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The Patriot, one of two mid-century luxury yachts launching for private parties in DC this summer. Photograph courtesy of Vintage Yacht Charters.
When we think of a dinner cruise on the Potomac River, it’s typically a ticketed buffet on a mega-motorboat. Long gone are the days when Washington’s elite hobnobbed on
Sequoia, the presidential wooden yacht. Vintage Yacht Charters, a new company launching in DC this summer, aims to bring some of the old-world charm and romance back to the water with two midcentury vessels available for small private parties. Chef Bin Lu, an alum of Pineapple and Pearls, CityZen, and Bourbon Steak, is at the helm for catering anything from jaunty picnic lunches to sunset cocktail parties or multi-course dinners.
Berlin brings more than 25 years of professional culinary experience and is tasked with overseeing the kitchens, crafting menus, and hiring culinary staff to run the day-to-day operations. Prior to joining Mill Town, Berlin was the executive chef at resort Blantyre Country Estate in Lenox. Before moving to the Berkshires, Berlin held a variety of positions at culinary entities across the country, including Gordon Ramsay at The London in Los Angeles and Manhattan, Church and State Bistro, Le Bernardin, and Payard Patisserie and Bistro. Berlin earned a culinary degree from the French Culinary Institute. He resides in Housatonic with his wife and two children.
Sagaponack:
Old Stove Pub, the legendary steakhouse that has drawn crowds since the 60s, was most recently taken over by Joseph DiCristofaro. On Tuesday nights, talent manager Scott Feldman, who’s worked with countless well-known chefs, will be organizing a visiting chefs series called Pop Up Nation. Among the participating chefs who will each prepare a multi-course meal using local ingredients: Marc Murphy, Michael Symon, Alex Guarnaschelli, Jonathan Waxman, Josh Capon, Esther Choi, and Leah Cohen.
3516 Montauk Highway
Courtesy of Il Buco
East Hampton:
Il Buco has taken over the space that formerly housed Italian restaurant Sotto Sopra, along with the adjoining space next door. Il Buco Alimentari chef Justin Smillie will helm the new spot, called Il Buco al Mare, as well as a market and coffee bar called Il Buco Vida. He is planning to focus on seafood, as the name suggests, serving a range of dishes from fresh whole catches to tinned fish to blistered prawns with fresno c
Del Mar, one of Washington’s buzziest restaurants, closed to the public over the weekend after a group of servers and bartenders walked out to protest a