After eating at some of the most elegant and far out restaurants in Las Vegas, Kaapstad, Dubai and San Francisco it must have been a startling change of pace to dine in my kitchen in Sausalito. But, it seems, neither time zones nor giggly culinary ineptitude (mine) fazed the unflappable Dutch TV chef, Rudolph van Veen.
A few days earlier, Rudolph and three quick- moving crew members were filming diners at Yoshi Tome’s famous Sushi Ran in Sausalito. Meanwhile, out on the sidewalk cafe where I was dining their colleagues, Dutch TV star Irene Moors 
and Danielle Oosterwal were swooning over the small dishes that waiters kept bringing them at the table adjacent. Finally, I couldn’t help but comment on the delectable Kumamoto oysters. 
One thing led to another. The next day Danielle called to ask if they could film their last segment for their Taste of Travel TV series on Northern California (after visiting The French Laundry, mind you)
by sharing dinner at my home, with friends in Sausalito. That’s how Stephanie Evans and Tom Morrison happened to join me. Rudolph is probably the first person to sweep up my hillside street, grandly holding, shoulder high, a specially made cake. He turned and stepped through my gate and up the steps to greet me like an old friend when I opened the door.
While making and eating dinner my friends and I raved about the local foods and living in Northern California, (in little village just over the Golden Gate Bridge).
Tip: In an increasingly transient, time-starved and digital world what could be a more pleasurable way to cultivate friendships and discover common interests than sharing your favorite wines, local and homemade foods and conversation at a table with views of the bay? Seemed like a tasty way to tap our collective intelligence.
