Michael Voltaggio of ‘Top Chef’ hosts whisky pairing dinners in three cities

Single malts are all the rage. Or rather, they have been for quite some time, but only recently has the general public caught up with the amazingness that is the goodness from Scotland. From Craigellachie 13 year, with its smoky profile, to Dewars single malt 18 year and its smooth, rich taste, single malts are now joining wine and beer in the approval column of chefs seeking out the best possible food-alcohol pairings.

Chef Michael Voltaggio, a winner on “Top Chef,” recently paired single malts with his patented cooking at some of the nation’s most prestigious restaurants. John Dewar & Sons North America Brand Ambassador Gabriel Cardarella explained the malts and pairings as Chef Voltaggio’s staff brought out the culinary delights.

At an event in New York, Chef Voltaggio whipped up branzino and mushroom pancakes, served in sea urchin-whisky sauce with Dewar’s 18 as its base. Chef Voltaggio paired this incredible dish with Royal Backla 12 and Royal Backla 16 for a complementary delight.

At the Los Angeles pairing, Chef Voltaggio prepared Holstein short rib and parsnip casks with Dewar’s 12 soy caramel. The meal he paired with Aultmore 12 and Aultmore 16, once again showing the marriage of food and whisky between the chef and the Dewar brand ambassador.

And for those who feel that perhaps chocolate might not be great on the palate in conjunction with whisky, Chef Voltaggio was out to prove the doubters wrong at a Chicago pairing, in which Craigellachie 13 and Craigellachie 17 were served to go along with a chocolate “meal.”

Whisky, and its possible pairings, is a field of love and study that is constantly growing and changing. Drinkers have been onto such knowledge for years, but now, with cooks like Chef Voltaggio at the helm, pairings of whisky and food can only go up and up from here.