Behind the Scenes at Frasca: Polishing Glasses, Pairing Wines, and More

Frasca Food and Wine, the Boulder restaurant co-owned by master sommelier Bobby Stuckey and chef Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson, gave the National Public Radio a glimpse behind the scenes. NPR spoke with staff members before service one night and witnessed some of the rituals that the Boulder restaurant observes - waitstaff tasting wine pre-service and the meticulous cleaning and polishing of the wine glasses. One of the staff members related that it takes practice and muscle memory to get the wine glasses shiny and ready, removing all spots and smudges.

The fascinating part of the interview is a discussion with co-owner Bobby Stuckey who challenges the claim that service is overdone at his restaurant. Stuckey argues that setting up for service the Frasca way simply involves the basics we have forgotten about in a world of celebrity chefs surrounded by too much fuss. Good service is key and food always comes first. Stuckey seeks to pair his wines to the dishes crafted by the chefs thinking about both taste and feel. The podcast is available online.

· NPR Podcast: Behind the Scenes at Frasca Food and Wine [NPR]
· Wine Talk with Sommeliers Bobby Stuckey and Shelley Lindgren [EDen]
· Bobby Stuckey On Hosting Chris Cosentino And Other Celebrity Chefs [EDen]