The great escape

Planning any summer travels? You’ll need to choose what to eat on your fantasy vacation. I asked chef Jonathan Kerksieck of Masque Ristorante in El Dorado Hills where he’d most like to eat, anywhere in the world:

1. “Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, because of the food, of course, but also because I’d like to see how they do their service.”

2. “El Bulli in Spain—they’re only open six months out of the year, and closed six months out of the year to do testing. It’s molecular gastronomy, if you want to call it that. I’m interested in it, but it doesn’t for me have a lot of practical use—things like edible paper, flavored cellulose packing popcorn. But I think some of the applications are interesting.”

3. “I’d actually like to go to Babbo, in New York, because Mario Batali does his take on Italian food with American-style ingredients, as opposed to trying to do only what you’d find in Italy. My wife’s eaten there, and I’m a little jealous. She said it was incredible.”