Garden & Garnish

We thank our lucky stars we found chef Brian Schmidt. We live in NYC, and most of our guests were coming down from the city and had never experienced the splendors of the Eastern Shore, so we wanted to make it very special for them. Brian worked with us to create a gorgeous menu of traditional and local foods that were perfectly in tune with the late summer season. He has his own garden and only uses local vendors (from the crab to the cheese to the extra vegetables). Most importantly, the groom is vegetarian, and rather than suggesting “pasta salad” like every other vendor, he presented us with roasted fennel stuffed with rosemary polenta, pinenuts and portobello mushrooms; fresh garden tomatoes stuffed and roasted with dill-seasoned sweet corn; bulgur wheat with sautéed mushrooms and roasted red peppers, green pea shoots; and orange, apple and raspberry salad with mint. Not only did we hear from everyone that it was the “best wedding food I’ve ever had,” but we also heard people say that it was simply some of the best FOOD they’ve ever had. The crab cakes were unbelievably good. Beyond the food, Brian is flexible, creative, helpful and also provided delicious salads and a vegetarian option for our crab feast rehearsal dinner. He also has his own tables, chairs, linens and dishes, which are not only lovely, but helped keep overall costs low. His staff were thoughtful and attentive. A wonderful, wonderful value for perfect food. A++!