The Hunt Magazine
Summer 2015
A few years ago MacGregor Mann headed out on a global culinary walkabout.
Mann applied for and was accepted as a station chef at Michelin-starred Noma in Copenhagen. Named the best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, it afforded Mann the opportunity to learn from Chef Rene Redzepi. He augments his pantry by foraging in the wild Demark coastlands, forests and fields where Noma's chefs uncover rich, unexpected flavors. Diners book several months in advance, and can pay nearly $1,000 a couple for a wine pairing and tasting menu that includes dishes like fried reindeer moss, radishes served in soil, and live ants with yoghurt. Mann likened his 2012 experience to a “PhD-worthy” sabbatical.
Returning to the states, Mann drove cross country and settled in Idaho, where he took over as Executive Chef at Henry’s Fork Lodge, a premier fly-fishing destination. Located on a high bluff overlooking Henry’s Fork River, the venue offers some of the finest accommodations and dining experiences along with the most diverse fishing programs in the entire Yellowstone Park region. To feed the anglers' appetites, typical favorites include bacon-wrapped trout, New York strip steaks seared directly on the coals, creamy butter beans, and Dutch-oven cornbread dotted with fig jam.
Mann's talent and pedigree were honed at Amada, part of the esteemed Jose Garces group of restaurants. At the award-winning tapas bar in Philadelphia, Mann rose through the ranks of Amada (known nationally in creative Latin cuisine) to become chef de cuisine. He was even featured on Iron Chef America, cooking alongside Iron Chef Garces.