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.
I don't know how I didn't catch this one yesterday.
Grant Achatz, chef at Chicago's Alinea, and one of the most notable young chef talents out there, reported yesterday that he has cancer. He told NY Times Dining Editor Pete Wells that he has an advanced stage of squamous cell carcinoma in his mouth, and says the following about it via his publicist:
"I wanted to personally report that I have been very recently diagnosed with an advanced stage of squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. I have consulted several prominent physicians and will likely begin aggressive treatment within the next few weeks. I remain, and will remain, actively and optimistically engaged in operations at Alinea to the largest extent possible. Alinea will continue to perform at the level people have come to expect from us - I insist on that. I have received amazing support from friends, family, and everyone who has thus far been told of the disease, and I look forward to a full, cancer-free, recovery."
Slashfood will be thinking of you as you go through treatment and are looking forward to your full recovery, Chef Achatz!
I guess it's not surprising, considering only 8 of the top 50 are here in the United States and none are near me. Thomas Keller's The French Laundry in Yountville, CA is the top U.S. restaurant at #4. Other U.S. spots include Per Se, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Charie Trotter's, Daniel, Alinea, and Chez Panisse. The top restaurant is El Bulli in Spain (the site also lists restaurants 51 to 100).
We already took a look at the world's most expensive restaurants for this year, but Forbes has added to their compilation of the priciest restaurants with a list of those located in the US. Unlike the global list, which takes into account the price for only a main course, drink and tip, the US list includes the prices for fixed-price tasting menus, which are definitely the most popular way to eat at top eateries. And those prices are going up. There are new and better ingredients to be used and higher expectations that must be met by these restaurants. "We're seeking out smaller producers with better products, and with that comes a higher expense of preparing them in the kitchen. It creates an upward pressure on menu prices," said one restaurant owner, who also noted that it was fortunate the economy is strong enough to sustain restaurants that serve the such high-priced meals.
At the top of the list is New York City's Masa at $446, followed by California's The French Laundry at $254 and Chicago's Alinea at $168.
It sounds strange, sure, for when is there ever an occasion that you'd be sitting down to a white-clothed table laid out with the finest silverware, crystal, and china holding a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? If you're in Chicago, you would have found the "PB&J" as part of the multi-course tasting menu at Grant Achatz's Alinea, a single peeled grape coated with peanut butter and wrapped in the thinnest toast wafer. And paired with it? Sercial "Charleston" Madeira from The Rare Wine Company. The Chicago Tribune's Food and Wine section this week has a selection of additional wines that pair with the classic sandwich.
Is it a close-up of a cornflake? Or a piece of coral from the bottom of a tropical sea? Perhaps a tiny nugget of 24 karat gold?
No. No. No. It is from Ideas in Food, and it's what you might call a "cracklin' " - something like a fried pork rind, but better. It is made from kimchee. Inspired first as a child by Cheetos, then "puffed" Japanese snacks and chips, and now professionally by puffs/crisps produced by Grant Achatz at Chicago's Alinea and Ferran Adria of El Bulli, Ideas in Food has created a Kimchee "Cracklin" made from tapioca flour, kimchee, and kimchee juice.
Hey it might not be a real nugget, but kimchee to snack on sure sounds like pure gold to me.
We got a peek at the tasting menu at Alinea a few weeks ago via Gastronomie SF, but since you can't have too much of a good thing, let's take another look at the 24-course molecular gastronomy marathon. Dominic Armato, from Skillet Doux, recently had the full menu at Alinea and reported back on his thoughts for each course - no small feat. The photography is exceptional and his commentary on the meal is very interesting. For anyone who has been considering making a reservation at the restaurant, it might be enough to make you hop a plane to Chicago.
The "dish" pictured above is served in a shot glass and was one of the highlights of the dinner. It is a ball of curry and butter with a pear juice center, surrounded with celery juice.
We've seen photo reports before, we just can't get enough. Fatemah of San Francisco-based blog Gastronomie recently dined at Alinea and is taking her time posting about her experience there, with a an entire post dedicated to each course. The above is the first course of a warm potato (among other things) impaled on an acupuncture needle over a bowl of chilled potato soup. Pictures, of course, are beautiful, but her descriptions and reactions are fun to read, too.
Watch out Geroge Foreman - this anti-griddle will knock you out.
In the spirit of Grant Achatz's uber-technological cuisine,
PolyScience has what they call the Anti-griddle, a
cooktop that, instead of heating foods to cook, freezes them. The "cooking" surface can reach down
to creativity-chilling -30F, freezing foods on contact. According to PolyScience, it allows imaginations create
"tantalizing dual-textures [that] help satisfy increasing consumer demands for new dining experiences."
Not sure if this is something you'd want in your home kitchen, but if you're innovative enough, and you have $845,
you just might.
Have you ever stashed a Coke in the freezer, hoping to chill it quickly, then forgotten all about it, only to have it explode all over your frozen peas?
I don't know how I didn't catch this one yesterday.
Is it bad that I haven't visited any of 
We already took a look at the 
As we gear up for 
Watch out Geroge Foreman - this anti-griddle will knock you out.
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
