the Tavern on the Green in New York in conjunction
with Food and Wine Magazine to introduce Alice Waters
of Chez Panisse, Paul Prudhomme from New Orleans and
Alain Dutournier from Paris amongst others to cook
together. Mel In 1980 Mel and Janie who had met Tom
and Sally Jordan in Denver, moved to Healdsburg California
to undertake the task of setting up and running and
doing all the PR for the new JORDAN WINERY in Sonoma
County and Mel has been credited with the initial
marketing success of the winery. After the success
of Jordan, Mel and Janie left California for New York
and got together with friend Jonathan Waxman (who
was the original chef at Michael's in Santa Monica)
and opened JAMS RESTAURANT (Jonathan and Melvyn's).
It was one of the hottest and most successful restaurants
of New York in the 1980's and the first Californian
style restaurant. Mel and Jonathan also opened Buds
and Hulots in New York and later Jams in London. They
sold the restaurants in the late1980's and Mel and
Janie returned to France. In 1992 they began work
again in the wine business and introduced a line of
varietal wines from the Languedoc into the USA market
under the label LES JAMELLES. They were the first
people to sell varietal wines from France and they
traveled extensively to build sales and took the brand
to over 75,000 cases worldwide before selling it in
1995. During this time Janie also joined forces with
their old friend Blair Taylor and opened BAROLO GRILL,
Denver and sold her interests to Blair a few years
later.
In early 1995 Mel and Janie realized a life long
dream of opening a restaurant together in Denver which
represented all that they had learnt and loved in
the food and wine business over the years. MEL’S
BAR AND GRILL opened in November 1995 and was quickly
named by Esquire Magazine as one of the top 25 new
restaurants in the USA. Later in February 1998 Wine
and Food Magazine did a 5 page article on Mel and
Janie and the restaurant. Since that time Mel’s
has enjoyed national acclaim from Magazines such as
Bon Appetite and Gourmet Magazine .Today Mel has turned
his attention to ANNABEL'S along with his family team
and Mr. Adam Mali. You will enjoy the same sense of
comfort and food/wine combinations that you've shared
with Mel and his family for many years to come.
