From when I was around eight years old, my family visited the same place over and over again every summer: Mystic, Connecticut.
29.01.2024 - 01:41 / forbes.com
“I never thought I'd be an executive chef of a hotel in my wildest dreams—let alone a luxury hotel, let alone in the countryside of Connecticut,” reveals José Ramírez-Ruiz. But here we are, plonked down in club leather chairs at Mayflower Inn & Spa’s mahogany-paneled library, warmed by a crackling fire on a frosty December night.
If you keep tabs on New York City’s restaurant scene, you’ve probably heard of Ramírez-Ruiz. Along with co-owner and pastry chef Pamela Yung, he led South Williamsburg’s Semilla, a scrappy 18-seat fine dining spot that heaped stacks of accolades—including a Michelin star and two stars from The New York Times's Pete Wells—for its unabashed embrace of zero-waste, vegetable-centric cuisine from 2014 to 2017.
As Mayflower Inn & Spa’s newest Executive Chef, Ramírez-Ruiz continues to build upon that philosophy. Despite plant-based and no-waste cooking being highly bandied-about terms in today’s food world, Ramírez-Ruiz never once perceived his approach as trendy. “It’s the right way to cook, it’s common sense,” he states matter-of-factly. “It just so happens to be the right thing for the planet, producers, and the bottom line.”
Because Ramírez-Ruiz is acutely aware how guest expectations vary from place to place, he developed different menus for the Mayflower’s two restaurants. A cozy tavern done up in dark wood and vintage rugs, The Tap Room serves up traditional pub fare appealing to more conservative diners; but just because the menu skews familar doesn’t mean it can’t offer something unique.
“Because Auberge pride itself in offering one-of-a-kind of experiences, we have to get one-of-a-kind products,” explains Ramírez-Ruiz, who partners with as many local producers as possible, from Cowbella Creamery for golden grass-fed butter to Happy Valley Meat Company for ethically raised beef and pork. His believes that “it really boils down to building flavors at the farm first, rather than in the kitchen.”
Meanwhile, at the colorful and sun-drenched Garden Room, Ramírez-Ruiz flexes how complex and soul-soothing meatless eating can be. Take, for example, his grilled romaine with chicken vinaigrette. While working as a private chef in Miami post-Semilla for clients who requested roasted chicken and salad one evening, Ramírez-Ruiz decided to play around and deglaze the chicken pan—he comments, “the fond is where all the flavor is”—and whisk in briny capers and fresh lemon juice. The result was a hauntingly deep and umami-rich dressing that’s now one of his signatures.
The dish looks deceptively simple when it arrives—the chef is quick to admit that generations of people have cooked greens—but one bite is all it took to understand his alchemy. I immediately exclaimed to my server Kathleen:
From when I was around eight years old, my family visited the same place over and over again every summer: Mystic, Connecticut.
Imagine taking off for a vacation, and having no idea exactly where you are going. Scandinavian Airlines, a Sweden-based carrier, commonly known as SAS Airlines, offered just that, by recently introducing a special mystery flight called “Destination Unknown.” SAS sold tickets for the flight exclusively to members of the airline’s frequent flyer loyalty program, EuroBonus. Instead of money, travelers needed to redeem 30,000 miles for a seat. The trip will depart from Copenhagen on April 5 and return back to Copenhagen on April 8. Travelers are only provided a clue that the flight will last “a few hours”, and the exact location of the destination will be revealed at some point during the flight through an announcement. “The prospect of embarking on an adventurous and mysterious journey with fellow enthusiasts, finding new connections and friendships along the way, is truly exciting,” SAS’s Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President Paul Verhagen said in the news release. Over 1,000 people submitted interest in joining the flight, and the airline is no longer accepting reservations, a spokesperson shared with Travel + Leisure. Due to the limited quantity of seats on the plane, tickets for the April trip will be distributed randomly to the travelers who signed up. SAS operates flights around the world to 125 destinations, and currently has flights from the US (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington) to destinations in Scandinavia and across Europe. The concept of “surprise” travel has taken off as travelers seek new experiences. Lufthansa, a German airline, offers a program called ‘Lufthansa Surprise’ where travelers select their home airport, and a general theme of what type of vacation they want (such as arts, outdoors, or shopping). Once the trip is paid and ticketed, the airline reveals the destination to the traveler. The surprise bookings cannot be changed or canceled, and the 24-hour flexible booking policy also does not apply.
A summer getaway to Italy just got easier to plan.
Despite being one of the most coveted residential neighborhoods in Manhattan, TriBeCa has long had a dearth of beautiful places to stay. That changed this month when the London-based Firmdale Hotels opened its third New York property, the 57-room Warren Street Hotel. However, unlike the red brick structures that surround it, this building is painted a bright cerulean. TriBeCa offers just the right mix of “artists, designers, families and a sprinkling of Hollywood glamour,” says Kit Kemp, Firmdale’s co-founder and creative director, whose interior design studio also has its own furniture and accessories line. “We wanted to build something that contributes to this narrative in a bold and exciting way.”
LEGOLAND® New York Resort is giving guests a fun way to groove while they move when visiting the Park this summer with the addition of its newest attraction: The Minifigure Skyflyer. Opening this summer, the new gondola-style ride – a first for LEGOLAND® Resorts – offers an interactive new way to travel between themed lands of the Park.
Another week, another round of route announcements from Frontier Airlines.
LEGOLAND® New York Resort is giving guests a fun way to groove while they move when visiting the Park this summer with the addition of its newest attraction: The Minifigure Skyflyer. Opening this summer, the new gondola-style ride – a first for LEGOLAND® Resorts – offers an interactive new way to travel between themed lands of the Park.
Adding spicy chorizo to Chinese dumplings might be unconventional, but according to Boston Magazine, the savoury delight from Mei Mei Dumplings "might just be the best two-bite morsel in town".
JetBlue’s week of savings is nearly over, but the airline is bringing back its anniversary airfare sale for one more day.
My cat, Isabelle, has accompanied me on more than 35 flights in the past two and a half years. She even has her own European Union pet passport, so she has definitely reached frequent flier status. We’ve flown between North America, South America, and Europe, accumulating thousands of miles and dozens of hours in the air.
This May, low-cost airline Avelo will begin flying between its Southern Connecticut hub, New Haven Airport, and four new cities: Atlanta, Concord-Charlotte, Knoxville, and Destin.
Romance a loved one in style with a business class flight to Europe thanks to La Compagnie’s Valentine’s Day sale.