Wines Of The World

There’s something especially warm and familiar about celebrating the holidays in a turn-of-the-century, 1905 historical home on Eastern Long Island. The Preston House & Hotel in downtown Riverhead, a transformed 20-room boutique hotel and restaurant once owned by Henry Preston, the first salaried sheriff of Suffolk County, will host a celebratory “Wines of the World” dinner on Thursday, December 6 at 6:30 PM following the sold-out success of their inaugural wine dinner, held back in October.

“For a menu to match a title like ‘Wines Of The World,’ the cuisine would have to be international as well. This menu was composed from my travels and international culinary experiences,” explained Chef Matthew Boudreau, also known as Chef Matty, an American chef with over 100 passport stamps from different countries. “From quail prepared in a southern chicken fried style, to baked oysters with a New Orleans essence, to then venturing to France and Italy with porcini and boulangerie or the fontina purse, I wanted people to feel that with each bite they get ‘beamed up by Scotty’ to another place that can only be complemented and faded away by a sip of the next wine.”

For the past 20 years, Chef Matty worked side by side with notable chefs including Eric Ripert, Anton Edelmann, Terry Harwood, Charlie Trotter, and Tommy Giovanni, sharpening his kitchen skills across the United States in Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis, and New Orleans —each city a different flavor and flair. When New York City called his name, he joined the opening team at Balthazaar, which is when Andre Balaz of Shelter Island invited Chef Matty to hang his hat at Sunset Beach.

From there, he eventually went on to work across the East End as the chef de cuisine at Vine Street Cafe and Barons Cove in Sag Harbor, all before landing him at The Preston House & Hotel in Riverhead, where he focuses on New American cuisine. Guests at the “Wines of the World” dinner can expect fresh takes on classic dishes as Chef Matty incorporates new approaches to traditional meals.

Wines chosen for this event will be from Opici Family Distributors, to highlight the uniqueness of such a portfolio. The evening will begin with a family owned Champagne Lombard and move on to an Argentinian Malbec from Malen Ruca, “with very little oak integration letting the fruit shine through.” For the main course, a cabernet sauvignon from Hoopes Vineyard in Napa Valley, paired with a New York Prime. Finishing off the evening will be a Pedro Ximenez sherry with notes of intense, dark, and sweet raisin flavors.

The Preston House restaurant is both historical and modern. Throughout the month of December, one special on the menu will be Peconic Bay scallops gratin with spinach gremolata and lemon. Feel extra cheerful with an Egg Nog cocktail or Candy Cane martini. Other notable, upcoming events include an Underground Industry Night on December 17 and a special prix fix menu for New Year’s Eve.

The Preston House & Hotel is located at 428 East Main Street. The cost for “Wines of the World” is $75 per person. Visit www.theprestonhouseandhotel.com or call 631-775-1550.
Reservations required.

nicole@indyeastend.com