USA FINE DINING MICHELIN TOUR BY PRIVATE JET
There are only a handful of American cities that feature Michelin restaurants in their dining portfolios. Our Private Jet USA fine dining Michelin tour is centred around three of those, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco and they all exemplify the very best that Michelin has to offer in this great country.
We recognise that the cities hosting Michelin may be limited in the US, however the choice for dining is certainly not. Clearly, we will craft your itinerary around those eateries that you would like to visit, however, to tempt your tastebuds, we have selected three of our favourite fine dining restaurants in three cities to give you a flavour of how great touring with us can be.
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN NEW YORK CITY
New York oozes food sophistication with its multicultural kitchen influences reflected in fantastic menus served within an equally fantastic array of restaurants. With the city boasting five three Michelin star restaurants and thirteen two-star eateries, the choices are mouth-watering.
We usually spend two nights in the city, and we have listed below a few of our top picks. Also, the array of stunning hotels is just about as mouthwatering as the restaurants. 1hotel Brooklyn Bridge, the Peninsula on 5th, or maybe a loft suite in Soho’s Hugo Hotel, we like to ensure that you always have suite dreams.
LE BERNARDIN (3*) - MANHATTAN - NEW YORK CITY
The kitchen delivers seafood in several menu formats including tasting, almost raw, barely touched, and lightly cooked with vegetarian and meat options also available.
The 15,000-bottle wine cellar is managed by the legendary Aldo Sohm, a former recipient of “Best Sommelier in America” This is an outstanding cellar featuring wines from twelve countries with a few vintages dating back to the late 1800’s.
The restaurant environment is relaxed with a luxurious fit out. Staff have an encyclopaedic knowledge of ingredients and menu structures, showcase meticulous service skills and are impeccably dressed. There are also superb private dining facilities that we can use for larger touring parties.
*www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/new-york-state/new-york/restaurant/le-bernardin
CHEFS TABLE AT BROOKLYN FARE (3*) - MANHATTAN - NEW YORK CITY
The dining experience is a set menu of many bite-sized and perfectly formed dishes with distinct Asian influences, served to all 44 diners at the same time. Whether it is a Scottish langoustine or an A5 Wagyu beef, the culinary skill to maximise flavour and texture is breathtaking.
Without doubt, the best experience is sitting at the walnut counter table overlooking the kitchen. It is pure theatre watching these highly skilled professionals cooking, preparing and presenting your food.
The wine cellar is an excellent collection of predominantly old world wines and champagnes. The wine pairing, given the many different flavours and Asian influences is impressive.
*www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/new-york-state/new-york/restaurant/chef-s-table-at-brooklyn-fare
DANIEL (2*) – MANHATTAN – NEW YORK CITY
Situated between Madison and Park Avenues, Daniel Boulud’s two Michelin star establishment has become an institution in its near thirty-year life on the city’s Upper East side. The seven-course tasting menu includes beef, wagyu oxtail, lamb, lobster, tuna and crab, and it is exceptional.
The cellar is excellent and as you would expect there is a noticeable and impressive lean towards French Burgundy, and Rhone listings and equally, the Champagne programme is superb. We also love the Lalique cocktail bar, definitely worth a pre dinner glass or two!
The dining room in our opinion is one of the finest in the city. Grand and classic in style, it is like stepping back in time and you do recognise that you are somewhere special. You should get dressed to dine here, it is a wonderful experience.
www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/new-york-state/new-york/restaurant/daniel
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN CHICAGO
Chicago has really burst onto the Michelin scene in the past few years, and we are delighted that it has. The windy city is now host to over twenty fine dining Michelin restaurants. The new generation of chefs are inventive and really out there when it comes to food styling and the whole restaurant vibe. On this tour we take a dive into their contemporary American restaurants, and we’ve selected three of our favourites.
Chicago has many excellent hotels, The Drake for classic elegance, or perhaps the Ritz Carlton on downtowns Gold Coast, or checking in to the Langham, you’ll be very comfortable in your suite with floor to ceiling windows and beautiful views over the Chicago river and Lake Michigan.
MOODY TONGUE (2*) - SOUTH LOOP - CHICAGO
This is a unique dining experience, a two-star restaurant with beer pairings rather than wine. The offer is a very well-balanced tasting menu, and includes fish, shellfish, game, Wagyu, cheese and desserts.
Jared Wentworth heads up the kitchen and he has a healthy history of collecting Michelin stars with eleven to date. He is a skilled culinary artist and rightly respected in the fine dining world.
The restaurant sits on top of a working brewery in the South Loop district a few blocks to the west of Lake Michigan. The beer matching is excellent and importantly you do not need to be a beer lover to appreciate the pour that you receive for each course.
www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/illinois/chicago/restaurant/moody-tongue
GOOSEFOOT (1*) - LINCOLN SQUARE - CHICAGO
This dining experience is centred on a twelve-course tasting menu that demonstrates strong French kitchen techniques and is well balanced in flavour and textures, and presented beautifully.
“The seasonally inspired menus change frequently and the cuisine, a blend of disciplined French technique with a passionate forward thinking modern vision, beautifully expresses the restaurant’s relationships with our small artisan farmers”
This is an excellent addition to the city’s Michelin listings. From the welcome, look and casual vibe, you know that Nina and Chris Nugent embrace the value of the whole dining experience, and not just what the kitchen delivers.
www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/illinois/chicago/restaurant/goosefoot
EVER (2*) - FULTON MARKET - WEST LOOP - CHICAGO
So, and as you would expect, the food is excellent, and the dining experience rotates around an imaginative eight to ten course tasting menu featuring the very best from land and sea.
Wine pairings are really on point and the list is a well-balanced collection of old and new world wineries and vintages.
We love the design, classy and a touch of luxury although without being intimidating and with knowledgeable staff who are sensitive to how you want to be looked after, this is a complete experience. In our opinion you would want to dress up to come here.
www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/illinois/chicago/restaurant/ever
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN SAN FRANCISCO
California delivers on Michelin with over 80 starred restaurants. The San Francisco area hosts nearly half of these, and the variety of cuisine delivers on all fronts. For a city that prides itself in setting a leading-edge culinary reputation, there are many restaurant styles and kitchen influences to get those taste buds tingling. We pick three very different restaurants and star ratings.
There is a good selection of luxury hotels some with stunning suites, maybe The Beacon Grand in the heart of the city on Union Square, the boutique Via on South Beach with its amazing roof bar and terrace, or the beautiful Ritz Carlton on Nob Hill.
THE FRENCH LAUNDRY (3*) - YOUNTVILLE - CALIFORNIA
If you have a Michelin bucket list, then the 3* French Laundry is likely to be on it, and it is just a short heli lift from town heading North to Yountville in the heart of the Napa Valley. This is Thomas Keller’s eponymous restaurant with two nine course tasting menus, one of which is vegetarian.
You immerse yourself in a gastronomic experience that is unrivalled in the opinion of many who have dined here. The product sourcing, the expertise within the kitchen team, and the presentation of the finished dishes are simply outstanding.
Keller’s wine lists are of legendary status, and this one sits firmly in that mould. There are many wineries and vintages that you will probably never see on any other wine list. This is certainly one to pour over before we take you there.
www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/yountville/restaurant/the-french-laundry
GARY DANKO (1*) - FISHERMANS WHARF – SAN FRANCISCO
Seafood Bisque, Pacific oysters and Osetra caviar, Beef tartare bearnaise dressing, herb crusted lamb, stuffed Quail, Roast lobster with potato puree, a trio of Crème Brulee’s, baked chocolate souffle, and an outstanding farmhouse and artisanal cheese board. We never tire of the classics!!
There is a well-established clientele who have been dining here since the 90’s enjoying what many describe as “old school luxury” This is without doubt classic fine dining, thoughtful and inventive with a real focus on first class local ingredients, classic French kitchen technique, and beautiful presentation.
You can create your own 3/4/5 course prix fixe menu or let the kitchen team design a tasting menu. Service is impeccable as is the incredible wine list.
www.guide.michelin.com/gb/en/california/san-francisco/restaurant/gary-danko
BIRDSONG (2*) - MISSION STREET - SAN FRANCISCO
Christopher Bleidorn has worked in some of the best three star restaurants in the USA, and has built a fantastic reputation in the city with his creative menu. On his tasting menu he features mussels, trout, oysters, quail and lamb, delivering a memorable two-star experience.
Wine and champagne pairings are excellent, with a good mix of new and old-world from the cellar including Pinot Gris, Gruner, Gamay, Barbera and Tempranillo.
The restaurant has a pleasant semi-industrial rustic vibe with extensive use of natural woods, exposed ventilation and brick walls. It is a spacious environment with its high ceilings, and there’s a great buzz when it is busy.
www.guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/san-francisco/restaurant/birdsong
FINE DINING MICHELIN TOURING WITH VXO IN THE USA
TAILORED TOURING - BUILDING WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU WANT IT
VXO tailored touring works on the principle that we design itineraries specific to the cities, restaurants, and activities that you would like included.
Our tour itineraries on this website are an indication of what cities and restaurants we can include when building an experience for your party.
Touring is not just about the food, we also include activities, sightseeing, some retail therapy, fun, time for relaxation to soak up your surroundings and possibly indulge in some pampering too, it’s the finer details that really make your experience memorable.
We have considerable tour management experience and expertise, with a dedicated team who really understand the dynamic of multi-location touring, and we personally host your tour.
We recognise that things may change for any number of reasons when on tour, so we provide a 24/7 concierge service to assist and help you and your party in any way, always acting with discretion and confidentiality.
TRAVEL
We take care of all your in-country travel requirements when you are touring with us in the USA.
Our aviation division has global access to over 30000 aircraft, and we secure the best internally configured long-haul jet for your party, and helicopters for airport and location transfers when required.
On the jet, there is a full cabin service. We also include a vintage Bollinger tasting at altitude on the Chicago to San Francisco leg!
We can also assist with your inbound and outbound travel routing if you are connecting from another country, whether that is on scheduled flights or private.
We work with a partner network providing chauffeured VIP ground transport in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.
ACCOMMODATION
We have excellent knowledge of the best hotels in the cities that we visit, and we’ve stayed over in a few of them too.
Depending on your group’s demographic, and whether it needs to be in town, downtown, or out of town, we’ll recommend a few 5 star, premium or boutique hotels.
We also like to ensure where possible, that there are in-house Spa’s, gyms and great food and drink available too.
Your accommodation is always in suites or premium rooms.
CONTACT US
Interested in touring with us or perhaps just want to ask a question? Contact us by filling the form or call:
UK: +441382913000 Mon/Fri (9.00-5.00)
UK: +441224600124 (24hrs)
USA: +19177649935 (24hrs)