There remains little time to celebrate the fleeting summer with a great picnic; however, there's no reason to settle for a slapdash spread. That's because, this summer, some of the world's finest hotels, chefs, and restaurants are stepping out of their comfort zones by curating ready-made baskets containing the likes of free-range chicken, local cheese,
artisanal chocolates…and even, in one case, an organic cotton blanket.
Hotel-Curated Picnics: Though she’s known for her California cuisine,
Chez Panisse chef Alice Waters is customizing baskets for guests at
Mandarin Oriental NY, with proceeds benefitting her
Edible Schoolyard program. Menus include local salumi, thyme-grilled quail, and assorted delicacies. Similarly,
The Mark Hotel in Manhattan enlisted chef
Jean-Georges Vongerichten to design a
picnic-in-the-park menu. The package deal, which includes a basket filled with all the fixings (blanket, cutlery, even champagne), also includes access to a fleet of bespoke
Republic Bikes. For those venturing to the French Alps, boutique hotel
La Bastide de Moustiers offers a chef- organized picnic in the back of a ’50s Chevy pick-up truck. The chef? Nineteen-time Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse.
Restaurant-Curated Picnics: Washington, DC's
Hill Country BBQ launched delivery to the National Mall on Independence Day, and they’re keeping it up all summer long. Alfresco diners supply their own blankets, but the Texas-born restaurant delivers ribs, brisket, and mac ‘n’ cheese straight to the lawn. Meanwhile,
Stinky Brooklyn is peddling a basket stocked with fancy cheese,
Mast Brothers Chocolate, assorted nibbles and, for a few extra bucks, vino from a neighboring wine shop.
Blue Ribbon Bakery Market, the small West Village (NY) general store that's big with foodies, fills canvas totes with meat, cheese, and house-baked bread, plus cutlery, cups and an oft forgotten picnic essential: a corkscrew.
Picnic Delivery Services: Delivering European-inspired picnics to any park in Manhattan,
Perfect Picnic NYC is a service that upgrades last-minute outings into memorable culinary affairs with portable gourmet lunch spreads not found at the corner bodega. Customers can design their own picnic package or choose from pre-planned options. Most consist of typical outdoor fare like baguettes, seasonal jams, and cured meats but, the higher the price, the fancier the food, as caviar and foie gras are two of the lavish edibles available. When possible, the self-described picnic boutique sources from local purveyors, including
North Fork potato chips,
Robicelli's cupcakes, and
Brooklyn Brine pickled vegetables.
