What on earth is more luxurious than a fine piece of grilled beef drizzled with a hot butter sauce? Flavored with tarragon, shallots, and white wine vinegar, bearnaise sauce adds both creamy decadence and a pleasant acidity to cut through the fat of the beef.

I first tasted this dish at my father’s 60th birthday. We all went to a steakhouse and ordered as he did: filet bearnaise. To this day I don’t know if there is anything I’d rather eat. That particular event was extraordinary, but the practice of my father leading us boys to good food was one that happened often all through our lives. He taught us all from a young age to appreciate a good meal and to always taste new dishes, even if we thought we wouldn’t like them. As a result, all four of us boys grew up comfortable and happy in the kitchen, and I was sent down a long, winding path of culinary exploration.