BY ANTONIO GALLONI | FEBRUARY 23, 2018 

When friends weren’t able to travel to Piedmont this past fall, they did the next best thing and brought Piedmont to their home. This intimate dinner featured a lovingly chosen selection of Piedmontese classics, paired with a fabulous menu and an ungodly amount of white truffles. What could possibly be better?

I first met David Nayfeld when he was a sous-chef at Eleven Madison Park years ago. Nayfeld’s resume includes stints at the now-closed Cru in New York City and Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. Nayfeld was joined in the kitchen by Angela Pinkerton, who was formerly the Executive Pastry Chef at Eleven Madison Park. It was a real thrill to indulge in this dinner, as I doubt Nayfeld and Pinkerton will have the time to cook in private homes once their new restaurant, Che Fico, opens in San Francisco this spring.

Kimedai Crudo, White Shoyu Vinaigrette, White Truffle

The menu was absolutely brilliant. Nayfeld served white truffles grated on some dishes, like the crudo and beef main course, but chose the more conventional shavings for his velouté and the ravioli. The potato purée that accompanied the Wagyu beef was a recreation of the classic Robuchon preparation of equal parts potato and butter. Yes, I went to the gym the next day...White truffles and ice cream worked beautifully. Pinkerton’s rendition was absolutely delicious. I had seconds, as did everyone else.

It’s a pretty special dinner when Selosse and Krug Champagnes aren’t the main event. On this night, our attention was focused on a number of super-rare Barolos and Barbarescos. Our host put together four carefully thought-out pairs of wines that were a real pleasure to drink side by side. A flight of 1960s Giuseppe Mascarello Barolos was a last minute addition. Allow me to make a suggestion. If you invite me to your house, don’t let me into the cellar. My eyes lit up as soon as I saw a selection of 1960s Mascarello Barolos, precious wines from a long-gone era in Piedmont’s history. Our host must have noticed my reaction, because a few minutes later we were on our way upstairs with those bottles in our hands.