On May 10th and 11th, Prés will be hosting Chef Peter Ungar and other former Tasting Counter staff to bring the techniques and character of a Massachusetts favorite to Gordonsville, VA! Reservations here

Before moving to Gordonsville and working with The Pearsons to open Près Des Prés, Chef Abby Duck worked in Somerville, MA in the Tasting Counter kitchen. Abby started at Tasting Counter as an intern in order to complete her culinary degree at Johnson & Wales University. Upon graduating, she decided to stay on with TC, taking advantage of the unique work environment which allowed her to cross-train in various different roles. These broad experiences gave Abby the confidence to move on to her next position as chef of Pres des Pres.

Without a restaurant of his own for now, Abby has welcomed Peter into her kitchen to offer an opportunity to cook alongside her for her dining guests. The arrival of spring is now a reawakening from this hibernation period since closing TC. And since springtime is earlier in VA than MA, it's a great chance for Peter to get a jumpstart on spring ingredients and experience locavore cuisine in another part of the country.

In order to create meaningful dining experiences as a way to connect with guests through food, Peter focuses on weaving together a story of time (seasonality) and place (locality). This is accomplished by showcasing local ingredients, wherever they may come from, whether from surrounding gardens, area farms, or foraged in the wild. Abby shared this culinary lens while working with Peter at Tasting Counter, which she now employs daily into her own menu at Pres des Pres. Peter now has a chance to work with Abby in creating a unique seasonal menu that’s in contrast to what Peter knows in his New England region. Abby can now share her hometown terroir on the mid-Atlantic coast to offer a culinary palette for a truly one-of-a-kind dining experience.