She was also readily available at the end of the night for a chat if you so desire. And the setting was well worth the drive. If you're flying, the most convenient airport is in Portland, Maine, a 90-minute drive from the restaurant, so you'll need to rent a car at the airport. And I feel I got it. During the pandemic, these items, made by Belgian manufacturer Ethnicraft, ended up in one of the cabins, along with two other sets she purchased from Osofsky. Theaters; Online; Coming Soon "It's the setting of the table. And that's the ingredient that makes each visit unique and yet the same. A Wednesday round-up of our favorite new products for the home. Erin prepares a special service that will debut the private cabin and feature apples in every dish. The Lost Kitchen was a labor of love and helped propel French to new heights in the restaurant industry. For something that had the potential to be too rich, it wasn't. The whole vibe was pretty special and electric, everyone could feel it. Not just a retaurant a dining experience. Site design by Your Marketing BFF. She receives more than 20,000 cards a year, making it one of the hardest-to-book restaurants in the country. Texan in Maine. I know that my perspective has changed for the better! Not only did it beat expectation but it far exceeded them," says Katie Peter, a Mainer who visited the Lost Kitchen in September with her sister and cousins. the show cant do justice to actually visiting and dining there. Can a vegetarian person get a good meal at this restaurant? The dinner consisted of numerous small courses, each subsequent item being better than the last. There are only 48 seats available per night, four nights a week for six months out of the year (this year they are open from late May to October).You'll need some luck to be picked, but there are some things you can do to improve your chances. Like it never happened. Pinterest. French, who calls each staff member a close friend, credits these friendships for the high quality experience diners have when they eat at The Lost Kitchen. With restrictions easing, French now plans to take cozy to whole new levels by constructing cabins around her restaurant so patrons who travel massive distances to eat at The Lost Kitchen (which only takes reservations by postcard) can spend the night. Maine Home + Design. Once at the table, guests uncork their selections and begin with several delectable pre-courses to the main menu: a bread and cheese platter, a delicious mini slider, and a palette cleansing herb sorbet . Then the courses of the fixed menu begin, with Erin French choreographing the finishing touch of each course with balletic precision: a fresh seasonal soup poured over a medley of fruits and cheeses, a picturesque and delicious salad, the entre which is determined by whatever fish or meat is the freshest that day, and the grand finale of a very memorable dessert from Erins repertoire. It's the music. I noted lots of counters and great equipment. You can purchase wine/beer/NA in their cellar anytime after 5:30. Erins passion was so impressive along with her mastery of a dozen little iron skillets! Copyright 2023 Distractify. Email *. In 2013, chef Erin French lost almost everything. Everyone from the servers to Erin herself work tirelessly to ensure every guest has a perfect experience. I'm beyond grateful I was able to meet Chef Erin, eat at her restaurant, and know her story. Is Chef Erin French Married? French calls Osofsky a wonderful mentor. This warm, friendly ambiance and focus on local fare has come to define the restaurant. only concerned in getting smiles and accolades for her cooking which was mediocre compared to any local Maine mother or granmother, all Maine business welcome locals support locals and look us in the eye, this is a sad disappointment and attempt to fit in here in Maine and I will certainly never ever go again or recommend this place simply because it doesnt belong or fit In geographically we care about you not your abilities food preparation or money . Clicking through to the retailer that sells the product may earn us a commission. It used to be that on April 1 the phone lines would open for the summers reservations, but after the phone lines crashed, French turned to a more old-fashioned system last year: Prospective diners sent in a handwritten postcard, postmarked between the dates of April 1 and April 10, to be considered for a coveted seat at the table. Not any that I've been to. Every ingredient was clean and present, every bite was a new moment of discovering bits and bobs of different flavors. Situate the home to take advantage of the sun. Who doesnt like an unexpected match? The setting is the perfect blend of rustic and romantic; my absolute favorite. So a refined production kitchen is by it's very nature, efficient when the whole crew in on the same page, and this one always is. Throughout the meal, the lucky patrons celebrate their good fortune of this magical and sensory epicurean experience in a cozy mill embellished with seasonal flowers bather in the warm glow of candlelight. E7 All episodes Cast & crew IMDbPro All topics Cabin Fever Episode aired Nov 26, 2021 YOUR RATING Rate Reality-TV Erin converts the outdoor dining cabins into sleeping cottages for guests. How is the food, you're wondering? We paid $25 for a gorgeous red. Bring the best of Maine right to your front door. Unless youre one of the lucky few, though, you may never get inside the Lost Kitchen. In addition to the 4 course meal we also had 8 or 9 bites. To have someone who has been through divorce and started a business from scratch what she does spoke to me.. place at the table, but in the past two years, they have instituted a mail in lottery for seats, with very specific guidlines. Be prepared to spend a good chunk of change, but it is worth the cost. I can now prattle on about the various foods we were presented, but suffice to say, they are at the top of their game, pushing the football a little further down the field with every new season. They truly treat the process like a lottery, picking cards at random, but it can't hurt to give yours some cute notes or creative art if only because it brings French so much joy. I hesitate to use the word "magical" because I don't want to heighten someone else's expectation, but there was some magic happening in the kitchen. Something as easily executed as an iceburg salad becomes a piece of art and a joy to eat. Also pleased to see the loyalty flowing in both directions. Reservations open up in January. So, please accept my humble review for what it is: an invitation to exceptional excellence. To eat at chef Erin French's critically acclaimed restaurant, The . What can I say about the rest of our night? And I fully believe, knowing the principals, that the lottery is well run, and very fair. This was worth every penny. I always feel like I'm returning to the home of a good and valued friend each time we enter these halls. Annie Diamond is a dedicated and continuously inspiring blogger with 12+ years of experience sharing ideas on creating a meaningful and collected home with the things you love. We were lucky enough to get a reservation just as TLK was reopening its inside space after COVID restrictions. Not any that I've been to. She was a stalward member of the crew that helped creat the Lost Kitchen mystique. And tips I could take home. And I feel I got it.More, If you're lucky enough to be chosen by lottery, this is a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. : This post is an update; the original story ran on August 17, 2018. The cookbook serves me well at home with local ingredients. Each time I have dined there, friends and family, even strangers ask me, is it better than last time, or similar comments. Redesigning a space? Do not allow the challenging reservation system and high price point deter you from the best dining experience you will ever have, The Lost Kitchen lived up to the hype and somehow exceeded our lofty expectations. Everything just broke down.". Back in 2018, Chip and Joanna Gaines announced plans to produce a new TV channel called the Magnolia Network (via House Beautiful). Erin and her staff go above and beyond, the entire time. Erins passion was so impressive along with her mastery of a dozen little iron skillets! TLK the way dining should be. Its an unlikely success story, but a wild success it is: In the four years its been open, French has written a cookbook,The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine. 3. In only a few years, this has become one of the most difficult reservations to get. I highly recommend an autumn reservation. The dishes are beautifully plated, well balanced, and utterly delicious. Hotels near (RKD) Knox County Regional Airport. Annies work has been featured in many well-known magazines, websites, and books such as Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, Nesting with Grace, HGTV Magazine, and many others. April, 2021 | Photography: Nicole Wolf | As told to Rachel Hurn. Erin French remains a Rock Star, and The Lost Kitchen is evermore an American Treasure. It is theoretically possible to reach a pinical of excellence, but who cares about all that. Spectacular place to call home if only for a weekend getaway. She even keeps all 70,000 postcards she's ever received in her attic. What does that matter, if you are totally blown away every time? In 2014, she leased a restored 1834 gristmill in Freedom and opened the second Lost Kitchen with a nearly all-female staff, with the one exception being a male dishwasher. The dishes are beautifully plated, well balanced, and utterly delicious. When you arrive, that's when you find out what you're eating that night. Check out the post here! Back to that kitchen balet. Winter can only last for so long. All sharing the joy of creativity, and creating a peerless product. I never ate oysters until I went there.. I will put the taste experience near the top of my 74 year travels. Make the most of your downtime. How a local Hudson Valley store furnished a world-famous restaurant, DEC finds 14-foot python in New York suburb, National Grid moving to restore power after heavy snows, Former brewmaster at Druthers brewpubs wants look at books, Kingston barber who flouted Cuomo wins back license. Then, in Freedom, Maine, she started anew with her restaurant The Lost Kitchen. "My friend will text me a photo of a cauliflower in her field, and I'll say, 'Bring me 12 of those.'". Congrats you got a reservation in bum***k Maine! She was very supportive, even in the darkest moments.. The restaurants website has expanded to sell home accessories and other items handmade by women. Ones visit to TLK begins with a visit to the cellar of the Old Mill to pick selected wine pairings her knowledgeable mother has selected for the evenings dishes. The highlights were the absolute best piece of fish (halibut) any of us had ever had, perfect oysters, a slider prepared over a fire pit, and a creative take on borscht.