Wednesday, November 12, 7:00 p.m.
Members $100, guests $125

When the air turns chilly, a true gastronome’s fancy turns to love, of the truffle kind. This dirty, golf-ball-size knob of black fungus is guaranteed to make foodie hearts flutter. And this year, David Boyle, executive chef of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, will be presiding over our autumn truffle dinner.

Boyle is no stranger to the cherished tuber. For years, he’s been creating a stir by devising truffle menus at Davio’s in Philadelphia. In fact, he’s become the unofficial truffle poster boy, called upon to offer up tips, trade secrets, and sources. “Truffles go with just about anything,” Boyle said in an interview with April Adamson of the Philadelphia Daily News. “They’re good at picking up other flavors.” He also says they’re a natural for Thanksgiving dinner.

Beyond his way with all things underground, Boyle has a reputation with foodstuffs above the earth, too, such as pan-roasted Tuscan chicken breast, prize-winning rib veal chops, and a pantry full of outstanding pastas that have made Davio’s a must-eat restaurant in the City of Brotherly Love. Commented Lore Ert, entertainment writer for Out on the Town, “Credit for the success of our dinner goes to chef Boyle...he has created a menu with just enough innovation to attract even the most jaded palate, and judging by what we tasted, his many novel ideas about food worked well...all of our dishes seemed assembled with not only flavor in mind but engaging touches of visual artistry as well.” And Davio’s was tapped by Philadelphia Magazine as a great place to throw an unforgettable bash.

Boyle was born in Philadelphia, but raised in Anchorage, Alaska, where he stayed for 20 years. After attending Cincinnati’s Xavier University, he visited his grandmother back in Philadelphia. It wasn’t long before he was enrolled in the city’s prestigious Restaurant School. From there he moved on to positions at the Four Seasons Hotel, working under the watchful eye of executive chef Jean-Marie Lacroix. In 1995 he headed to Chartres, France, working the line at Le Grand Monarque hotel. When he returned to the United States the following year, he became the executive chef at Jake’s, which under his command won three consecutive Mobil Guide Four-Star Awards and a “Best of Philly” Award from Philadelphia Magazine. Three years later, he installed himself in the kitchen of Davio’s, where he’s been creating a sensation ever since.