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Meet the Chef The Boulevard Inn is pleased and proud to introduce you to Bistro Chef Ali Barker... pleased because Chef Ali comes to us with such remarkable experiences and expertise, and proud because of all that the Bistro has done for St. Joseph. Ali Barker's kitchen produces with all the savvy and know-how of big city restaurants, paired with the local flavor from area growers. There is a reason for that. Ali Barker trained in a small town in the rigorous, traditional French fashion, and launched his career as a chef in the mid-80's in New York City, as one of the rising stars of the American food scene. |
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Barker is most widely known from his days as Executive Chef opening New York City's perennially popular and acclaimed Union Square Cafe, a restaurant that from its inception set out to redefine American Cuisine and by all accounts has successfully done so. From there, he opened his own restaurant, Piperade, in downtown Cleveland. Piperade also received rave reviews, among them recognition by Bon Appetit Magazine as one of the nation's Best New Restaurants upon it's opening. Barker is also cited by The New York Times and USA Today as a national trendsetter as one of the first to host a Chef's table in his restaurant kitchen. His first job after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America was as an Apprentice in the Old World tradition working side by side with Master Chef Jean Morel, a classically trained Frenchman and then owner of a sought after culinary outpost in the Berkshires of upstate New York. It was there that he will tell you he learned the secrets that only this kind of beginning can reveal; that the essence of the cook is the craftsman, and to become a true chef requires a profound passion. Barker envisions the Bistro to be a culinary destination that attracts young apprentices training to run the range. It is a place where purveyors can showcase their finest products, and where winemakers choose to place their highly allocated specialties. Close proximity to Chicago means that fresh fish and seafood, specialty game and meats, olive oil and French butter, cheeses and other imports come directly from the city's top notch importers and purveyors. At the same time, Barker has worked with area farmers to grow organic and natural produce exclusively for him. There is even a morel gatherer that shows up at his back door with bags full of the spongey treasures, a gold mine, all in return for that night's meal. The wine list reflects less familiar Old World country wines, boutique New World labels, and a commitment to supporting our burgeoning local wineries. The Bistro is the proud recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for "having one of the best restaurant wine lists in the world." The best way to meet the chef and his crew, however, is to join us. The Bistro serves breakfast and dinner daily, lunch Sunday through Friday. Please call 983-3882 for information and reservations and we look forward to seeing you soon. | |
| Menu & Wine List | | | Meet the Chef | | | Bistro Events | | | Banquet Facilities | | | The Boulevard |
The Boulevard Inn & Bistro
521 Lake Boulevard
Saint Joseph, Michigan 49085
269.983.6600 800.875.6600
Fax 269.983.0520
info@theboulevardinn.com