Q: When are you going to host another Meet the Chef Dinner? We went to Ashley’s 300 East and Lewis’s Sweet Lew’s BBQ & had a great time at both.
Kristen: We can’t wait to have you back at one of them! We’ll be joined by chef Chris Coleman in September for a dinner at Haymaker, and chef Andres Kaifer of Customshop in December. We’ll be announcing one more dinner over the summer soon – so stay tuned!

Q: What are your favorite cocktails before dinner?
Tom: To me, a pre-dinner cocktail should work to whet your appetite to prepare you for the meal ahead. My favorite pre-dinner cocktail is a classic Negroni. The combination of gin, bitter (in a good way) Campari (or Aperol), and sweet vermouth really opens up your tastebuds to welcome what you are about to eat. If you are not a gin fan, opt for its bourbon-based cousin, the Boulevardier. Also, an old-school Martini or Vesper (stirred, not shaken — sorry, 007) are timeless classics. I would leave the more sweet cocktails as well as the trendy espresso martini for dessert.

Have a question for us? Email us at editor@unpretentiouspalate.com and we’ll answer it on our next Concierge Thursday!