JOE KINDRED
Chef and Owner of Kindred, Hello, Sailor, Milkbread, and Albertine
I think my last meal would be a dozen Dukes of Topsail oysters, some fresh shrimp from Crosby’s that I turn into peel-and-eats, the Mussel Escabeche dish from Estela in New York City and a bottle of Grower champagne. The oysters remind me of when my wife Katy and I lived in San Francisco before we had kids. We would drive up Highway 1, stop at Hog Island Oyster Company for a bag of oysters, at Cowgirl Creamery for cheese and then get a bottle of local sparkling wine. We would sit on the beach and eat oysters. The mussel dish is a perfect representation of Ignacio food. It is simple, nuanced and executed flawlessly. The peel-and-eat reminds me of my childhood summers in Swansboro, where my grandfather‘s beach house was. It’s always the first thing we do when we get to Folly Beach, S.C. We hit Crosby’s and get five pounds of shrimp. Then I do a quick poach in a flavorful broth with Old Bay and lemon.
CHEF CHRISTA CSOKA
Chef and Owner, Artisan's Palate
New England clam chowder over an open fire. There’s something really special about cooking outside, especially when the weather is cold. I love making a big pot of clam chowder in a cast-iron over an open fire, starting with fresh clams and letting that smoky flavor build as you add ingredients to the pot. It’s rustic, communal and incredibly comforting. Sitting around the fire with friends, eating chowder and drinking wine, takes me right back to growing up on Long Island in the Northeast and clam-bake memories.
CAT CARTER AND ERIC FERGUSON
Owners, L’Ostrica
"My fascination and appreciation for food began at a young age, sitting in the kitchen entranced by the smells and sounds coming from my mom over the stovetop. For my last meal, I’d cherish anything from her. Really, anything she cooks would do, but a hot bowl of doenjang-jjigae with a side of rice and her bean sprout salad takes the top spot right now.”—Cat Carter. “I would have to go classic Roast Chicken & Gravy with lots of fresh herbs and crispy chicken skin. For me, it’s the ultimate feel-good, comfort meal. I would gladly make it—I have spent the majority of my life in kitchens; it only feels right to end it in one too.”—Eric Ferguson.
"New England clam chowder over an open fire. There’s something really special about cooking outside, especially when the weather is cold."