63 replies to this topic

[Louisa Chu]

No kitchen table.

Bravo.

[Truffle]

Quote : [Bravo. ]

Not in favour of KT's? Why so much brav(ad)o?

[ronnie_suburban]

Guys,

I think it's best to leave the focus of this thread squarely on Chef G and his future plans for Alinea.

For a discussion of Kitchen Tables, check out this thead, started by Truffle last September.

Chef's/Kitchen Tables, Experiences

Thanks

=R=

[chefg]

what will the website address be for Alinea?

www.alinea-restaurant.com

[chefg]

Chefg,

What has your experience been with cooktek?  Seeing as they are located extremely close to downtown (Chicago)would they be a company that you would consider using from a maintenance repair standpoint? 

I am assuming that you will not be using a classic line whether it be a French suite or the classsic American straight line, have you considered individual pieces that would you suit your needs, set on casters, with industrial "snaps" to hold into place.  Essentially you could "rebuild" your line as you needed it.  I ask out of my own curiosity in redefining menu engineering.  I am looking forward to this thread as your new "train" keeps on chugging, best of luck with all that is involved.

ducphat30

Cooktek is the leader in induction heat sources in this country. We use one of their portable units at Trio and find that it performs at a very high level. I especially like the versatility found in a portable unit. Their single hob units can reach up to 31,000 BTU’s, which is comparable or exceeds that of open burner or French top sources. As I mentioned before induction is very underutilized in this country. Much more popular in Europe, I expect that it will find it’s place here in the US market if chefs learn about it’s benefits. It is faster in both recovery and suppression, easier to control at precise temperatures, has less radiant heat, easier to clean, more economical and has high aesthetic appeal. I suspect Alinea will have several Cooktek units in the kitchen.

[tanabutler]

Though I am not a chef, nor trained in those hyper-disciplined arts, I must say that reading this thread is not unlike my first encounter with the poetry of Emily Dickinson. I feel the thrill of poetry.

And being a typographical geek and former calligrapher, and one who once used the OED in amorous amusements (okay, "bedroom word games with smart people"), the glyph for, and meaning of, "Alinea" is sublime. I predict a wave of babies with this name in about two years. It's so pretty and full of potential for use.

I love that, while Alinea indicates a new train of thought, it's still one paragraph in a larger body of thoughts.

Best of all things to you, chefg, in manifesting your beautiful vision, and may your path be one of synergy, happy creativity, and contentment.

I know, artists generally aren't content, but I hope you get a slice or two of that. I guess contentment is the conscious occasional appreciation that this is as good as life gets. If you're giving "this is as good as life gets" moments to people, then you should have some inner peace. (Gee, now I wonder if that's even desireable for a chef.)

[Bicycle Lee]

you know, it's funny...when just the description of the kitchen can make someone begin to salivate, you've got a great idea on your hands. It sounds amazing, chef... I cannot wait to experience it.

I'm also very intrigued by "self encapsulated sauces"....could you give an explanation?

[chefg]

you know, it's funny...when just the description of the kitchen can make someone begin to salivate, you've got a great idea on your hands. It sounds amazing, chef... I cannot wait to experience it.

I'm also very intrigued by "self encapsulated sauces"....could you give an explanation?

Self-encapsulation of liquids was something we had talked about at Trio since the beginning of our time here. The concept of it exemplifies the thought processes we have in the kitchen. You will frequently hear me say to a cook asking what to add to a puree to adjust the consistency is. …itself. If you are making celery soup, what should the ingredients be to make that soup taste like the essence of celery? Well, celery ….of course, not water, not cream…celery. The point I am trying to make is if you take a product and wrap it in itself it has nothing to dilute the flavor that you are trying to express.

In 2003 a former team member and myself visited the IFT expo in Chicago. (Institute of Food Technologists). The expo is a showcase for food processing companies, similar to the National restaurant show in its respective field. One of the things we stumbled upon was a company that was demonstrating the uses of Alginate. In the food processing industry they use it primarily to adhere spice mixes to frozen chicken breasts to add durability during packaging. We watched the demonstrator pour a clear liquid onto a table. He would then mist it with another solution, and it would congeal before our eyes. The other solution was calcium chloride.

At this point we had encapsulated liquid in pasta. (black truffle explosion) At the sight of this new technique we figured we could eliminate the pasta and wrap black truffle juice in itself. We placed an order for the product. One week later the NY Times Magazine piece on Ferran Adria came out. There it was…caviar of apple and the infamous pea ravioli. One step ahead of us for sure…but we were on the right track no doubt.

When the product arrived we knew we couldn’t do “caviar” or even super ball sized encapsulations due to Adria’s precedent. So we posed ourselves with a challenge. How do we create an encapsulation the size of a hardball? A self encapsulated soup or sauce depending on the size desired. Two weeks later we figured it out, and the technique has been applied to both sweet and savory applications in the restaurant. Pete Wells does a good job of describing the process in the July issue of Food and Wine…the article on Innovative pastry chefs, check it out.

[chefseanbrock]

what are the menu formats going to be like at alinea???? similar to what you are doing now, with a choice a 3 menus??? or are you just going to have 1 menu???

[FoodMan]

you know, it's funny...when just the description of the kitchen can make someone begin to salivate, you've got a great idea on your hands. It sounds amazing, chef... I cannot wait to experience it.

I'm also very intrigued by "self encapsulated sauces"....could you give an explanation?

Self-encapsulation of liquids was something we had talked about at Trio since the beginning of our time here. The concept of it exemplifies the thought processes we have in the kitchen. You will frequently hear me say to a cook asking what to add to a puree to adjust the consistency is. …itself. If you are making celery soup, what should the ingredients be to make that soup taste like the essence of celery? Well, celery ….of course, not water, not cream…celery. The point I am trying to make is if you take a product and wrap it in itself it has nothing to dilute the flavor that you are trying to express.

In 2003 a former team member and myself visited the IFT expo in Chicago. (Institute of Food Technologists). The expo is a showcase for food processing companies, similar to the National restaurant show in its respective field. One of the things we stumbled upon was a company that was demonstrating the uses of Alginate. In the food processing industry they use it primarily to adhere spice mixes to frozen chicken breasts to add durability during packaging. We watched the demonstrator pour a clear liquid onto a table. He would then mist it with another solution, and it would congeal before our eyes. The other solution was calcium chloride.

At this point we had encapsulated liquid in pasta. (black truffle explosion) At the sight of this new technique we figured we could eliminate the pasta and wrap black truffle juice in itself. We placed an order for the product. One week later the NY Times Magazine piece on Ferran Adria came out. There it was…caviar of apple and the infamous pea ravioli. One step ahead of us for sure…but we were on the right track no doubt.

When the product arrived we knew we couldn’t do “caviar” or even super ball sized encapsulations due to Adria’s precedent. So we posed ourselves with a challenge. How do we create an encapsulation the size of a hardball? A self encapsulated soup or sauce depending on the size desired. Two weeks later we figured it out, and the technique has been applied to both sweet and savory applications in the restaurant. Pete Wells does a good job of describing the process in the July issue of Food and Wine…the article on Innovative pastry chefs, check it out.

Here is a link to the article Chef Achatz is talking about with the whole Alginate thing. Very good article about avant garde pastry chefs in the country, needless to say Trio's pastry chef is mentioned inthere. There is also a blurb about Alinea and the fact that it will have no pastry station!

Pastry Provocateurs

Grant- best of luck on your new venture, it will defenitly be on our to-go-to places next time we're in Chicago. What's the physical address? Is it closer to downtown Chicago than Trio?


Elie

[docsconz]

Fascinating article. I can't wait to get there.

[chefg]

Grant- best of luck on your new venture, it will defenitly be on our to-go-to places next time we're in Chicago. What's the physical address? Is it closer to downtown Chicago than Trio?


Elie

Alinea will be much closer to downtown Chicago than Trio. The address is still undecided at this time.

[mrandolph]

chef, are you accepting applications for internships through mail at trio or waiting until the web site is launched?

[akwa]

best of luck
i look forward to reading or hearing about your latest work

[chizzy]

Chef G,
I dont know if your taking resumes yet but I would love to be a part of your new venture. I've been working on a few techniques that you might be interested in, crispy srirachi (not sugar/egg white paper), "sugar cured" melons and pit fruits, gel tempura, "smooth" citrus water (you cant evaporate it like a vinegar), flavored salts (not just chopping up nuts with sea salt). Where can I send you the recipes?

bill_pls_barb@hotmail.com

[ronnie_suburban]

Moderator Note: This was previously posted upthread by chefg...

Good question, are you taking stages or hiring yet?

I have only retained management positions for Alinea at this point. I would suggest checking the website frequently when it launches sometime in the next two weeks. It will offer information regarding externships, employment and stage opportunities available when we decide to start taking commitments for these positions.

Alinea Restaurant

=R=

[Truffle]

error on the site/cannot access - perhaps the alinea site is not up and running?

[ronnie_suburban]

error on the site/cannot access - perhaps the alinea site is not up and running?

No, I don't think it's up...just wanted to repost the link for our future reference.

=R=

[bleachboy]

It's not up yet, no. And why did they use the perenially-evil Godaddy instead of my employer!

Yeah, cheap plug, but you can get the expert assistance of a fellow foodie if you email me. I own the company.

[inventolux]

Alinea will no doubt be one of the greatest restaurants of our time. Im excited to see how it adds to the expansion of the culinary mind. Chicago will be the culinary hotbed of ideas for the world soon enough. With great respect, congrats chef.

[chizzy]

Has their been any new news about the website?

[Bicycle Lee]

he said it would be up in a couple weeks...just keep checkin'

and I would also bet that he will be making a post about the website being up when it comes.

Edited by Bicycle Lee, 25 June 2004 - 08:01 PM.

[cbarre02]

Chef Grant,

I hope that all of the effort that you place into to this venture, is returned to you ten fold. Best of luck, and I am looking forward to this.

Cory

[tan319]

Good Luck and Best Wishes on the new venture, chefG!
I can't wait to read about and possibly see the new project.
I still play that 'Into the Fire' episode at least once a month.
I know it will be great.

[M65]

Chef G, I am positive that your culinary endevaors will surpass any expectations, Best of Luck and Cogratualtions.
Mel

Edited by M65, 05 July 2004 - 08:11 AM.

[chefperkey]

First of all congradulations on a great run at Trio Chefg. I have heard a rumor (or a truth) that a space nears Trotter's was selected for Alinea. Anyone got the info on this? Again congrats on your sucess and best of luck in every thing you do Chef Perkey.

[ronnie_suburban]

Some Alinea news from Chicago Magazine's Dish...

Grant Achatz has decided on a location for his new restaurant, Alinea: It’ll be at 1723 North Halsted Street, mere blocks away from the master, Charlie Trotter’s

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[tan319]

Some Alinea news from Chicago Magazine's Dish...

Grant Achatz has decided on a location for his new restaurant, Alinea: It’ll be at 1723 North Halsted Street, mere blocks away from the master, Charlie Trotter’s

=R=

I like that!

[chefg]

You can follow this link Alinea to view part one of three of the Alinea website.

Keep in mind it may take an extended amount of time to load on some computers.

Moderator Note...edited to provide hyperlink

Edited by ronnie_suburban, 12 August 2004 - 05:04 PM.

[tan319]

GREAT opening page for the 'site!!!
Can't wait for the rest.
Also, I have to tell you, Chef, I was rereading the F.L. chapter of 'Soul of a Chef' last week ( the chef I work with had dinner at F.L. last week, his mind is blown, his next two destinations are going to be your new place and El Bulli) and I was blown away again at the impression you made on M.R. at a time that must seem like long ago.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can't wait to see the next evolution in what you're achieving with your cuisine.