If you read one magazine article this week, definitely check out the New Yorker profile of Chicago chef Grant Achatz. The wunderkind behind the molecular gastronomy mecca Alinea, Achatz is currently running the show without a sense of taste. In what must be one of the worst cases of irony ever, the 34-year old was diagnosed with Stage IV tongue cancer earlier this year. Though he refused the standard treatment that would have involved removing most of his tongue, radiation therapy has nonetheless zapped, at least temporarily, most of his taste buds.
Still, Achatz presides over the Alinea kitchen, guiding his employees in the creation of his trademark outrageous confections - desserts of strawberry, olive, and violet essence; squab candy bars; pea and smoked salmon lollipops. Slowly, his sense of taste is returning - he can now taste salt and sugar again, and expects regain the ability to detect more subtleties as the months pass. He even hopes the experience will make him a more creative, edgier chef. Though coming from the man who served dehydrated bacon suspended from a silver scaffold during opening week, I'm not sure what that means.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-07-2008 @ 11:18AM
A-Pow said...
Many of us in Chicago feel for him. Reports have surfaced that he is in fact in remission and slowly beginning to taste once again.
My best friend ate dinner there about a month ago and said it was as good as ever and there were no signs of a slowdown with him or his menu and staff.
We're all waiting for the official good news.
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5-10-2008 @ 10:12PM
denise said...
This is a cancer you very seldom hear about. I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of my tongue in January of this year. I had two surgeries but luckily the tissue that was removed was on the underneath of my tongue and they did not have to go very deep into the muscle. This was followed by 30 radiation treatments. I am now three weeks post radiation and I can sympathize with Chef Achatz regarding the problems with taste. Everything has a salty metalic taste. I was told this would stay with me for approximately 4-6 weeks following the last radiation treatment. God bless and I wish him the best!
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5-30-2008 @ 3:42PM
pamela stackpole said...
Talking about irony, a chef who gets tongue cancer, seems like there is no mercy. I also have an ironic story, I am a singer/songwriter, with no risk factors but developed tongue cancer, which was diagnosed 6/07. I had surgery, removing a third of my tongue and a cervical lymphadenectomy. I then had radiation (33) and chemo, since it had spread to the lymph nodes in my neck. Taste was obliterated for a while, but has mostly come back now that I am 5 months post-treatment. The biggest problem is the lack of saliva due to the radiation, I have a terribly dry mouth, which makes speaking uncomfortable and sometimes slurred, eating is difficult. I had a peg tube during treatment, but promptly had it removed after a month post-treatment. I absolutly loathed the thing. I will not be singing for a while, but hopefully once some saliva kicks in, I can start again. Best Regards to Chef Achatz and anyone suffering from this disease.
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