{"id":10598,"date":"2026-10-16T03:47:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T03:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/10598\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T03:47:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T03:47:13","slug":"chefs-pairing-challenge-brings-the-flavor-new-york-wine-experience-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/10598\/","title":{"rendered":"Chefs\u2019 Pairing Challenge Brings the Flavor\u2014New York Wine Experience 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

What happens when you combine four culinary stars, eight fantastic wines, 900 opinionated wine lovers and one Wine Spectator editor on the rocks? You get the annual New York Wine Experience Chefs\u2019 Challenge.<\/p>\n

The premise is simple: Each chef prepares a dish, for which another chef and senior editor Bruce Sanderson has picked a match. After tasting each dish with the wines, the crowd votes on which pairing they think is best.<\/p>\n

In the ring were all returning veterans: Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s, founder of World Central Kitchen and owner of Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s Group restaurants; Emeril Lagasse, television star and owner of Wine Spectator Grand Award\u2013winning Emeril\u2019s\u00a0and Delmonico Steakhouse; Eric Ripert, chef and partner of Grand Award winner Le Bernardin in New York City; and Danny Meyer, executive chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group, which includes Grand Award winner the Modern in New York City.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Clockwise from top left: Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s’ eggplant, Emeril Lagasse’s chickpeas and bacal\u00e3o, Danny Meyer’s mackerel and Eric Ripert’s pistachio dessert. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

Last year, Sanderson went 0-3 with a tie, so for 2023 he was looking for his comeback. \u201cIt was my rookie season,\u201d he explained. \u201cI\u2019m looking for revenge \u2026 I thought about hiding a bottle of Domaine de la Roman\u00e9e-Conti under all of [the guests\u2019] chairs. But this year, I decided to double down and really find terrific pairings that will go with each chef\u2019s dish.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first dish, drawing inspiration from Spain and Japan, came from the menu of Andr\u00e9s\u2019 the Bazaar restaurant in New York City. On the plate was a silky cut of eggplant roasted in honey and savory miso, then topped with smoky pine nuts, crispy pearls of rice and fresh chive blossoms.<\/p>\n

Ripert and Le Bernardin wine director Aldo Sohm picked an Alsatian Riesling from the Trimbach family, wanting a wine to cut through the eggplant\u2019s creaminess and smokiness. Sanderson\u2019s choice was distinctly different: a light-bodied Nerello Mascalese from Sicily. To him, the smokiness of roasted eggplant was meant to pair with a red, one that\u2019s fruity, with its own smoky note and light tannins. \u201cBruce, when I saw your choice, I was very happy about my choice,\u201d ribbed Ripert.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Eric Ripert matched the eggplant with a Riesling made by one of the most acclaimed families in Alsace. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see what you were going for with the volcanic soils, but I think this dish needed a bit more maturity,\u201d Andr\u00e9s explained, before teasing Sanderson. \u201cBruce, you really need to be speaking to the eggplant when you are doing these pairings. It\u2019ll tell you it needs older wines.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andr\u00e9s told Ripert that the Riesling pairing was an inspired choice, because it matched the dish in sweetness with a bit of age for backbone. The audience agreed, leaving Sanderson in the dust for this round.<\/p>\n

Lagasse, a 21-year veteran of the Challenge, pulled a Portuguese dish straight from his childhood\u2014a plate of pureed, garlicky chickpeas, bacal\u00e3o (salted cod), dried olives and a topping of paprika-dusted rice. Sanderson said he learned from his mistake last year of not pairing Lagasse\u2019s food with Portuguese wine, so this year he selected a bottle from Quinta do Crasto, a white blend of the local Viosinho and Verdelho varieties. Filled with honeysuckle and citrus, the wine had spent time in oak, giving it some body and \u201csmokiness.\u201d Like Ripert, Meyer also chose an Alsatian Riesling, noting how the grape is underrated for its versatility with food pairings.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Bruce Sanderson and the restaurateurs all had their game faces on. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be mad at me, Danny,\u201d said Ripert. \u201cEmeril explained to me that this dish is from his mother. It\u2019s a very rustic dish, but it\u2019s very complex \u2026 You need a bit of acidity to create a contrast and wake up the taste buds, and I like Bruce\u2019s more for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andr\u00e9s also weighed in, saying that the Riesling was a bit too clean and precise with this dish. The crowd enthusiastically agreed, and Sanderson walked away with his first-ever Chefs\u2019 Challenge win.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Having learned from his mistakes last Wine Experience,\u00a0Bruce Sanderson\u00a0chose this Portuguese white to pair with Emeril\u2019s dish. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

For his dish, Meyer tapped Lena Ciardullo, executive chef of Meyer\u2019s first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, which was celebrating its 38th anniversary. Her dish was a riff on clams casino, with a fine sliver of melt-in-your-mouth Spanish mackerel topped with a \u201csopressata vinaigrette\u201d and accented with pickled ramps.<\/p>\n

With so many strong flavors, it posed a tricky challenge for Lagasse and Sanderson. Lagasse opted for a California Chardonnay from Paul Hobbs, thinking it could handle the oily fish and the spice. Sanderson, however, wanted a wine that would refresh the palate before each bite, so he selected the non-vintage Louis Roederer Brut Champagne Collection 244: \u201cI figured, when in doubt, Champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys need to think very hard on this; it will determine your futures as serious wine drinkers,\u201d Andr\u00e9s joked with the crowd. \u201cI love the Chardonnay. I think the creaminess works so well \u2026 but I think the creaminess of the Champagne also goes well with the breadcrumbs and the texture of the fish. So, I\u2019m going with both wines.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a result, this round of voting had three options: the Chardonnay, the Champagne and both. While some folks sided with Bruce and others with Emeril, those who liked both wines equally had a slight edge, making it a true tie. \u201cI feel like the Speaker of the House,\u201d said Andr\u00e9s, who likes to riff off current events. \u201cWe are the power of the majority!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

“Vote with both your hands if you love both wines!” exclaimed Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

In a Chefs\u2019 Challenge first, Ripert served a dessert, tapping his executive pastry chef, Orlando Soto, to share one of his favorites and a popular item from Le Bernardin\u2019s menu. Almost jewelry-like in its beauty, delicacy and intricacy, \u201cthe Pistachio\u201d is a thin layer of pistachio pralin\u00e9 topped with an incredibly light Grand Marnier\u2013laced bavarois and a sage green shell of white chocolate.<\/p>\n

Andr\u00e9s, ever the advocate for the wines of Spain, chose a M\u00e1laga dessert wine from Jorge Ordonez & Co., with notes of white flowers and vibrant acidity, which he thought would give it an edge. Sanderson presented a classic Sauternes, with a bit less acidity and the complex, honeyed notes from botrytis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like both wines, but I\u2019m leaning a bit more towards Jos\u00e9\u2019s,\u201d explained Lagasse, causing Sanderson to roll his eyes. \u201cThe overall structure and balance of the sweetness is better. That\u2019s just my opinion!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

This spread was only a precursor to an even bigger lunch. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the restaurant, we\u2019d usually serve this very cold,\u201d explained Ripert. \u201cWith this dessert being a little warmer, it\u2019s presenting itself as richer and sweeter. Therefore, if this was at the restaurant, I would go for the Sauternes. But today, I am agreeing with Jos\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately Andr\u00e9s\u2019 wine wiped the floor, leaving Sanderson with a record of 1-2 and a tie. \u201cYou know what, I think you should come back next year, Bruce,\u201d Lagasse said with a smile.<\/p>\n

Closing out the session, Meyer concluded, \u201cThe fact that we don\u2019t 100 percent agree should give everyone confidence that the only palate worth considering is your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

We don’t know what Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s likes more: when he wins or when Bruce Sanderson loses. (Daphne Youree)<\/p>\n

The Wine-and-Food Pairings<\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s<\/p>\n

Miso-Glazed Roasted Eggplant<\/p>\n

Eric\u2019s Wine: Trimbach Riesling Alsace Cuv\u00e9e Fr\u00e9deric \u00c9mile 2015 (NR)<\/p>\n

Bruce\u2019s Wine: Planeta Etna 2021 (91 points)<\/p>\n

Emeril Lagasse<\/p>\n

Portuguese Salt Cod and Chickpea Salad<\/p>\n

Danny\u2019s Wine: Albert Boxler Riesling Alsace R\u00e9serve 2021 (NR)<\/p>\n

Bruce\u2019s Wine: Quinta do Crasto Douro White Superior 2018 (90)<\/p>\n

Danny Meyer\/Lena Ciardullo<\/p>\n

Spanish Mackerel \u201cCasino\u201d with Soppressata Vinaigrette, Pickled Ramps and Breadcrumbs<\/p>\n

Emeril\u2019s Wine: Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Russian River Valley George Menini Estate 2021 (93)<\/p>\n

Bruce\u2019s Wine: Louis Roederer Brut Champagne Collection 244 NV (93)<\/p>\n

Eric Ripert<\/p>\n

Pistachio Pralin\u00e9 with Grand Marnier Bavarois<\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9\u2019s Wine: Jorge Ordonez & Co. M\u00e1laga No. 2 Victoria 2018 (91)<\/p>\n

Bruce\u2019s Wine: Ch\u00e2teau Suduiraut Sauternes 2020 (93)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What happens when you combine four culinary stars, eight fantastic wines, 900 opinionated wine lovers and one Wine Spectator editor on the rocks? You get the annual New York Wine Experience Chefs\u2019 Challenge. The premise is simple: Each chef prepares a dish, for which another chef and senior editor Bruce Sanderson has picked a match.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10599,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1455],"tags":[1471],"class_list":["post-10598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-eric-ripert","tag-eric-ripert"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dnc\/117448543019827789","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/chefs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}