Every week, Chef Wi writes a new private dinner menu for The Tasting Post. Next to each dish, the menu prints where its ideas come from, for example [ Italian-influence ] or [ American- & Italian-influence ]. On this page we have summarized the weekly private dinner menus that have been offered in The Tasting Post since June 13, 2022 to present and counted those influences. Below is a summary and analysis of these menus to help define what “rustic worldly food” means in practice before you sit down at the table.
What “rustic worldly food” means
Rustic means food that is made from scratch, simply and honestly, the way a home kitchen or a village kitchen would make it. Worldly means the ideas come from everywhere: a technique from France, a spice blend from North Africa, a pasta from Italy, a dip from the Upper Midwest. The menu is limited on purpose, and it changes every week. Dinners are slow food and slow dining, held inside the historic Lodge, with time to talk about where the ingredients come from and how each dish is made.
The influence tag is not a claim that a dish is “authentic” to a country. It tells you where the inspiration started. Many dishes are a conversation between two kitchens, which is why you will see tags such as American- & Italian-influence.
The influences, by the numbers
Number of dishes carrying each influence, June 13, 2022 through November 9, 2026. A dish with two influences counts once for each. Hover over a bar for its share.
Italy leads, appearing on 379 dishes (27% of tagged dishes), followed by the United States (270, 19%) and France (183). Together, those three account for 832 influence tags. After them comes a long, varied list: Lebanon, Greece, India, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Germany, China, Thailand, Argentina, Turkey and more.
By part of the world
Number of dishes with at least one influence from each region. “The Mediterranean (broad)” is used when the menu names the region rather than one country.
Europe shows up on about 50% of tagged dishes, yet the menu reaches well beyond it: 13 different Asian influences, 10 from the Middle East and North Africa, and 8 from Latin America and the Caribbean have all appeared.
How the menu has changed over time
Percent of that year’s tagged dishes carrying the influence. 2022 begins in June; 2026 runs through November 9, 2026. Bars use the same scale in every cell.
| Influence | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 31% | 23% | 24% | 27% | 31% |
| United States | 18% | 17% | 18% | 22% | 20% |
| France | 14% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 10% |
| Lebanon | 14% | 16% | 10% | 9% | 8% |
| Greece | 0% | 4% | 10% | 9% | 9% |
| India | 7% | 4% | 3% | 6% | 8% |
- Greece arrived in 2023 and quickly became a fixture, mostly through the house salad.
- Italy dipped in 2023 and has climbed back every year since, and it remains the backbone of the dessert course.
- France held steady at about 14% through 2024 and has eased back since, while India has climbed to its highest share yet in 2026.
- Lebanon peaked in 2023, when hummus and stuffed peppers were regular appetizers.
| Year | Menus | Dishes | Different influences | Most frequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 27 | 189 | 23 | Italy (46), United States (27), Lebanon (21) |
| 2023 | 50 | 350 | 38 | Italy (75), United States (54), Lebanon (53) |
| 2024 | 50 | 350 | 32 | Italy (82), United States (63), France (49) |
| 2025 | 45 | 315 | 29 | Italy (86), United States (68), France (40) |
| 2026 | 42 | 294 | 36 | Italy (90), United States (58), France (28) |
Where each influence shows up in the meal
Each private dinner menu offers two appetizers, a salad, three entrées and a dessert. Some influences belong to one course; others travel through the whole meal.
Number of dishes in each course. Shading shows that count as a share of all tagged dishes in the course.
| Influence | Appetizers | Salads | Entrées | Desserts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 63 | 12 | 159 | 145 |
| United States | 138 | 37 | 42 | 53 |
| France | 36 | 2 | 102 | 43 |
| Lebanon | 94 | 21 | 41 | 3 |
| Greece | 5 | 82 | 10 | 3 |
| India | 16 | 0 | 59 | 0 |
| Mexico | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Mediterranean (broad region) | 5 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| Morocco | 25 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Spain | 3 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| Germany | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 |
| Asia (broad region) | 16 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
- Appetizers lean American (138) and Lebanese (94): house-made dips, hummus and flatbread.
- Salads are mostly Greek-influenced (53% of tagged salads).
- Entrées are the most worldly course: Italy, France and India lead, with Spain, Germany, the Mediterranean, Mexico and many others close behind.
- Desserts are where Italy dominates (73% of tagged desserts), often because the plate is finished with gelato.
Favorite pairings
About 16% of dishes carry two influences. These are the combinations that come up most.
| Pairing | Dishes | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Italy + United States | 71 | Artichoke-heart Dip, KML Smoked Fish Dip |
| France + Italy | 33 | Apple Galette and Gelato, Ribeye Steak, with Gorgonzola Alfredo Sauce |
| Lebanon + Morocco | 19 | Hummus, with Harissa, Bell Hummus |
| China + India | 17 | Gobi Manchurian Stir Fry, Gobi Manchurian Stir Fry Spicy inclined |
| Italy + Peru | 8 | Quinoa Pasta, Quinoa Pasta, with Tomato-Carrots Marinara Sauce |
| France + Germany | 6 | Kirsche Pork Tenderloin, Kirsche Pork Schnitzel |
| Germany + Italy | 6 | Pork Schnitzel, with Spinach Gnocchi, Pork Schnitzel, with Tomato-Bacon Jam |
| France + United States | 5 | Ginger Creme Brulee Custard, NY Strip Loin Steak |
| India + Lebanon | 5 | Hummus, Bell Hummus |
| France + Poland | 5 | Snapper, with Shrimp-Potato Pierogi, Fish with Potato Pierogi |
Signature dishes by influence
The dishes that have appeared most often under each of the leading influences.
| Influence | Dishes | Most frequent on the menu |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 379 | Vegetarian Lasagna, Chocolate Cake, with Gelato, House Salad |
| United States | 270 | House Salad, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Dip, KML Smoked Fish Dip |
| France | 183 | Galette, Chocolate Cake, Clafoutis |
| Lebanon | 159 | House Salad, Hummus, with Harissa, Bell Hummus |
| Greece | 100 | House Salad, Vegetarian Moussaka, Cheesecake |
| India | 75 | Vegetarian Curry, Gobi Manchurian Stir Fry, Vegetable Curry |
| Mexico | 54 | Stuffed Bell Peppers, Broccamole Dip, Vegetarian Enchilada |
| Mediterranean (broad region) | 50 | Vegetarian Couscous Bowl, Stuffed Bell Peppers, Lake Superior White Fish |
| Morocco | 35 | Hummus, with Harissa, Roasted Zucchini-Harissa Dip, Lamb Loin Tagine |
| Spain | 35 | Chicken Stew with Sauce “Brava”, Andalusian Fish Stew, Shrimp in Romesco Sauce |
| Germany | 31 | Kirsche Pork Tenderloin, Beef Rouladen, Kirsche Pork Schnitzel |
| Asia (broad region) | 30 | Shrimp Rice Balls, Tuna Steak, Shrimp Mini-pies |
| China | 29 | Gobi Manchurian Stir Fry, Chicken and Pea Pods Stir Fry, Chinese Dumplings |
| Thailand | 25 | Thai Red Curry, with Vegetable, Thai Red Curry, with Vegetables, Thai Tamarind Chicken |
| Argentina | 24 | Chicken Empanadas, NY Strip Loin, Empanadas |
| Turkey | 23 | Vegetarian Pide, Yogurt and Garlic Chicken Breast, Ground Tuna Borek |
See all 53 countries and regions
| Influence | Dishes | Part of the world | First served | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 379 | Europe | Jun 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| United States | 270 | North America | Jun 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| France | 183 | Europe | Jun 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| Lebanon | 159 | Middle East & North Africa | Jun 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| Greece | 100 | Europe | Jan 2023 | Nov 2026 |
| India | 75 | Asia | Jun 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| Mexico | 54 | North America | Jun 2022 | Sep 2026 |
| Mediterranean (broad region) | 50 | The Mediterranean (broad) | Jun 2022 | Oct 2026 |
| Morocco | 35 | Middle East & North Africa | Aug 2022 | Sep 2026 |
| Spain | 35 | Europe | Oct 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| Germany | 31 | Europe | Jul 2022 | Sep 2026 |
| Asia (broad region) | 30 | Asia | Sep 2022 | Oct 2026 |
| China | 29 | Asia | Dec 2022 | Nov 2026 |
| Thailand | 25 | Asia | Jun 2022 | Sep 2026 |
| Argentina | 24 | Latin America & Caribbean | Jun 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| Turkey | 23 | Middle East & North Africa | Jun 2022 | Jun 2026 |
| United Kingdom | 18 | Europe | Oct 2022 | May 2026 |
| Peru | 15 | Latin America & Caribbean | Jun 2023 | Oct 2026 |
| Cuba | 12 | Latin America & Caribbean | Jul 2023 | Oct 2026 |
| Russia | 11 | Europe | Jul 2022 | Sep 2026 |
| Portugal | 10 | Europe | Nov 2022 | Mar 2026 |
| Mongolia | 9 | Asia | Jul 2022 | Aug 2026 |
| Poland | 9 | Europe | Jan 2024 | Nov 2026 |
| Tunisia | 8 | Middle East & North Africa | May 2023 | Jul 2026 |
| Venezuela | 6 | Latin America & Caribbean | Dec 2022 | Jul 2026 |
| Nepal | 6 | Asia | Jul 2023 | Mar 2026 |
| Iran | 5 | Middle East & North Africa | Jun 2022 | Jan 2024 |
| Pakistan | 5 | Asia | Jul 2023 | Jun 2026 |
| Syria | 4 | Middle East & North Africa | Dec 2022 | Jun 2026 |
| Belgium | 4 | Europe | Jan 2023 | Jun 2023 |
| North Africa (broad region) | 4 | Middle East & North Africa | Feb 2026 | Sep 2026 |
| Jamaica | 3 | Latin America & Caribbean | Dec 2022 | May 2023 |
| Middle East (broad region) | 3 | Middle East & North Africa | Jan 2024 | May 2024 |
| Norway | 2 | Europe | Nov 2022 | Aug 2023 |
| Algeria | 2 | Middle East & North Africa | Feb 2023 | May 2023 |
| Caribbean (broad region) | 2 | Latin America & Caribbean | Apr 2023 | Feb 2024 |
| Brazil | 2 | Latin America & Caribbean | Apr 2023 | Dec 2023 |
| South Korea | 2 | Asia | Jul 2024 | Aug 2026 |
| Latin America (broad region) | 2 | Latin America & Caribbean | Apr 2025 | May 2026 |
| Philippines | 1 | Asia | Jan 2023 | Jan 2023 |
| Africa (broad region) | 1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | Apr 2023 | Apr 2023 |
| Tibet (China) | 1 | Asia | Apr 2023 | Apr 2023 |
| Switzerland | 1 | Europe | Aug 2023 | Aug 2023 |
| Canada | 1 | North America | Mar 2024 | Mar 2024 |
| Ireland | 1 | Europe | Jun 2024 | Jun 2024 |
| Hungary | 1 | Europe | Aug 2024 | Aug 2024 |
| Armenia | 1 | Middle East & North Africa | Jun 2025 | Jun 2025 |
| South Africa | 1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | Jun 2025 | Jun 2025 |
| Vietnam | 1 | Asia | Mar 2026 | Mar 2026 |
| Kenya | 1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | Mar 2026 | Mar 2026 |
| Europe (broad region) | 1 | Europe | Aug 2026 | Aug 2026 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | Asia | Aug 2026 | Aug 2026 |
| India / Bangladesh | 1 | Asia | Oct 2026 | Oct 2026 |
How we counted
- Every weekly private dinner menu posted on our past menus page from June 13, 2022 through November 9, 2026: 214 menus and 1,498 dishes.
- Influences are taken exactly as printed on each menu. A dish with two influences counts once for each.
- Regional styles are grouped under their country: Cajun and Creole under the United States, Catalan under Spain, Sicilian under Italy, Alsatian under France.
- When the menu names a broad region (Mediterranean, Asian, Middle Eastern, North African, Caribbean), it is counted as that region rather than guessed down to one country.
- 74 dishes had no influence printed, 69 of them in 2022 and 2023 (mostly salads and desserts). Since 2024, nearly every dish has been tagged. Percentages on this page use tagged dishes only.
Data current through the menu for the week of November 9, 2026. We update this summary as new menus are posted.
Private dinners are by advance reservation, at least two weeks ahead; see the Private Dinners page for details.