Anyone who has ever taken a road trip knows that it’s all about the food. The food makes the trip! I like to check out where the locals go to really understand the flavor of each town or city I travel through. Yesterday, I drove to Charlottesville where I met Chef Marc Gresge at his restaurant, L’etoile.

Chef Marc left engineering to follow his passion for cooking. I like to call him the mayor because he has anyone and everyone coming to sit at his tables. He even allows people to bring in local produce so he can make meals for them. Chef Marc whipped up an incredible feast including peach bread pudding made with local peaches. I asked for some ice cream but there wasn’t any so Chef Marc made some freshly prepared whipped cream for me. Nothing like southern hospitality.

Since Chef Marc had never been in a Porsche before (he owns two minivans), I had to take him out for a special ride in the new Boxster. We cruised down Garth Road with incredible views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background, but nothing could beat my view of Chef Marc’s face; he was all smiles for this ride. Let’s just say, he’s ready to trade in his minivan.