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Recently, my dad and I were talking about restaurants on our bucket list. We have a lot of places we want to visit and experience and while it’s easy to focus on what we have YET to do (like the food tour of France we want to map out and complete), it’s important to remember the amazing experiences you’ve already had. That’s why I want to re-share this post from back in 2015. But the memory actually dates back to my college graduation in 2012.

Have you ever had an experience so magical that you had to continuously pinch yourself to prove you weren’t in a dream? I have. After I graduated from the University of Delaware in 2012, my parents gave me a foodie’s dream gift. They took me to Per Se in Manhattan for dinner. It was the ultimate graduation dinner. Actually, ultimate isn’t good enough. It was exquisite. Indescribable. I have yet to enjoy a meal anywhere nearly as much. Seriously, it was that good.

 
I had wanted to go to Per Se since the day I realized that good food included so much more than French fries and cheddar cheese. I wanted to try black and white truffles, Per Se’s famous “Oysters and Pearls” and any other seemingly crazy concoctions the kitchen staff could plate up.

 
As soon as we were escorted to our table … which had a fantastic view of the city … we were presented with champagne and a nine course tasting menu with my name printed on it. Those nine courses turned into 15.

Course after course my eyes widened at first bite. How could flavors be so powerful? How could food be so artistic? And how could service be so elegant yet lack pretension at the same time? I must have said, “This is my favorite” after every dish. I devoured things that I claimed to despise one hour previous to sitting down.

 
Foie gras served with eight different kinds of salt, truffle custard served in a hollowed out egg shell, oysters, lamb, beef, lobster, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We were served plate after plate before realizing that we were well over our nine courses. The staff had gone above and beyond any form of expectations I had and believe me, I had high expectations. We all ate every last bit of food and licked every last drop of sauce off of every last plate placed and unveiled in front of us. And then came the dessert.

 
I think we were served seven. Seven decadent, rich, unbelievable desserts, all served in a unique fashion. Chocolate truffles served in a hand carved wooden cigar box, macaroons served on a three tier silver platter, chocolate mousse topped with whiskey ice cream and a chocolate graduation cap in honor of our celebration. And then a goodie bag for each of us to take home filled with homemade candy.

 
And then came another surprise. As if the four hour meal wasn’t amazing enough, we were offered a tour of the kitchen. It was immaculate. And we weren’t ignored in the busy kitchen. We met each and every staff member and got to see how a restaurant that has their china made specifically for each dish runs. It was by far, the most amazing dining experience I have ever had.

 
To some, food is fuel. And I get that. But to me, it’s much more than that. It’s an art and it’s an experience. Have you ever had an amazing dining experience? I’d love to hear about it! Tell your story in the comments below or email me at becky@mckinneyanddoyle.com.

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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

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