The Jackson House Inn

[ChefGEB]

Greetings from beautiful Woodstock, Vermont. Being new to the egullet community, I was wondering if anyone has had the chance to eat at The Jackson House Inn. The restaurant is serving a three course pre fixe menu, as well as a ten course Chefs tadting menu. The webpage (which features menus) is http://www.jacksonhouse.com . For the are, I feel we are doing some pretty cool food. and I invite all of you to come and experience it.

[GG Mora]

Wow. Would that be ChefGEB for Graham Elliot Bowles? Welcome® to Gullet, and congratulations on being named one of F&W's Best New Chefs.

I have not been to your place, yet, but it is #1 on my list. I'm just down in South Londonderry. My employment of late has kept me from dining out as I would like to, but a new contract will have that tidied up in a month or so. I've heard & read so many good things about Jackson House & can't wait to check in. The restaurant scene in SoVT is pretty dodgy – seems most of the high-end joints are sticking to the tried and true; many of the places attempting "creative cuisine" are way off the mark. Sounds like you're breaking the mold.

You still using Diane St. Clair's butter?

[ChefGEB]

Diane (from Animal Farm) has been sending all of her products to The French Laundry and Per Se, so unfortunately, I have not been able to use her amazing dairy items. I hope you ge the chance to come up her soon, and until then, best wishes!

[miahoyhoy]

Nice to meet you Graham. I'll have to wait until my busy season subsides before I can visit your restaurant. Perhaps in September when school is back in session. Nice looking web site too!

Jon

[speidec]

Hi Chef, my girlfriend and I would loved to have eaten at the Jackson House Inn but the lady who answered the phone said she wouldn't give us a reservation unless we had a local number. I am a chef in Providence and was excited to visit so if you can, let us know what we have to do to get a reservation in advance. I should also add, the lady on the telephone was not pleasant at all.

[Bond Girl]

Welcome to eGullet, ChefGEB. For those that have read the most recent issue of Food and Wine, ChefGEB is one of the top ten 2004 Best Chefs. I look forward to your contribution to the board.

[ChefGEB]

speidec,

I greatly apologize if our reservationist was unkind in any way. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Monday, closed on Tuesday. If there is any problem procuring a reso, please ask to speak with me directly. The restaurants phone number is (802) 457-2065. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

ChefGEB

[bluekale]

Diane (from Animal Farm) has been sending all of her products to The French Laundry and Per Se.

This really surprised me when I read it. I understand that top chefs like Thomas Keller have a lot of power in selecting their ingredients, but I never realized a local purveyor would favor two restaurants hundreds of miles away exclusively, especially when quite respectable local places are also in the market for her food. I hope for the sake of chefs like you, who try to get the best local ingredients, that this is an isolated case of mixed up priorities.

[ChefGEB]

I completely understand whewre you are coming from, but here are a few thoughts on the situation. I think that if you are a small, independant artisinal dairy farmer, and someone of the likes of Thomas Keller wishes to use your product, the decision to sell to him and not to a local chef is a easy decision. Press/exposure, as well as the cache of being used by a "star chef", has less risk associtatd with it, than say, a 27 year old chef who is just starting out in a town of 3,000 people in Vermont. Also, with FedEx and overnight delivery, everyone is now your "local purveyor". Meaning, the world today is soo small, that you as a chef have the ability, as well as the responsibiltly, to seek out the greatest ingredients, where ever they are to be found.

ChefGEB

[sara]

Hi

My boyfriend and I will be driving from Boothbay Harbor to Burlington during August, and are debating stopping off to check this place out. The menu--particularly the minibar-esque tasting menu--looks great. But can anyone (chef?) give us a sense of the prices? And is it realistic to expect to drive from Jackson House to Burlington after dinner? Are you open for lunch?

Thanks much!

Edited July 14, 2004 by sara (log)

[ChefGEB]

Sara,

We wuold love for you and your boyfriend to join us in August. We have a three course pre fixe for $55 (app, entree, dessert), and a ten course tasting menu for $95. Burlington is about an hour and forty five minutes away, so I am sure you could make it if you had an early reso (dining room opens at 6pm). I hope this info helps some, and I look forward to cooking for you soon.

ChefGEB

[sara]

Chef

Well, we were all set to come, but I called to make a reservation and learned that the restaurant is closed on Thursday Aug 5--the night we wanted to come. Another time, I suppose...

[tan319]

I just wanted to welcome ChefGEB to eGullet and also add that his website, which I happened upon last night, was not only amazing looking, but inspirational too.

To be cooking like that in a town of 3,000 is super ballsy!

Menu looks great, love the philosophy behind the food.

Best of luck and best wishes,

Ted Niceley