Damon Baehrel

1/14/2014

Much has already been written about Damon Baehrel so I will try and be succinct. I put in my reservation request in August 2012 and fully expected a 5-year minimum wait but to my delight I was able to snag a "special seating" on a Sunday at 4pm. It helps to be flexible with your dates and within driving distance. 20 courses (!), 4.5 hours. 5 hour round trip drive. 1 car rental. Completely worth it. Damon Baehrel is the ultimate host, completely charming and engaging. My wife and I were the only guests and it was awesome! Not awkward at all. What I loved about the meal, besides his "Native Harvest" dishes, was that by the end of it you can start to understand his botany heavy food lexicon, as certain themes started to emerge. Stevia and clover as thickening agents, all sap everything, powders galore, nut flours, fermentation trickery, homemade cheese. Homemade everything! (except some salt and the seafood/wine). Hearing his insanely detailed and clever course preparations makes you feel guilty about eating all of these small bites in less than 30 seconds. Damon paces the meal perfectly, always happy to chat and answer your questions at length. He takes great satisfaction in his cooking and sharing his techniques. This meal is about learning the process as much as it is about eating, and both are better for it. There were some items that sounded cooler than they tasted, but overall each dish was solid. The highlights for me were the teal duck and the duck egg "creme brulee". I guess I like duck. If you are fortunate enough to get a reservation here come with an open mind and don't expect a rich fancy-pants food experience or you will be disappointed.

PS - Leaving a one-star review for a restaurant you have never eaten at just because you can't get a reservation is pathetic.

3/19/2016

I do not think this is closed. I think it is closed for the season since he gets s much of his ingredients from his property. I have not seen anything to indicate he is out of business

12/26/2015

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Fancy Schmancy Dining

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH STARS TO RATE DAMON BAEHREL!!!!!  The hubs and I were extremely lucky and fortunate in being able to come here for a super special private seating to celebrate my birthday!!!  Damon Baehrel, which is named after the chef himself, is probably considered the most exclusive restaurant in the world.  I had first heard about this chef from MY BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER, JASON C., which got me quite intrigued!!!  It is literally a one-man show, as Chef Baehrel is the one who cooks, serves, and hosts a 5-6+ hour-dining experience for his guests at his beautiful home on his 12-acre property in upstate NY.  As most know, this restaurant is booked solid until the year 2026, and they have not been taking any reservations/adding parties onto their waiting list since last year/'14 (this is for an indefinite period of time) - you bet your tootin' bootin' that I felt so victorious for bypassing others on the list by 11+ years!!!  (Just note that it really doesn't matter 'who' you, 'who' you know, and/or if you come equipped with a list of multiple referrals.)  Known for his 'Native Harvest Cuisine,' every single item on his menu (besides the seafood that is brought fresh from Nova Scotia from his private supplier) is made/created/raised on the premise - when I mean every item, I mean EVERY item, from the flours, pressed oils, vinegars, breads, to the curing his own meats and aging his own cheeses!  This restaurant is the epitome and the prime definition of what 'farm-to-table' should really be!  We were welcomed warmly from Chef Baehrel, and I was super excited that we were his only guests for the evening - YES, IT WAS JUST THE 3 OF US, THE HUBS, ME, AND THE CHEF!!! (I think I literally sobbed right on the spot).  The 5.5+ hours we were there actually flew right on by and was like a total dream - we were given a multi-course menu (about 24-26+ items, including some handful of extras since the Chef was just super excited in having us(!!!)), that featured seasonal, organic plants/fruits/vegetables/trees from his property, in addition to a lovely educational overview of each of the ingredients used for the dish.  I just couldn't believe at some of the ingredients that he had used, and how each of them had a distinct flavor (and were all actually edible/okay for human consumption!) - it was amazing to listen to the experimentation, the time spent, the punctuality of harvesting such items throughout the year, and the multiple aging/preserving/curing process that he does.  I had a lovely wine pairing with the multi-course dinner (delicious champagne, reds, whites, and dessert wines), while the hubs had homemade juice pairings made from the luscious fruits/tree saps (super delicious and refreshing!).  The love, the passion, and the excitement from the chef was just purely an eye-opener, and this literally was the BEST DINING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!  BELIEVE THE HYPE (of the very few limited ones there are) - Chef Baehrel will change your life and exceed any and all expectations that you may/will have!!!  You have to go there to experience it personally, as there are no words to describe such a unique experience - the overwhelming appreciation that you obtain in tasting the raw essence of the ingredients that are found around you, was truly truly truly remarkable - Chef Baehrel is a GENIUS!  Just note that there is no photography/video/recording equipment/note-taking allowed inside the restaurant, so please be respectful to the Chef (and, shame on those who disregard/circumvent around this request/policy!); this really allows you to immerse and focus on the offerings and not get so OCD in terms of taking every shot!  I plan to bring my dearest friends, and I cannot wait to go back! :D

+BEST DINING EXPERIENCE EVER!!!
+Chef Damon Baehrel :D
+Native Harvest Cuisine :D
+5.5+ dining experience :D
+no photography/video/recording equipment allowed inside the restaurant - please be respectful!

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  Damon Baehrel

  Damon Baehrel
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  Damon Baehrel

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  Damon Baehrel

  Damon Baehrel

6/30/2014

Yes it takes a long time to secure a reservation, but for good reason, everyone wants to go! Indeed Thomas Keller called Chef Damon one of America's best chefs.  I've personally written a few reviews on Trip Advisor and elsewhere, proclaiming this experience to be life changing.  It is a must for serious foodies.  And what a shame that one Yelper was frustrated with the reservation policy and felt if appropriate to leave 1 star.  That's when Yelp should filter...

2/21/2014

This restaurant and experience has made eating like a regular person extremely difficult. My mind is blown. Damon is a gentleman and a true genius.

6/18/2013

I've not eaten at the restaurant but have been on "the list" for more than 5 years. Ouch. I finally got "fed up" and removed myself. The truth is, it was far too difficult dealing with the pretense. When someone who had been there mentioned  "The Emperor's New Clothes," it all clicked in. Proceed with caution.

11/5/2014

We are local and have been there several times. It is easily the best dining experience that we have ever had and that includes NYC and international destinations. You will be fed, entertained and educated by Chef Damon. The only bad news is that the restaurant is presently not taking new reservations, because of a multiyear backlog. Be patient though, they will eventually catch up.

9/23/2014

Simply the most amazing dining experience in the world.  We have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed the pleasure of Damon's food, wine and company several times.  Each experience has left us in awe and planning our next visit.  1 million stars!!!

8/6/2010

• First to Review

Truly amazing 4 and half hour meal.  10 courses all grown on the property or raised on the nearby farms.  Chef Damon Baehrel is the chef, host, waiter, busboy and dishwasher.  

He presents each course to you with a short description and his love for each ingredient is apparent in every word.  He talks about the spirit of produce and of rutabegas and cat's tails and cheese.  I thought this review got all the nuances just right:
epicurious.com/articlesg…

This place gets about three thousand reservations a year and each of the guest who I dined with had called every week for 3 months to get a reservation.

11/28/2011 Updated review

If the MacArthur Foundation gave their "genius grants" to restaurateurs, Damon Baehrel would get the first.  We ate at a small (6 people) seating that started at 4:45 and ended after 9:45.  After a complementary glass of excellent sparkling French wine, we were treated to fourteen courses that used almost exclusively items grown or foraged and prepared on the grounds of the restaurant.  There is a well chosen wine list and all wines were available by the glass.

The unusual local ingredients ranged from acorn flour to burdock root to cattail shoots.  We were treated to such unusual and intensely flavored dishes as Riesling granita and sumac sorbet.  There were three exceptional freshly baked breads and eleven artisanal cheeses made by Damon from milk from his cows, sheep and goats.  Each plate was artistically presented and adorned with herbs, reductions and powders (e.g. rhubarb powder).   Standouts included the "fried egg" with a yolk of slow cooked yellow tomato and white of slow cooked turnip with a crunchy little "hash brown" made of radish that tasted nothing like radish.  The nasturtium flower "tempura", and the chocolate beet "pudding" were also exceptional.

Each course was a surprise and delight.  The flavors just explode in your mouth.   It's no surprise that the waiting list is anywhere from three months to a year.

7/24/2012

There is no rating system good enough to describe the Basement Bistro and it's genius chef Damon Baehrel.   To start off it took us 2 years to get a reservation.  Any other restaurant after eating there I probably would've told you it wasn't worth the wait.  Let me tell you this - it was 100% worth the wait and in fact I've put my name back on the waiting list and can't wait to go again.  

Not sure where to begin but...  My wife and a few friends were the only 6 people in Damon's basement (it's literally the basement of his house) although he can fit up to 15 people we had the unique experience of eating alone.  It turns out our Chef Damon Baehrel is also the maitre d', the waiter, the sommelier, the bus boy, the prep cook and oh yeah - the amazingly talented chef.  He is the only person you see all night as he pours your water (the water is a surprise in itself I'll leave out for you to experience on your own), fixes your napkin, serves your food and in his spare time cooks up some of the most amazing dishes you've ever eaten in your life.  

Our dinner was 5 1/2 hours and 15 courses.  Almost everything you eat is grown on his 12 acre land with some fish being brought in and some meat from a nearby farm.  Every single thing you eat is unreal.  All his flour, butter, bread, cheeses, sopressata's and so much more were all home made.  

To describe Chef Damon Baehrel is to say that he truly has a passion for what he does and considers it a privilege to cook for you in his basement.  This alone is such a refreshing twist from most great chefs who feel that they are superior because they can prepare a great meal.  Damon is funny and kind and did I mention his food is UNREAL!!!

It's so hard to write in a yelp review how unbelievable this meal was.  I have traveled all over the world.   Have eaten in the best restaurants in New York City, Westchester, New Orleans, California, Connecticut, Las Vegas, France and Italy.  This was honestly one of the greatest experiences of my life (and the same held true for my wife and our guests).  You need to eat here.  You need to experience the wonder that is Chef Damon Baehrel.   You need to put your name on the list today.  You will not regret that you did!!!