The other night, our festival team gathered at Waterworks for our annual post-wrap dinner…a time when we finally exhale and look back at how this year’s event went.
Fifteen years in, and we were all in agreement that it was the smoothest one yet, thanks in large part to a team that has mostly stayed the same for several years running. We’re endlessly grateful to them (as well as to the team at Waterworks for their never-ending hospitality).
As we were getting close to dessert, we were talking about new ways to reach people next year, and Luke — the newest member of our team, and in his early 20s — wisely let us know that we should probably be on TikTok.
God help us. He’s probably right.
And it also got us thinking…we actually don't ask YOU enough what you want.
More TikTok? Maybe. But also…more wine picks? More restaurant intel? More activities and events? Something else entirely? If you've got an opinion, hit reply and let us know. We read everything and look forward to hearing from you.
On the Menu…
Starters
Bites & Bottles: 3 Personal Chefs, 3 Ways to Dine at Home
Tastemakers: Matthew Peterson, May Day
The Long Pour: The Truth About Natural Wines
The Goods
Starters…
Six days from now, we'll be sending a group of Champlain Dinner Club guests a text with a restaurant name on it, and none of them will know what’s coming.
That's the magic of this thing, and it works! You take a two-minute quiz, we sort you into a table of six people you've never met, and the “where” stays a surprise until the morning of. And after dinner, everyone gets invited to the same after-party, so the six-person table turns into a room full of people who all showed up curious enough to say “yes” to a mystery.
At the Winooski dinner, one guest looked around the table and asked how we possibly matched them with such perfect people for them…she said it was “almost creepy.” We'd love to take credit for that. The truth is, there’s an algorithm that’s better at this than we are.
So here are a few signs that this might be for you…
You're new to the area and haven't met many people yet.
You recently retired and miss the friends you used to see at work.
You work remotely and don't see many people in person anymore.
Your friend circle feels like it’s gotten smaller or quieter than you'd like.
You’re simply ready to try something new and fun.
If any of that sounds familiar, Tuesday, August 18 is the date, Waterbury is the town, and that's about all we're telling you.
(By the way, our past groups have skewed rather female…so if you're reading this and you're not, consider this your invitation to help fix that!).
Sign up, take the quiz, and we'll take it from there.
Bites + Bottles
Hiring a personal chef used to mean one thing: a special-occasion splurge. In Burlington, it now covers a lot more ground…weeknight dinners packed into your fridge, a hands-on pasta class for a friend's milestone birthday, a full restaurant experience delivered to your dining room table.
Three local chefs are working this space, and each has built something distinct. We've gotten to know all three through Burlington Wine & Food, and each brings talent and professionalism to their work. Here's who they are, what they do best, and how to pick the right one for your needs...
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We keep writing about them, and the awards just keep coming for Vermont food producers. This time, it’s Hinesburg's Vermont Smoke & Cure, which took home a 2026 Taste for Life Food & Beverage Award for its Uncured Turkey Pepperoni Stick, winning the “Snack Stick” category for the third time after previous wins in 2018 and 2024. The recognition arrives during a year of national expansion for the company, which also launched new licensed products with Lea & Perrins and A.1. steak sauces. Vermont Smoke & Cure has been smoking meat in the state since 1962.
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Speaking of awards…last week, we mentioned that Harmony Edosomwan of Harmony's Kitchen, the Winooski-based soul food business, had just won the People's Choice Award at the Miss Black USA pageant. Over the weekend, she went on to win the whole competition, taking the national Miss Black USA crown. Edosomwan posted on social media that the win comes with a full ride to law school. Congratulations to Harmony!
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Two Chittenden County restaurant stories broke this week, on opposite ends of the spectrum. South Burlington's Mirabelles Bakery is expanding into full-service dining, as they’ll be taking over both Kitchen Table locations (the full-service restaurant in Richmond and the Market & Café on Williston Road), which both closed for good earlier this month. They plan to reopen under the new names by the end of September. Mirabelles will also keep its existing takeout bakery at 3060 Williston Road running as usual, though that building has been bought by Beta Technologies, leaving that location's own future unclear.
And in Essex, Ray's Seafood Market will close on September 12 after 75 years in business, with owner Paul Dunkling citing retirement and no new generation ready to take over. The business started in 1949, when Dunkling's grandparents Ray and Mae hauled lobsters from Maine by truck. According to Seven Days, the wholesale side of Ray's may continue in some form, and the family is reminding customers to redeem any outstanding gift certificates before they close.
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Prevent Child Abuse Vermont is inviting creemee stands across the state to join Creemees 4 a Cause, a fundraiser timed to National Soft Ice Cream Day on August 19. From August 17 to 23, participating stands will donate a portion of their sales to PCAVT's Back-to-School Campaign. A number of local creemee stands across the state are already on board, and those interested in still signing up can email the organization.
Tastemakers: Matthew Peterson, May Day
Each week, we feature three quick questions with someone bringing something creative, thoughtful, or fascinating to the food and wine scene here in Vermont and beyond.
This week, we caught up with Matthew Peterson, owner of May Day, the hospitality-forward small plates restaurant in Burlington's Old North End known for its handmade pasta, ever-changing wine list, and cult-favorite Sunday patty melt.
Read the full interview, including why the Old North End was the right home for a full-service restaurant, the hospitality philosophy behind May Day's approach to service, and how five years in, he's thinking about what growth looks like next…
The Long Pour: The Truth About Natural Wines
by Mike Stolese
Everyone has heard the term “natural wine,” but what exactly does it mean?
It’s an interesting question, as there really aren’t solid guidelines…it’s more the approaches to winemaking that make up what is considered “natural.”
Now, does this make so-called “natural wines” better than wines that DON’T fall under that term?
Not necessarily…
What’s On…
This stretch of August doesn't let up…we’ve got a full night tonight, followed by a three-day takeover in Stowe, a busy Sunday that goes in five different directions, and a run of milestones, workshops, and, yes, even wrestling at a brewery.
Click the link below to see how you want to work your plan…
The Goods…
We’ve got a couple of special offers for our readers that we wanted to pass along. Full disclosure: these are affiliate links, so we get a small commission if you order.
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HexClad's offering up to 30% off cookware, if your pans have seen better days. These are hybrid pans that sear but also release like a nonstick pan, so you're not stuck choosing one or the other. If you've been meaning to replace an old set, this might be your moment.
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And, Skinny Mixes has a deal on your first order if you're looking to lighten up your summer drinks without losing flavor. They have zero-sugar cocktail mixes, syrups, and water enhancers, and first-time orders get 10% off. If you're trying to cut sugar without cutting flavor out of your summer drinks, it's worth a look.
Before we go…
As a Boston-raised, lifelong Dunkin' loyalist (a hill I’ll die on before I order a Starbucks), I feel obligated to report on this week's development:
Dunkin' has brought back its viral 48-ounce Iced Beverage Bucket. This is not a large cup. Not a Big Gulp. A literal bucket, handle and all, holding 48 ounces of iced coffee or a Refresher, for $12.99. It sold out everywhere when it first showed up earlier this year, and as of this week, it's officially back.
I’d like the record to reflect that I have not yet purchased a bucket. Whether that remains true by next Thursday is anybody’s guess.
Until then, drink something good…whatever the appropriate vessel may be.
See you next Thursday…