At the end of every year for the past 25+ years, I have listed my top ten dining experiences from the year that just wrapped. This year was a bit of an outlier, as you’ll see when you get to number one.
These days I spend about four months a year overseas working with my Yonderlust Travel business. I host roughly 250 guests annually across about 10 trips (five in the spring and five in the fall). Every one of those meals is different and memorable in its own way. I could fill 50 spots with the meals we share over there. I’m including only two on this year’s list.
Honorable Mention: Tapeo, Barcelona / King’s Day, Amsterdam
Truth be told, most meals on a Yonderlust trip could qualify for a list like this, and I never want to take them for granted. In March I took the Yonderlusters to dine with my friend Chef Dani Rueda at Tapeo in Barcelona. His Spanish ribs are the finest on the planet—full stop.
Then there was King’s Day in Amsterdam. I rented a boat and the Yonderlusters and I cruised the canals. Imagine Mardi Gras on the water, everyone dressed in orange, and the city at full volume. Lunch was nothing more than a boxed meal, but this list is about experiences, and that day on the water was one I won’t forget.
10. “Ya Gotta Eat” Meals
My friend and production partner Drew Wootton and I launched a podcast this year called Ya Gotta Eat. At press time, we’re seven episodes in. The idea is simple: interesting people, all walks of life, and everyone has limited time. But everyone has to eat, so we sit down over a meal— in a location of their choosing— for an hour and talk about life. Every one of these meals has been compelling so far. Look us up wherever you get your podcasts.
9. The Roast / Hub Award
In any other year, these would have landed just behind a high-ranking family meal. I was roasted by the Mississippi Press Association in September, and two months later my hometown gave me its highest honor. I couldn’t tell you a thing about what was served at either dinner, but the experiences themselves were singular and deeply meaningful. I’ll always be honored and grateful for both.
8. Thanksgiving, Hattiesburg
Anytime I can get both of my kids around the same table these days is a good day. Add extended family and it’s an easy pick. Almost all the food came from Loblolly Bakery out of our holiday grab-and-go section. My son put that money I spent on his culinary education to work and cooked the turkey and made the gravy. He also made his brown butter mashed potatoes—so good they ended up in my new cookbook. For the record, they deserved it.
7. Emeril’s, New Orleans
I saw this one coming a couple of years out. I first met EJ Lagasse when he was a teenager working a summer at Emeril’s Coastal in the Panhandle. Even then, he spoke like a mature, well-adjusted, focused, and committed 40-year-old man.
After my first meal at the reimagined Emeril’s, I wrote that it was not only the best restaurant in New Orleans, but the best restaurant in the South. EJ’s food sits just a fraction of a notch under the best meals I’ve had at The French Laundry and Per Se.
In November, the Michelin gods confirmed my early impressions and awarded Emeril’s two stars—the only two-star restaurant in the South and EJ is the youngest chef ever to do it. My fourth meal there came this summer with friends. If you haven’t been, it should be next on your list.
6. Shere, Surrey Hills (with Holleman)
We had a few days off between groups in Ireland and Tuscany and ducked into London to unwind. Our daughter had never been, so she flew over to meet us. After some time in the city, she wanted a taste of the quaint countryside.
A little research led us to Shere in the Surrey Hills—a charming and picturesque village straight out of central casting. Turns out it literally was: The Holiday, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones had all been filmed there. We had cream tea mid-morning, a lovely lunch, poked through shops, then headed back to London. When she said, “I could live here,” I knew I’d nailed it.
5. Ninth Wave, Isle of Mull, Scotland
There are meals, and then there are journeys disguised as meals. The Ninth Wave on Scotland’s Isle of Mull is firmly the latter. Reaching it requires a boat across a dark loch a long ride on a single-lane road, and a willingness to be lost without a guide. That remoteness is the point.
Run by Carla and John Lamont since 2009, the restaurant is shaped entirely by place. John catches the lobster and fish each morning. Carla grows the herbs, vegetables, and heirloom plants outside the door, cures and smokes on-site, and cooks with a confidence born of travel and deep respect for the island. Each course unfolds like a story—local seafood and venison layered with global influences, explained table-side by Carla herself. Open only five months a year, The Ninth Wave has become a destination people cross oceans to reach. Shared with friends, it felt personal, rare, and unforgettable together.
4. Scotland Farewell Dinner, Historic Prestonfield Golf Club, Edinburgh
I’ve now hosted two Yonderlust tours in Scotland. This September, my wife and I flew over early with friends and spent a week roaming that remarkable country. On the final night, the entire group dressed in formal Scottish attire—yes, kilts, and don’t knock it until you try it—and sat down to a memorable dinner. The food was good. The company was even better.
3. Fallow, London
When I visit a city, I have a much-researched to-visit list of restaurants and I usually only hit a restaurant once. Fallow connected to me like no other place has in years. I went back the next day. Then again, the following morning. I also visited their sister restaurant, Roe.
In any other year—one without so many meaningful family meals—this would have topped the list. It felt like the owners of Fallow sat down and said, “Let’s build a restaurant just for Robert.”
2. Dinner with Harrison at Maple & Ash, Chicago
When my son came to me as a teenager saying he wanted to go into the restaurant business, I made him a deal: four years of college, two years at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park—in my opinion, the Harvard of cooking schools—and at least two years working for other people.
Last January, six years into that plan, he headed to Chicago to start that final stretch. Our last dinner before leaving him was at Maple & Ash. The bone marrow butter alone is worth the reservation.
But the pride I felt watching my son commit himself fully to this industry eclipsed anything that came out of the kitchen.
1. My Daughter’s Wedding, Longleaf Plantation
I gave my wife and daughter a budget. They blew way past it—and by the end of the weekend, it didn’t matter one bit. Every dollar was worth it.
My team at Purple Parrot Catering knocked it out of the park. Kerrin Hightower, our queen of cakes at Loblolly Bakery, created something beautiful. After 37 years of catering every kind of event imaginable, this was— by far— the pinnacle.
As grand and unique as the reception was, the lunch the next day—with the bridal party and a few close family members after all the dust had settled—may have been the most special meal of the entire weekend. And of the year.
Onward into 2026.
Chocolate Christmas Cheesecake
Chef Linda Roderick has been by my side through these cookbooks for over two decades, and there’s no one I’d rather have guiding me through a cheesecake recipe. She’s a master of the craft—steady, exacting, and always aiming for perfection. This rich, decadent chocolate cheesecake is no exception.
It's all about balance. The deep, smooth chocolate filling meets a crisp, slightly salty crust for a perfect bite every time. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing—otherwise, you’ll end up with lumps. And when you melt the chocolate, give it time to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter, so you don’t end up with curdled filling. It’s worth the patience, every time.
A few techniques can elevate this recipe to another level: chilling the dough overnight for a richer flavor, using a water bath to ensure an ultra-smooth texture, and letting the cheesecake rest for at least 24 hours before serving for the best flavor.
Serves 8 to 10
Preheat oven to 350°F
For the Crust
8 full-sized graham crackers
16 Oreos
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Place the graham crackers and Oreos in a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form. Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl, drizzle with the melted butter, and mix well.
Pour the crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Starting in the center, press the crust firmly, moving excess crumbs toward the outer edge. Firmly press the remaining crust up the sides of the pan.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300°F.
For the Filling
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on high for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and repeat the process three times.
Add the sugars and salt. Beat on high, scraping the bowl every minute, for 3 minutes.
Add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder and mix well.
Lower the mixer speed and add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, ensuring each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides to ensure no large pieces of cream cheese remain.
Add the cream and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust and place on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the center jiggles slightly when the edge of the pan is tapped.
Using a Water Bath: Wrap the springform pan in heavy-duty foil and place it in a larger baking dish. Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. This helps prevent cracking and creates a silkier texture.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool for 2 hours at room temperature.
For the Topping
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Bring the cream to a boil in a small skillet. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Once all the chips have melted, pour evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Using the Right Technique: When cutting, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it clean between each slice for pristine cuts.
Refining the Texture and Flavor: Cheesecake always tastes better a day or two after baking, once the flavors have had time to meld. For the richest flavor, make at least one day in advance.
Options for Enhanced Flavor and Texture
- Add Depth to the Crust: Incorporate 1/4 cup finely ground espresso beans to the crust mixture for a subtle coffee note that enhances the chocolate.
- Layered Ganache Topping: Add a second layer of dark chocolate ganache before applying the final whipped cream topping. This extra layer gives depth and a glossy finish.
- Salted Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the finished cheesecake before serving for a contrasting note of sweetness and salt.
- Infused Heavy Cream: For the filling, infuse the heavy cream with crushed espresso beans or cinnamon sticks before mixing it into the batter.
- Enhanced Cocoa Flavor: Adding a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the filling can deepen the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.
