Fine Dining at Home

Jackson Hole restaurateur Gavin Fine and his business partner, master chef Roger Freedman, find that a successful gourmet meal is most easily made in a top-notch kitchen — whether at home or at one of their three restaurants.

The pair of friends and business partners in their element.

“When it comes to great kitchens, size does matter — but not necessarily in the way that you think,” says Gavin Fine. “Too large and it wastes time and energy. Too small and it can be restrictive — even dangerous. I think a perfect kitchen is compact and ergonomic, with a smart traffic pattern, intelligent organization and quality appliances.”

He should know. With a degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Fine has worked in all aspects of restaurant operations and management, starting his career in Jackson Hole in the kitchen of a high-end restaurant. That’s where he met chef Roger Freedman. Today, the two of them own and operate Rendezvous Bistro, Q Roadhouse and Il Villagio Osteria. According to Freedman, “Gavin knows kitchens — and he’s a management genius besides.”

Fine and his wife, Lea, recently remodeled their home kitchen. “The kitchen is the heart of our house,” Fine says. “Our home is modest in size, but we significantly increased its visual size by knocking down walls and creating a single living, dining and kitchen space. We built a large deck across the back of the house overlooking Flat Creek, too. It really expands living and entertaining space when weather permits.    

“Our experience is that everyone seems to hang out in the kitchen. I love that. So, one of our design priorities was a big work island that also offers bar-height seating where guests can enjoy watching us cook.”

At 6x9 feet, the island houses a prep sink with plenty of adjacent work space, and right next to it, a handy trash bin hidden in the cabinet. On the dining area side, there’s a stylish under-counter wine rack.

To solve the problem of refrigerator doors in a compact traffic area, their unit has French doors to minimize the space required for door swing and help save energy. When both doors are open, there are wide, easy-to-access shelves for platters and large dishes.

Strategically-located cabinets with specialized interiors for holding spices or containers keep things organized and handy. Crocks filled with wooden spoons, spatulas, and other utensils right next to the range top put everything within easy reach.

Making use of nooks and crannies on counters to stash heavy appliances, such as a stand mixer, juicer, or blender, reduces effort, encourages frequent use and fosters creativity.

And finally, a built-in restaurant banquette-style dining area saves lots of room — and provides a cozy corner for
great food and conversation. The nearby island is a perfect place to put serving dishes or spread a buffet.


Recipe: Potato-Fennel Au Gratin Recipe
Serves 4-6

• 6 Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled, and sliced into rounds ¼” thick
• 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
• 3 TBS unsalted butter
• 2 TBS chopped garlic
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 TBS chopped fresh thyme
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Caramelize onions and fennel in the butter for 20 minutes over medium heat. Add thyme and set aside.

In a separate saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer, mixing in the garlic. Add potato slices and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour half of the mixture into a 9-inch glass baking dish or gratin baking dish.

Spread half of the sautéed fennel/onion on top of the potatoes; then layer the remainder of the potatoes on top of that. Now, cover the potato layer with the remainder of the fennel/onions. Sprinkle the top with the grated parmesan.

Bake for 35 minutes. Set under a broiler for 3 minutes to brown the top if desired. Serve hot.