Going out to dinner is always fun. When invited, it’s even better. And a black tie event for prestigious culinary properties from around the world, that’s an occasion that defies my normal ability at hyperbole. How about “fantastique!” Actually,it’s never happened to me. That is, it never happened before this week, when my friend ChefJacob Leatherman invited me to join his table for the Relais Chateaux  Diner Des Grand Chefs event at New York’s Gotham Hall.

Jacob, or Jake friends call him, works for Triple Creek Ranch, a Relais Chateaux property in Missoula Montana. He and his sommelier, Jeremy White, flew in for the dinner. I felt awfully lucky to be in their company, as well as other chefs like Jean George, Jacques Chibois, Michael White and Daniel Boulud. Am I name-dropping? Okay, I’ll admit I was star struck. It was… well, awesommmelier!

We shared a table with staff from magazines like Food Arts and Wine Spectator, as well as some of Triple Creek Ranch’s own guests. The meal was fantastic, with 45 of the world’s top chefs feeding us five courses of a tasting menu. Here’s what it all looked like, thanks to Jake and The Triple Creek Ranch.