Lovers of culinary excellence, a beautifully set table, and great conversation find all that and more as members of the Naples Bailliage, or Chapter, of the international gastronomic organization, La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.
The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, (historically French for Royal Guild of Goose Roasters), claims more than 21,000 members spanning over 75 countries. Florida has 15 chapters, including those in Naples and Bonita Springs. The organization, whose name was bestowed by kingly decree, began in thirteenth-century Paris. One need not speak French to join this cordial group of gourmets, even though many of the titles and terms are foreign. The Naples Bailliage, founded in 1981, boasts about 90 members who come from a wide range of backgrounds, regions, and ages—from young professionals to longtime retirees.
The local chapter head, or bailli, Russell G. Smith II, Vice Chancelier Suzette Fernandes, and a highly active board spend months planning and refining each event on their seasonal lineup so that it flows perfectly. They brainstorm interesting settings, meet with chefs, conduct tastings at which they tweak the menu, and sample wines selected by the vice echanson (wine expert), Alan Goodridge.
This past season’s culinary adventures included an evening at The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar in Naples for a Syrah-focused, four-course meal by chef Jeremy Rounds, accompanied by short commentary on the featured wines. Another outing melded French modern art and cuisine created by chef-partner Vincenzo Betulia of Campagna Hospitality Group at the Naples Art Institute. The group also traveled via motorcoach to Blossom & Brie, a North Fort Myers farm-to-table restaurant on the former site of Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm, where members indulged in cuisine by Executive Chef Wesley Robbins.
Incidentally, the chapter is not only about staging and participating in grand dining events, although that’s a priority. The nonprofit has a foundation that provides support for the development of promising young chefs, sommeliers, and hospitality professionals. Each bailliage also strives to support and promote local products and regional culinary traditions.
Shared Passion
Ingrid Aielli, local restaurateur and co-owner of the Aielli Group with husband and chef Fabrizio Aielli, has been a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs since 2001, years before she moved to Florida. When she relocated to Naples, she transferred her membership to the local chapter. “For me, it’s wonderful to be a member of a group of people that share the same passion about food and wine,” says Aielli, who serves on the board and dining committee. “Everybody comes from different places, but we found common ground through food and wine.”
For Lacey King, a retired foreign service diplomat, it was just the social outlet she needed. She learned about the society from a friend, who held a national office in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. “I had never heard of it,” says King, “but when she described it to me and its reputation for excellence, I said, ‘I want to be part of that organization.’” King’s friend sponsored her for the invitation-only group. Within three years, King became the bailli, a post she served for a pair of three-year terms. At the time, the group didn’t have as many resources as it does today, but it provided a place to make friends, and the event planning allowed her to employ her creativity. “People in Naples can dine anywhere they want,” says King, whose title now is conseiller gastronomique provincial honoraire. “The Chaîne is a cut above just going out to eat. There’s an ambience of elegance that makes it a cut above.”
Russell Smith, the current bailli, says that is exactly what attracts wine and food devotees, as “Chaîne standards are a level above what you’d have at any normal dinner.” He believes the group also benefits those who may not belong to a country club and might not have the opportunity to enjoy a delightful chef-prepared and -managed dinner.
King says, “We insist upon presentation. We want art on a plate, especially for the dessert.” To ensure gatherings meet those high standards, there’s a committee that manages invitations, programs that are thematically matched to the event, handwritten table cards, and a host of other special touches. “To me, the Chaîne is more than going out to eat,” King adds. “It’s the camaraderie and friendships made at the table in this elegant setting.” It forges ties between members worldwide, she says, which allow members to attend events anywhere there’s a chapter.
A Little Serendipity
Those connections sometimes work in intriguing ways. The Aiellis, while still living in Washington, D.C., where they operated several restaurants, celebrated their anniversary at the renowned Jean-Louis at the Watergate. Michelin two-star chef Jean-Louis Palladin and his maître d’ Frank Kren made their meal even more special. “Jean-Louis gave us one of his cookbooks and signed it, wishing us a happy anniversary,” Ingrid Aielli says.
Some 30 years later, Aielli walked into Naples Bay Club, where Kren serves as club director. He recognized her, and they renewed their acquaintance. That chance meeting turned into a collaborative dinner for the Naples Bailliage last year. The chefs of the Naples Bay Club’s Indulge Restaurant, led by executive chef Alfredo Canarte, along with Jason Goddard, Aielli Group corporate chef, created a gastronomic tribute to chef Jean-Louis Palladin.
Some 55 guests spent an evening sipping Charles Heidsieck Brut Rosé and nibbling cod brandade croquettes and puff pastry with beef tartare on the Naples Bay Club patio. Many attendees wore ribbons around their necks bedecked with brightly colored pins, the regalia of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, denoting rank and recognizing the members’ involvement in an event or project. For the Palladin tribute, the chefs started with a stunning course re-creating the dish adorning the cover of Palladin’s acclaimed book, Cooking with the Seasons. The Aiellis’ signed copy of the volume was prominently displayed atop a well-dressed table.
Each guest was served a plate of that iconic presentation, featuring a deconstructed lobster claw, lobster corn cake, pools of white balsamic spinach purée, and a salad of mâche, radicchio, and frisée with lobster champagne vinaigrette. The dish was paired with a 2020 Xavier Monnot Meursault.
Subsequent courses included goat cheese, spinach, and herb ravioli with smoked tuna, and venison accompanied by spaetzle with Gruyère, caramelized onion, and marchand de vin (a savory reduction of red wine and shallots). A 2014 Nichols Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon accompanied the venison. Dessert proved to be an exquisite surprise—black truffle ice cream and merveilles (French cookies) served with more bubbly rosé.
Kren, who has worked for the Michelin-starred Inn at Little Washington in Virginia and The Ritz-Carlton Company, addressed the gathering, reminiscing about Palladin, who died at age 55 in 2001. Kren recalled how Palladin “would sit and have a double espresso with 12 sugars. When I asked why, Jean-Louis said, ‘Life is short. You must enjoy it.’”
The superb Naples tribute dinner happened because of Chaîne connections, which was precisely the point. King says, “I’ve made lifelong friends here. You can go anywhere in the world and Chaîne members are always the same. Gracious, so friendly and accepting. We’ve been to events in England, South Africa, and Thailand,” she says. “They welcome you, and you make friends.
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