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Creations in the gourmet temple “Single Thread” in Healdsburg: The amuse-bouche consisting of almost a dozen little things alone would be reason enough to come back.
© Bernhard Krieger/dpa-tmn
Burgers, fries, XXL soft drinks: America is considered a fast food nation.
But California works differently.
The southwest of the USA is a top address for connoisseurs with fine taste.
San Francisco - Is this still food or is it art?
“Food!” says Kyle Connaughton.
And coming from him it sounds extremely modest.
But the Californian is a star chef.
The respected gourmet guide Guide Michelin awards his restaurant “Single Thread” in Healdsburg with the highest rating of three stars.
Connaughton is one of the best chefs in the world and a flagship of the southwestern state.
It is different from the rest of the United States in many ways - including culinary.
“California is unique,” emphasizes the chef.
Of course, fast food restaurants also proliferate along the highways in the seemingly endless suburbs of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Away from the munching miles, however, a multi-faceted bar, café and restaurant scene is sprouting up between the Pacific coast, deserts and mountains.
Extraordinary density of stars
Outside of the metropolises of New York and Chicago, foodies will not find so many top addresses anywhere else in the USA.
Of 13 three-star restaurants in the United States, six are in California.
There are also twelve two-star and 68 one-star restaurants.
Of the 17 restaurants in the states that have been awarded a Green Star for sustainable gastronomy, 15 are located in the state.
California played a key role in the emergence of the farm-to-table movement, which promotes seasonal and regional products in restaurants.
The sunny but mild climate in many parts of the country makes the state the fruit and vegetable garden of the USA.
Organic products are of course also served in the posh districts of major cities such as Beverly Hills in the greater Los Angeles area or in the Presidio in San Francisco, where you have a fantastic view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
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There is also freshly caught fish from the Pacific or from rivers and lakes in the mountains where the famous Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks are located.
California is blessed with world-class produce and a variety of culinary influences.
“California is a true melting pot of cultures,” explains Connaughton.
The Mexicans would have had the greatest influence on the cuisine.
But the long history of immigration from Asia was also important.
“And of course the Europeans, who influenced not only the cuisine, but also agriculture and of course viticulture.”
Kyle Connaughton is the chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Single Thread in Healdsburg.
© Bernhard Krieger/dpa-tmn
Seasonality taken to the extreme
Connaughton combines everything that has made California a top destination for connoisseurs with unique perfection in its “Single Thread”.
The chef is not satisfied with regionality.
His fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers come from his own farm, which his wife Katina manages around six kilometers from the restaurant.
Fruits are only harvested when they are really ripe.
Some are at their peak in terms of taste and texture for just a few days or even hours, explains the expert, taking seasonality to the extreme.
As in many other top restaurants in California, the “Single Thread” is casual despite the luxury.
This corresponds entirely to the lifestyle of well-heeled Californians.
And you have to be well-heeled if you want to eat well in California.
Wine is “big business”
“Our menu is based on what Katina and her team are currently harvesting,” says Connaughton.
The great importance of vegetables is typical for the whole of California - and the close connection with wine.
Sonoma County and the neighboring Napa Valley are dotted with first-class cellars that also produce world-class wines.
Wine is “big business”.
And the prices are also juicy.
According to the Napa Valley Tourism Association, wineries charge an average of around 40 dollars (almost 40 euros) for a tasting of three wines, and top wineries charge many times that.
With taxes and the obligatory tip, a tour with multiple tasting stops adds up to a few hundred dollars.
Sonoma County and the neighboring Napa Valley are known for world-class wines: a visit with a tasting in one of the wineries is recommended for wine lovers, but depending on the winery it can also cost a lot of money.
© Bernhard Krieger/dpa-tmn
More than cheese-smothered nachos
Less famous wine regions like Paso Robles are cheaper.
From the Winelands in the north, Highway 1 leads south from San Francisco on the Pacific coast.
Halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles lies the eponymous town of El Paso de Robles.
From then on, the influence of the residents from Mexico becomes increasingly stronger.
Food trucks and Mexican fast food joints are ubiquitous on streets and beaches.
And many offer more than the cheese-smothered nachos that many Americans consider the culinary highlight of their neighboring country.
Tacos, burritos and enchiladas become exceptional dishes with good meat and fish fillings as well as delicately seasoned salsas.
The “Taco María” in Costa Mesa had achieved a Michelin star with its Mexican cuisine - but at the end of July 2023, the operators announced the sudden closure of the restaurant.
There is also star-rated Mexican cuisine at “Californios” in San Francisco, which has even been awarded two stars.
Good, healthy nutrition is much more important in California than anywhere else in the USA.
Not least because many Californians play sports.
The body cult on the beaches has also led to a balanced diet.
Hollywood stars are particularly concerned about their figure.
Hardly anyone knows this better than Wolfgang Puck.
Not traditional cuisine
The native Austrian is the chef to the stars.
He has been responsible for the gala dinner at the Oscars for years.
“It’s a great honor,” says Puck, who runs around 70 restaurants.
In his most famous restaurant, “Spago” in Beverly Hills, “Austrian Wienerschnitzel” is also on the menu.
The not necessarily light evergreen is “a favorite” of his guests, who also love goulash and Kaiserschmarrn.
Puck's classics from Austria are another example of culinary diversity.
California doesn't have a traditional cuisine.
“The immigrants from different cultures from all over the world made it possible to create such a great culinary mix.”
practical information
Arrival and formalities: There are direct flights to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
A rental car is recommended on site.
EU citizens need a valid passport and an electronic entry permit (Esta).
Further information: www.visitcalifornia.com dpa