Andrew drove out to Southold, NY, this summer to visit influential pastry chef Claudia Fleming at her North Fork Table & Inn. They spoke about Claudia's Italian-Irish upbringing, her early days as an aspiring dancer, her transition to restaurant work (starting in the front of the house), and ascension to opening pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, where she inspired generations of colleagues. Claudia worked in such seminal restaurants as the original Jams, Tribeca Grill, and Union Square Cafe, all of which are discussed in detail, as is the reissue of her cookbook The Last Course, just published last week.
Joining Andrew for the intro this week is his colleague and neighbor Jeff Gordinier, food & drinks editor of Esquire magazine, whose 2019 Best New Restaurants list recently debuted. Jeff shares his extensive selection process, as well as some highlights from the list.
Episode guide:
1:25 - 33:40 Intro with Esquire magazine food & drinks editor Jeff Gordinier
33:40 - 1:28:10 Claudia Fleming, part 1
1:28:40 - 1:39:28 More with Jeff Gordinier (mid-Show break)
1:39:28 - 2:10:10 - Claudia Fleming, part 2
2:10:10 Wrap up with Jeff Gordinier
Links:
Andrew Talks to Chefs official website
North Fork Table & Inn (Claudia's restaurant & inn)
The Last Course (Claudia's book)
Esquire's Best New Restaurants 2019
Hungry (Jeff Gordinier's latest book)
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[photo of Claudia Fleming by Eric Striffler]
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.
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