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Nicolas-Jay’s Chef Dinner Series brings star power to the Willamette Valley

By Neil Ferguson

It’s a pristine spring day in the Dundee Hills and the kitchen at Nicolas-Jay is abuzz. A mix of wine club members, serious foodies and industry hot shots wet their palates with the winery’s eminently gluggable Pink Vinyl rosé. Some make their way into the tasting room, adorned with photos of Jay Boberg from his days running influential label IRS Records and signing bands like R.E.M., the Go-Go’s and the Bangles. In 2014, he opened the winery with Burgundian winemaker friend Jean-Nicolas Méo of Côte d’Or’s famed Domaine Méo-Camuzet. Others mingle on the expansive deck, enjoying the view of the vines surrounding the winery like an amphitheater, while chatting amicably with the Nicolas-Jay team.

Lunch is nearly ready. The group’s excitement is palpable as they await the upcoming multi-course culinary blitz. This marks the first installment of Nicolas-Jay’s annual Chef Dinner Series. Yes, this is lunch– not dinner– because the team managed to fit in one more meal. It’s also one of the most exciting culinary happenings in the Willamette Valley and even Portland, for that matter.          

“It started when a friend liked my idea of hosting a highly regarded chef at the winery. We held our first dinner with TV celebrity chef Bob Blumer in 2023. It sold out and our guests enjoyed the experience. There are plenty of wine dinners in the Willamette Valley and even more in Napa and Sonoma, but it’s rare for a nationally recognized chef to cook onsite at a winery,” notes Boberg.

Curated wine dinners have been a staple for decades. But few, if any, are drawing world-renowned, Michelin-starred chefs from across the country and sometimes the world. Next up is highly sought-after Tokyo sushi chef Norihito Endo for a 20-course omakase experience in August (and yes, it’s sold out). Each chef cooks in a space that feels like home. This extends to the chefs, who also receive a warm, welcoming Oregon experience.     

“They stay with me at the house I bought with Jean-Nicolas. I get to spend three to four days with these chefs and one of their team members, joining them to shop for ingredients and visiting the Farmer’s Market. I help them prep in our kitchen– all very exciting experiences for me as an amateur chef. Building a friendship I know will last is a bonus,” shares Boberg. The dinners are a chance to geek out and enhance his own knowledge of cooking and wine pairing. 

For this edition of the series, Boberg brought in chef Michael Anthony of the New York City fine-dining temple, Gramercy Tavern, where he has held the title of executive chef since 2006. Part of what makes the Chef Dinner Series so exhilarating is that many of the chefs are visiting Oregon for the first time. This provides an opportunity to experiment and naturally gives the dinners a more lively, spontaneous feel as the chefs work with local ingredients. The wine, of course, provides the perfect complement. 

“Most have not visited the Willamette Valley, and in all cases, the chefs want to experience the Oregon countryside and explore the local wine region. They see Nicolas-Jay’s brand rising to the same high level as their restaurants and appreciate the mutually beneficial word of mouth publicity it generates,” explains Boberg.   

Chef Michael Anthony is relaxed, enjoying the fresh air and bucolic serenity of Oregon wine country. This environment feels like the opposite of the hustle and bustle of Gramercy Tavern, which seats around 200 and serves hundreds of guests daily. Thousands of miles from his day job, Anthony exudes the calm of a man on vacation with a warm smile and a soft-spoken demeanor. He praises Oregon for being more democratic in providing high-quality, locally grown ingredients to both chefs and the public, compared to New York City, where chefs often guard their ingredients and relationships with farmers.

“During my week in Oregon, I enjoyed slowing down for a few days, waking up to quiet surroundings, close to nature. I felt a solidarity with grounded, friendly people who lacked pretension,” reflects Anthony. “I met people who make delicious products from the food they grow, and they share real pride in what makes the Valley unique. I was already a fan of Nicolas-Jay wines, but meeting the team and seeing their ingenuity, vision and hard work was completely inspiring.”

The chef often strolls from Gramercy Tavern to nearby Union Square to shop at one of New York City’s best markets. Sourcing locally is vital to the restaurant. It’s no surprise Anthony and his team bring this mentality to Oregon. In a way, it’s ironic a chef would travel so far to make a meal that feels quintessentially local. Yet, that is precisely why this series is so special: seasoned chefs seize the opportunity to craft a menu where Oregon is center stage. In Portland, chef Anthony discovered a market exploding with spring ingredients: asparagus, morels, porcini, fiddlehead ferns, green garlic, ramps, favas, spring bulb onions, Spruce tips, turnips, strawberries, wild king salmon, pasture-raised chickens. Much to the delight of diners eager to bask in the seasonality, many of these ingredients find their way onto the menu. 

“I often find inspiration in specific ingredients, using them as a starting point for creating individual dishes and seasonal specialties that define the menu’s theme. Chefs share an admiration for creating moments that are indelibly linked to our memories rooted in a specific time and place,” observes Anthony.   

Before lunch is served, the chef encourages diners to ask questions and perhaps even roll up their sleeves and get involved in the kitchen. Nobody takes him up on this offer, but it’s easy to picture someone eventually taking him up on it– the environment feels communal, like a family dinner party.

Despite being from New York City, chef Anthony’s menu fully reflects Oregon’s bounty. Hamachi bursts with pink color from hibiscus and refreshing, tangy flavor from sorrel. It’s complemented by the salinity in the Nicolas-Jay 2023 Spring Hill Chardonnay, as zesty and radiant as the bright green vines growing outside. A meticulously crafted cavatelli follows, swimming in an eye-poppingly green sauce made with fresh peas, ramps and smoky nibbles of guanciale, matched with another racy Chardonnay that cuts elegantly through the richness.

With Nicolas-Jay’s Pinot Noirs leading the charge, perfectly pan-seared king salmon follows with asparagus, kohlrabi, mussels and an array of lentils. Chef Anthony and his teammate make it look effortless as they multitask between prepping dishes, serving, cracking jokes and sipping wine with diners, who grow more boisterous and smitten with the whole experience as the meal progresses. By the time the roasted chicken is served, sourced from nearby Tabula Rasa Farms and prepared with green garlic, mushrooms and marinated spruce tips lending a piney, citrusy taste of the forest, it’s hard to imagine a single meal capturing the magic of springtime in Oregon better than this one.  

Finding chefs who suit the collaborative spirit of the winery is the main reason why the Nicolas-Jay Chef Dinner Series remains limited. By scheduling meals during the most bountiful seasons, visiting chefs have a wide variety of local ingredients. Hosting the dinners less frequently also affords Boberg the luxury of keeping the bar incredibly high. He brings the same perfectionism to the series he once brought to signing future stars.    

“I am constantly searching for chef talent– either established stars or up-and-coming inventive chefs– as I travel the country with our wine. I seek out chefs who value wine’s impact on the dining experience. Our Chef Dinner Series is curated, and the pressure is on after hosting chefs from Chez Panisse, Gramercy Tavern and the most sought-after sushi chef in Tokyo,” he adds. 

Beyond replicating restaurant service, the series dinners are laid-back, fluid and fun, with engaging casual interactions. Boberg shared stories of his years running IRS Records while chef Anthony walked through the menu with his easygoing confidence.

As Boberg looks forward, including next month’s dinner with chef Walter Manzke of the esteemed Los Angeles French restaurant République, with Valley Wine Merchants’ Andrew Turner serving as sous-chef, he plans to keep them intimate.

“Our goal is to make each chef dinner a memorable experience for our guests and the Nicolas-Jay Confrérie club member community. Bringing attention to the Willamette Valley and the great wines created here is our mission.”

Neil Ferguson is a journalist, editor and marketer. Originally from the tiny state of Rhode Island and spending his formative years in Austin, Texas, he has long focused his writing around cultural pursuits, whether they be music, beer, wine or food. Neil previously worked as director of marketing for the Oregon Wine Board. He currently contributes regularly to Willamette Week, Sip Magazine, The New School, Glide Magazine and other outlets. Read more at neilferguson.work.