Seasonal Eats and Crafty Cocktails from L'Auberge de Sedona's Chef David Schmidt and Todd Brinkman

Arizona is not just home to red rocks, cacti and turquoise jewelry. With stellar service and staff, nestled on Sedona’s Oak Creek, it’s no surprise L’Auberge de Sedona has been included as one of the Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best hotels.

What is a surprise, is the youthful energy and creativity behind the L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek. Whether it’s a customized Chef’s tasting or a cask conditioned cocktail, Chef David Schmidt and General Manager Todd Brinkman work together to create a fiesta for your face that you will never forget. Check out the show they put on for us.

Becoming a Desert Dining Sherpa

The Le Cordon Bleu graduate began working in Phoenix at T. Cooks at Royal Palms and Michael’s at the Citadel before accepting a position at L’Auberge’s ridiculously scenic restaurant. ”I feel privileged to work at such a beautiful property where every employee here takes pride in their job and the guests’ needs,” Chef David shared. “People that work here are genuine and I, being a humble boy from Wisconsin, that works for me!”

The Mix Master

Brinkman is fluent in wine as a Certified Sommelier, but he also speaks cocktail. With experience in the hospitality and restaurant industry at Renaissance, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton resorts, the beverage explorer works closely with Chef David to create custom wine and cocktail pairing menus for guests. “I have been lucky enough to work with some world class chefs in my time,” said Brinkman. “Working with Chef David is a blast. He has a great palate and thoroughly enjoys what he does on a daily basis. That kind of drive and energy is contagious.”

Doing It, Doing It Well

Chef David prepares seasonal dishes, using ingredients from the restaurant’s organic garden as much as possible. He is particularly passionate about working with piggies, which just might have something to do with his grandmother having a pig farm. “Pigs are so versatile and you can do so much from snout to tail!” he explained.

We were impressed to see some molecular gastronomy out in Arizona, as Chef David presented dishes with Cognac foam, olive oil gelée, onion glass a side of snazzy panache. “As the Chef, I look back on my mentors who paved my way, and I also look forward. I was able to work at L’Auberge because I worked for people who were successful. I now am creating opportunities for other people; teaching them the right way to do things with emphasis on technique.”

More Barrels, Please

Brinkman’s latest project involves lots of booze, barrels and time. He is developing a collection of cask conditioned cocktails for the hotel, something we tried for the first time with him as he unveiled his first batch! Cask conditioning, also called barrel aging, involves blending spirits and liqueurs then aging them in used spirit barrels. The process ultimately yields a cocktail with complex but well-integrated flavors.

He presented his Orange Rum cocktail, made with Pyrat XO rum and Citronage orange liquer, aged for two months in a rum barrel from New York’s Tuthilltown Spirits. Strong? Yes. But the heat from the alcohol was pleasantly mellowed by barrel aging, making it all too easy to enjoy a couple of these delicious babies without the burn.

Next up on Brinkman’s barrel-agenda: bottling his Antique Weller Manhattan, aging a Negroni and beginning a second batch of the Orange Rum cocktail.

Treats by Team David and Todd

Chef David and Brinkman developed a five course, customized pescatarian menu for our visit. We think they may be psychic, since the menu included many of our favorite foods paired with Arizona wines we had been curious to try. Certainly, this made us feel like the prettiest girl at the prom, but you can feel that way too! All you have to do is reach out to Chef David and his team before your visit and they will take extra, magical care of you.

From Lobster to Peanut Butter

Here are the deets on the team’s delicious dinner.

First Course: Lobster Bisque with lemon-pressed olive oil, Cognac foam paired with Gruet Blanc de Noir sparkling wine from New Mexico.

Second Course: Beet Carpaccio with citrus glass, goat cheese, avocado, watercress. Paired with Arizona Stronghold’s Dayden Rosé 2009 from Cottonwood, AZ.

Third Course: Charred Diver Sea Scallops with dill pollen, lemon glass, olive oil gelée, Murray River salt. Paired with Freita’s Malvasia Bianca 2010 from Verde Valley, AZ.

- Intermezzo -

Fourth Course: Grilled Wild Striped Bass with Spanish pepper relish, caramelized leeks, almonds, Romesco sauce and onion glass. Paired with Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta’s Viña Cubillo Crianza 2005 from Spain.

Dessert: Chocolate Panna Cotta with vanilla marshmallow, peanut butter fuellitine, chocolate sauce. Paired with Banyuls from M. Chapoutier, a fortified red dessert wine from Southern France.

Bonus! Cask Conditioned Orange Rum Cocktail: Pyrat XO rum and Citronage orange liquor aged for two months in a rum barrel from Tuthilltown Spirits. Poured over ice with a dash of orange bitters. Shaken, strained and garnished with a flamed orange zest.

We loved sitting creekside watching the day turn into night. The restaurant has outdoor tables for dining, couches with firepits, a full bar above the restaurant overlooking the creek, and grassy areas for walking around after dinner. We definitely recommend enjoying a cocktail or coffee at the Veranda Bar after dining. We’d also recommend coming back here as often as possible, but we’re pretty sure you’ve gathered that by now.