65 replies to this topic

[Lenski]

Dear Chefg,

Get well soon.

A devoted admirer,

L

[LisaPizza]

I'm so sorry, Chef. All my best wishes for your recovery.

[cupcake]

I, too, have followed your career and been inspired by your creativity and drive. You are in my thoughts and prayers as you face this battle. I wish you nothing but the very, very best.

[RyneSchraw]

I'm so sad to hear this. My thoughts and my family's thoughts are with you Chef. We know you'll recover from this one...

Ryne

[655321]

Chef:

My best wishes. Your creativity, work ethic, and optimism is appreciated and admired in and out of the kitchen. Looking forward to hearing good news about your recovery.

Amador

[sundevilpeg]

Dear Chef:

It was quite a kick in the gut to read of your illness this morning. What a shock. Please get well soon, and rest assured that our prayers are with you (as well as those of an awful lot of other people!).


Peg Wolfe

[s'kat]

Hey G- this really sucks.

Your attitude doesn't, and that's a big help. I'm married to a man who was diagnosed end stage twice, in as many years.

He's still married to me, and we live in interesting times.

Life is an opera. I think you've got the chops.

Best,
shelley

[bigbear]

Thoughts and prayers.

[little ms foodie]

I am saddened by your news, you are indeed a very talented person with drive and passion. I am confident that those traits will help you to kick this. stay strong and do what they say!

[slo_ted]

I, too, am with you, man. We've never met, but I've been an admirer of your progress since your time at TFL. It is one of my quests to dine at Alinea. I want you to be there in top form when I do. Love and best wishes, Ted

[Domestic Goddess]

ChefG,

Our thoughts and fervent prayers are with you. Hope you recover soon.

DG

[PauloR]

My very best wishes to you, and your's.

[Megan Kathleen]

Dear Chef,

As just one of so many folks in the field who have been amazed and inspired by your work, I wish you the best as you meet (and beat, no doubt!) this new challenge. May the mysteries of love and the powers of science work their magic for you, your family and friends in this trying time.

Take comfort in the support and care of your loved ones. You are in my heart, as you are in all who have been touched by your creativity, ambition and generosity of spirit. As we take joy in your success, we pull for you in your time of difficulty.

In hope,
MK

[Beto]

Chefg,
You are in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

Jeff

[syoung68]

Chef G,

Though I do not know you and have not been to Alinea, I have read about your career for awhile now. You and others like you, have inspired me to be more creative in the kitchen. I know that as a home chef I will never cook to the extremes that you do, but if I can take just a hint here and there to bolster my creativity and maybe wow a dinner guest or two I am happy.

My thoughts, are with you and your family.

Keep cookin' my man.

S

[Fresser]

Chef Grant,

Gilda's Club Chicago can offer you support during your treatment.

Also, Lance Armstrong's foundation will offer any help it can.

G-dspeed to you, Chef.

Steve

[nyokie6]

I'm so sorry to read of your cancer diagnosis. My husband and I had a wonderful night at Alinea last month. We'll be thinking of you and hoping and praying for a sucessful treatment and cure.

Tobi

[Judith Gebhart]

Chef Grant,

Gilda's Club Chicago can offer you support during your treatment. 

Also, Lance Armstrong's foundation will offer any help it can.

G-dspeed to you, Chef.

Steve

Chef Achatz: We have always been great supporters of your culinary genius. We know that you will continue to devote yourself, as much as possible, to overseeing the finest and most creative products that Alinea consistently offers its diners. Your talent reigns and hopefully will always.

We both applaud your courage and tenacity of spirit; it will serve you well for your recovery. We donnot know you well, but admiring you from afar, we offer you our warmest most heartfelt support for the difficult times ahead. We hope the best for you. We will think of you often. As Chicago's finest and most innovative chef, you have our total support. Fight Grant, with all the passion you can muster! And win! Judy and Joe Gebhart

[sapient]

Best wishes to Chef Achatz.

[hshiau]

Chef, this is terrible news indeed. Best wishes on beating this. I'm still hoping to visit Alinea on my next trip our to Chicago.

[Anna N]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and remember that a positive attitude will count for far more than the most advanced and aggressive medical science!

[victornet]

Chef,

I join those who have also been nourished by your creativity in wishing you strength and success in your recovery.

Marc Freidus

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

ChefG,

You have every reason to be optimistic, as this link shows.

[Elrushbo]

I hope you get better soon, take the time off and focus on getting well.

[Pan]

Chef, so sorry to hear about your cancer. Keep the faith. I personally know people who faced very long odds for recovery from advanced cancer, including my father, who had Stage 4 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in 1995-96 and is still very much alive and kicking today. His recovery had a lot to do with a positive attitude toward recovery and a fighting attitude toward the disease (visualization, etc.). All the best to you!

[Gabe Quiros]

Chef Achatz

You got all my support and I'll be looking forward to your full recovery. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you personally some time ago when you came here to eat at elBulli. I am sure we'll meet some other time soon. Get well.

Gabe

[bella simone]

Chef,
I am deeply saddened by the news of your illness. But if anyone can beat this, I believe it is you. Although I dont personally know you, I believe you are a man capable of doing anything he sets his mind to.
You have done incredible things in your life and the culinary world owes you a big thank you.
Please get well soon. My thoughts are with you.
Chef Sarah

[Dave the Cook]

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal offers new information:

The tumor had made it so painful to chew that Mr. Achatz couldn't eat solid food and had lost at least 10 pounds.

Saving his tongue hinges on whether a team of doctors at the University of Chicago can cure the cancer using an atypical method of treatment. Instead of the standard therapy -- removing the tumor surgically, followed by radiation and chemotherapy -- his doctors are starting with a course of chemotherapy that adds a drug called cetuximab to two more conventional drugs. Then they will follow that with a combination of radiation therapy, more chemotherapy, and drugs.

Everett Vokes, one of the oncologists treating the chef, says there is a 70% chance of recovery for these types of cancers, though he won't give odds for Mr. Achatz. If the treatment doesn't cure him, doctors will have to consider removing part of his tongue.

. . . .

Despite starting a typically tiring regime of chemotherapy a month ago, Mr. Achatz continues to spend long days creating and preparing dishes at Alinea, sometimes staying past 3 a.m. Already the treatments have improved his condition enough that he can chew more comfortably.

. . . .

One recent night at the restaurant, he [Achatz] hunched over a row of white platters assembling short ribs with a topping of peanuts and a Guinness-flavored covering. Moving intently from dish to dish, he broke his concentration only to call out instructions -- "You bringing lamb, or what?" -- then refocused on his task.

As he sees it, tackling cancer isn't much different. "The thought process that goes into building these dishes are little miniversions of what I face with my illness," he says. "Your mind just deconstructs it and pulls it apart, and you're left with the same challenges you face every day."

I love that -- "You bringing lamb, or what?" Chef Achatz is going through some very tough stuff, no doubt, but it's clear that he's still the chef.

[ronnie_suburban]

More news today about Grant from food editor Janet Rausa Fuller at the Chicago Sun-Times:

Eight weeks into chemo, Achatz has not missed a day of work, save for when he was in New York meeting with doctors in July and last weekend.

"I just decided it would be good for me mentally to take a couple of days, go to New York and just hang out," he says.

He spent time with his girlfriend, who lives there. He ate at Jean Georges. The first course -- toasted black bread with sea urchin, yuzu and jalapeno -- blew him away.

"It was amazing, the flavor profile. The urchin, the spiciness of jalapeno," he says.

For Achatz, it's still 'business as usual'

=R=

[docsconz]

More news today about Grant from food editor Janet Rausa Fuller at the Chicago Sun-Times:

Eight weeks into chemo, Achatz has not missed a day of work, save for when he was in New York meeting with doctors in July and last weekend.

"I just decided it would be good for me mentally to take a couple of days, go to New York and just hang out," he says.

He spent time with his girlfriend, who lives there. He ate at Jean Georges. The first course -- toasted black bread with sea urchin, yuzu and jalapeno -- blew him away.

"It was amazing, the flavor profile. The urchin, the spiciness of jalapeno," he says.

For Achatz, it's still 'business as usual'

=R=

Great article. There is no question that he has a very serious illness. There are two approaches that he could take: beat it or surrender to it. It should be no surprise to anyone who knows him at all that he chose the former. May he be as successful with this endeavor as he has been with Alinea, one of the greatest restaurants in the world!