I was deeply saddened to learn that California chef Michael Chiarello had passed. RIP Michael Chiarello 1962-2023.
RIP Michael Chiarello 1962-2023
Photo Credit: ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy Stock Photo
Michael Chiarello
According to Wikipedia: “Michael Chiarello was an American celebrity chef who was known for Italian-influenced California cuisine. He hosted the cooking show Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello on Food Network and NapaStyle on Fine Living Network. Chiarello owned a winery called Chiarello Family Vineyards, located in Yountville, CA.”
Tra Vigne
Many, Many years ago, in fact it was in the late 1990s, Steve and I visited the Napa Valley for the first time. We loved everything about the area. But one of the meals that stood out most was the dinner that we had at Chef Chiarello’s first restaurant Tra Vigne.
We had made dinner reservations at a different restaurant. A cute little, white tablecloth place, whose name I can’t remember. What I do remember is that there were only two other diners in the entire restaurant. Our server greeted us and handed us menus to peruse.
Remember, this was BEFORE the capability of reading menus online! These days I decide on where to go by reading an establishment’s online menu. The way a menu is written is critical. If it’s well written, the description will make me want to eat the food.
That was definitely not the case with the menus we were handed at the Napa restaurant so many years ago. Steve has always been a pickier eater than I am, but neither of us could find a thing one the menu that sounded tasty. I’m sorry folks, but just merely writing chicken with potatoes and peas, does not really tell me anything about how the dish will taste. There were only about 6 choices on the menu, each described in just that simplistic manner, and with high prices attached. So we decided to leave and spend our money elsewhere.
As we drove back toward downtown Napa, we noticed Tra Vigne, which looked beautiful. Knowing nothing about the restaurant, at the time, we decided to give it a try. At that point we were quite hungry. Tra Vigne was as lovely inside as out. The menu was impressively written and everything on it sounded amazing.We learned from our server what the specialty dishes were and relied on their advice.
In all honesty, the only thing I remember is that we had wood fired pizza as our appetizer; and that every bite of food we put in our mouths was outstanding!!!
Once I learned who the Chef/Partner was, I started watching his show, Easy Entertaining on Food Network, religiously. I bought his cookbook and prepared many of his delicious recipes.
It’s just so sad that this brilliant chef’s life was cut so short by an allergic reaction!!! And they do not even know what caused his anaphylaxis.
RIP Michael Chiarello 1962-2023
