santa Barbara to Oakland where this talented man makes his home and his business. Here I’ve been pleased to have partaken in many a fine vegan meal, occasionally with musical performances by one or more of Phil’s talented musician friends. Several of those performances were reviewed elsewhere in this blog.
Various circumstances (as life does to you) conspired to keep me and Phil in different geographic spaces for the last five years. Tonight was an opportunity to have a sort of homecoming. And in an honorific gesture, he seated us at the chef’s table.
I forgot to photograph the first course which was a slice of a Masumoto peach. I ate it. The Masumoto Orchard is owned and worked by three generations of local Japanese peach farmers producing the most flavorful peaches this reviewer has ever tasted. One of the highlights of the year are Phil’s peach-centric meals.
There might be more tickets available for other scheduled dinners/performances at the chef’s website (N.B. This reviewer receives no remuneration for ticket sales, just strongly recommends them). I may see you at one of the upcoming July performances.
The third course was this tasty entree. No peaches on this one. At least I don’t think so.
We ended, of course, with dessert.
Visually beautiful. I wish I could tell you how delicious.
Phil, your dinners do not disappoint! Great to see you again. Play on maestro.
