Bon Appetit calls the meal prepared by Aurora Provision’s Leslie Oster the standout dinner at the Kennebunk Festival.
But it was the cooked dishes that proved chef Oster’s skill. Anyone can give you fresh-from-the-dirt produce and you’ll love it, but Oster followed through, sending out nice seared duck and, later, a slab of pork belly (equally fatty, salty, and sweet) that was as good as I’ve had in a long time. The farm-to-table conceit was cute, but it wasn’t just a stunt. This was a real meal. I can’t wait to see what she (and everyone else) does next year.
This was really a collaborative effort and it should be mentioned that Chritian Kryger was an intergal part of producing my menu. He, Brett Johnson & Stacy Brenner all deserve equal kudos for this rock star performance.
Leslie Oster rarely get the praise she deserves for she does to make Portland’s food fantastic, and when she does, she shares it with her (deserving) collaborators. Take the praise Leslie! It’s well earned.