Spotlight: Eating With Strangers

Scenes from "Desperately Seeking Susan" keep passing through my mind... She's Madonna. I'm Rosanna Arquette. She's impossibly cool and confident. I'm in awe and lusting for another life.

Road tripping across the country...headed for the American Cheese Festival in Portland. With a few days to spare, Nathalie Bouffe detoured 4 hours north to Seattle.

She almost snuck into town.

Lucky for me...Nathalie wanted to EAT.


By way of introduction, a friend forwarded Nathalie's e-mail. It basically said: Will trade fabulous lecture on cheeses for equally fabulous meal.

Intrigued, I answered.

Nathalie's pedigree includes a stint at the famed Neils Yard Dairy in London...and a clear obsession with all things cheese-related.

Catching up with her...en route...somewhere in the Rockies, the plan unfolded, "Gather the cooks and I'll give a lecture with samples. If it's good, I'll come back later that night and eat on the house."

What can I say?

Nathalie was astonishing! And at dinner...Chef spoiled her rotten.

Then she was gone....


Nathalie has been traveling around this great world of ours on a non-stop journey since 2004. Along the way, she's had a stunning array of experiences and people crossing her path. Now, as best as a traveler can, she's put roots in New York City.

Take a peak into Nathalie's world with her new blog, Eating With Strangers. She spins one hell of a tale...and proves a philosophy I've held for a long time. The everyday encounter...can be truly extraordinary.