molto e

Alex, You had me fooled...I guess all you chefs keep (or forget) an ingredient secret . You did not want the world to be able to re-create "Eggs Alex". Well, now that Alex has come onto the thread...if anyone has any questions for Alex and Aki then post them. Alex is never at a lose for words so I am sure he will find the time to answer. Molto E

Bryan, As far as cost goes, the rate on the rooms depends on whether you will partake in any of the activites that Keyah Grande offers (which I was only sleeping). The dinner was very reasonable in comparison to other like experiences. I do not remember the exact pricing, but if you email Alex and Aki then they can answer that. Best, Molto E

Menon, Downtown area spots: Pizzeria Bianco Cibo Circa 1900 Coronado Cafe Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Matt's Big Breakfast If you need anymore assistance let me know. Molto E

Food Porn...believe it or not, is a popular term among the food obsessed. For the more sophisticate pallattes, and for purposes of this posting we’ll call it culinary erotica. I like my culinary erotica as much as the next guy...well, maybe more...ok, much!! When I first stumbled upon the blog of the husband and wife Chef team of Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot -"Ideas In Food", I was captivated by the stunning photography and the REVEALING commentary . Despite my renowned will power, I found myself consistently being drawn back to see what new and devilish creations they would feature on the blog each day, X-Rated. The effect it was having on me was undeniable...the dark side of my hungry curiosity was aroused . I apparently am not alone in my lust for Ideas In Food as I continue to receive e-mails inquiring if I had heard of this blog and who were these chefs? Everyone had the same QUESTION, although the presentation is clearly an aesthetic tease, how did these captivating creations really taste? That my friends is the question I became determined to resolve and the genesis of my journey to explore, understand, and of course, sample the work of Chefs Aki and Alex at Keyah Grande, a restaurant and lodge located in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I had visions of the trip to Keyah Grande being as treacherous as the road to El Bulli in Roses thru mountain passes and the like, but that could not have been farther from the truth. I took a flight into Durango; rented a car and Keyah Grande was an hour straight down highway 160. The only things that might make the journey somewhat perilous is a lack of cell phone coverage and a couple of ill-tempered, large deer that I passed on the highway. I made it to the big stone gates of Keyah Grande and my car was quickly buzzed in. I drove the little bumpy and tortuous road up to the top of the hill where the guest house sits. rolling hills in all directions Besides their duties in the kitchen, Chefs Alex and Aki also operate the lodge. I was met at my car by Alex and was shown around the lodge. Immediately, I felt the conviviality that defines this husband and wife team. The guest lodge was far more opulent than I ever expected. There are eight guest rooms that take the name and design of a particular country or region (e.g., England, Spain, China, South Pacific etc.). I ditched my stuff in my room and headed down to the kitchen to observe Ideas In Food Live. Aki in the kitchen The Line Thermal Circulating Bath opposite wall of the kitchen Aki in the spice drawer Magic Potions Hey Chef are you using any of that "experimental purposes" stuff for dinner? Texturas by Albert and Ferran Adria Various homemade vinegars Given the apparent proprietary nature of the creations emanating from the Keyah Grande kitchen, I knew that I would not have to sign a non-disclosure agreement before entering Alex and Aki’s nerve center. The kitchen is an open environment that encourages the exchange of ideas. Alex explained the philosophy behind "Ideas in Food"," There are no trade secrets, that is what "Ideas in Food" is all about. Ideas are free; we put our notebooks up on the website for people to download them. This is the constant evolution of what we do. Our ideas are culled from conversation, thought processes, exposure to stuff, so we put it up there. There should be a derivation of it and people that read it should be able to generate their own ideas and riffs and extrapolations and it should be a constant moving thing to generate ideas.” Aki adds,"Another reason why we are happy to share is that other people have been very generous with us. Chefs fall into two camps, those who share and those who don't. I'll never forget the day I asked a Chef I was working for how to make a dish that wasn't from my station only to be told "you don't need to know that". It was a startling moment. Why didn't I need to know that? Wasn't I there to learn? Didn't I have the right to know how to make things in this kitchen where I was working extremely long days for very little money?" Alex and Aki were prepping for the evening and he brought out a sheet of "cuttlefish". Those Colorado cuttlefish grow big The cuttlefish had been pureed with Activa so that Alex could cut sheets any size he desired. The sheet of cuttlefish was wrapped in saran wrap and put on a sheet tray and refrigerated so that the sheet could set up. portioning the sheets for service There is a perpetual exchange of ideas, concepts and flavors that goes back and forth between Alex and Aki. I would liken Alex to a "Willy Wonka"-like mentality. To say that he thinks "outside the box" is an understatement. Alex and the box are on different planets. The bulletin board in the kitchen has post-it notes all over it. This is how Alex and Aki record their ideas. Those notes are then transcribed onto the notebooks that are available for download on the website. Aki is Alex’s perfect foil as she will rein Alex in if he runs too far with an idea. Alex describes their creative fusion as, "Two individuals with two different sets of taste and when you bring it together and filter it you get one uniform taste that has gone thru two sets of editing. I can get out there and get too wacky, and Aki can go really simple and when you blend the two together you can get something really neat." They really stress the taste and flavor of a dish rather than the whimsy of a technique that makes the dish happen. They want the diner to have fun, and if the diner is not smiling and having fun while dining with them, then they have failed. They are proponents of sous-vide cooking and feel that it can be a better means in which to cook. With only the two of them doing all the cooking, sous-vide also is functional and frees them up to do other things. Poin loin in the bath for 2 hours salmon belly attached to the top loin with activa roulade of petrales sole put together with activa parsnip ribbons Steve's Blis smoked wild char roe Dinner was drawing near and Alex and Aki were both busy with their tasks as my hunger grew through my continued observation. Admittedly my hunger seems to come frequently, but the piece of brown butter blueberry cake that Aki gave me when I arrived was long forgotten. They like to mix familiar foods with the unfamiliar so the diner is more comfortable during the experience. With this night's 19 course menu, Aki was making biscuits as the bread offering and I was ready to start counting. Aki can you hook me up with one of those right out of the oven Alex cooking the foie gras "bacon" A myriad of people interact with Alex and Aki thru their blog and via e-mail. In fact, some of their frequent contributors include Chef Sean Brock, Chef Wylie Dufrense, Chef Shola Olunloyo, and eGullet member extraordinaire NathanM. Over the next few Sundays, the blog will feature a guest writer who will post his or her thoughts on a particular topic to elicit an interactive discussion. First Guest Blogger - Chef Shola Olunloyo. Chef Sean Brock turned Alex onto the Texturas line by Albert and Ferran Adria. Alex and Aki were toying with the idea of doing a foie gras riff on the El Bulli olive oil spiral. While making a foie gras caramel, they discovered while working with it, the texture was similar in feel to a coarse cotton candy. "With that spark, we ground the foie gras caramel, and put it thru a tamis then put it in a cotton candy maker. Voila, foie gras flavored cotton candy!! The base recipe can then be adapted to any flavored fat from brown butter to bacon to onion to pistachio and then next one in the works is roasted chicken." Alex with his stash of pistachio sugar that he spun into pistachio cotton candy The wait staff came in and Alex and Aki went over the menu with instructions on service ware for each course. Ok, the vinegar martini gets the spruce tips...coffee and biscotti bubble tea gets a straw (note the post-its on the board in the background) The Anti-Griddle was used to make the vinegar martini amuse. quick freeze on the anti-griddle before being placed on the spruce tips The dinner would be served at 7:00. The dining room at the lodge is small but luxurious with 4 tables. Three tables were occupied this evening, one by a gentleman with little knowledge, if any, of the skill of the kitchen (as he only requested a four course meal), two foodies that came to check out the cuisine, and myself. The Menu First Course - Amuse Vinegar Martini - spruce, black walnut, noble sour vinegar This was a great palette cleanser. I was instructed to grab the spruce tip and let the frozen disk fall in my mouth. The mixture really woke up and cleansed my taste buds. The idea for this dish evolved from a martini that they offered. The first incarnation of the martini was Bombay sapphire, spruce vinegar and walnut oil. Then they added black walnut liquor from Charbay. The amuse took shape by adding gelatin in an ISI canister and freezing it on a spruce tip with spruce infused gin. Second Course Grilled Potato Ice Cream - smoked wild char roe, golden pursalane, chives The grilled potato ice cream is a creation that I had read about on the blog. I wanted to taste the ice cream by itself and then with the other components. My first bite of ice cream had an intrinsic flavor of grilled potato. The smoky, salty roe exploding into the grilled potato ice cream was a hit. It is my humble opinion that to craft a dish using a savory ice cream that works is an impressive accomplishment. Grilled Potato Ice Cream Recipe Third Course Tuna - comte, red ribbon sorrel, onion syrup At first blush, the dish description, a combination of tuna and comte, may throw you off. Alex looks at cheese,"as another version of salt so the cheese and the tuna made sense to me". What I liked about this dish was that while eating the tuna, the attributes of the comte and the onion syrup were great both together and apart (depending on the bite). Fourth Course Madagascar Prawn - clear buttermilk, celery leaves, brittle-curried cashews (second photo- is the clear buttermilk being poured on the dish) This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The sweet crunch of the brittle with the buttermilk moistened prawn was magic, an unexpected symphony on the palate. I loved it!! I truly did not expect this dish to do so much for me. The prawn was cooked sous-vide at 48 C for 40 minutes then chilled and sliced. Curried Cashew Brittle Recipe Key West pink shrimp in clear buttermilk with warm peach, red mustard and crustacean oil Fifth Course Beer Battered Cuttlefish - thai basil, liquid chorizo, yuzu disk This was another of my favorite dishes of the night. The cuttlefish was beautifully battered and deftly fried. The cuttlefish rested on top of liquid chorizo, which is chorizo that is pureed with yogurt and cream cheese (a great filling for an omelete). Alex got his inspiration for this dish from fried calamari,"I love fried calamari...there is something comforting about ordering fried calamari and dipping it in a spicy mayo or marinara so we just tried to follow the idea of delicious and we made a beautiful sheet of cuttlefish, beer battered and fried it." Sixth Course Mozzarella Yuba - ginger scallion, passionfruit, ground olive gomasio The mozzarella sheets were one of the creations that intrigued me as depicted on the site. This dish in particular looked delicious:Warm tomatoes in mozzarella sheets with cherry wood aged balsamic vinegar, ground chorizo and salad burnet. They spun the use of the hot mozzarella sheets in a Mozzarella Yuba served ishiyaki style (seared on the hot rock). Yuba (tofu skin) is made by boiling soy milk and a film or skin forms on the surface of the liquid and that film is called Yuba. They tried to emulate yuba with the mozzarella sheets, and in fact the mozzarella sheet did taste like mozzarella. I sprinkled the ground olive gomasio on the sheet and plunked it in the sauce. I thought the dipping sauce slightly overwhelmed the dish so I was very easy with it. The mozzarella sheets came about through a back and forth with Chef Wylie Dufrense of WD-50 as he introduced Methocel to Alex and Aki. Alex said that they and their fellow contributors take the time and energy to make the mistakes necessary to get a process right. “We get e-mails and people ask how do you do it and what are the exact ratios...you want to share ideas, you really do but we go thru the trouble of making mistakes. There is a learning curve, but at the end of the day if there is a give and take of ideas then that is great." Hot Mozzarella Sheets Recipe Seventh Course Sunflower Seed Risotto - jumbo lump crabmeat, matsutake mushrooms, fiore sardo Alex said that the idea of this dish started with a conversation with Chef Wylie Dufrense. Wylie had just visited El Bulli and had got the idea of tenderizing nuts. Alex said,"Wylie was looking at nuts in another form and that sparked several of my thoughts. The first was to have tender almonds as an integral ingredient. We cooked the almonds and served them in a dish with turbot and clams. Again tasty, interesting and exciting but not exceptionally memorable. After having some success with cooking almonds I began to think of what other nuts could be cooked till tender. My mind immediately went to sunflower seeds because of their size and shape. I was looking to do a dish in the style of risotto without using the rice. Tenderized sunflower seeds would be the perfect stand in. So, I went about cooking the sunflower seeds until they were tender. I then folded in some butter, creme fraiche, minced artichokes and porcini mushrooms and some diced shrimp. The mixture was finished with chives, lemon juice and some young basil and Comte cheese. The tender nutty nature of the seeds in conjunction with the other ingredients creates a rich and decadent dish and ruse at the same time." This dish that I had combined crabmeat, matsutake mushrooms and fiore sardo, and was a total success. The seeds made a perfect mock risotto and with the other components of the dish adding the creamy nature of a risotto. Eighth Course Warmed King Salmon - pistachio cotton candy, watercress, jalapeno-apple dressing I loved this dish...the jalapeno-apple dressing was fantastic in combination with the PISTACHIO COTTON CANDY and perfectly tender salmon. Alex likes attaching the,"salmon belly to the top loin those textures together fatter then leaner and portion them together to get a square dish...also the nutty sweet, salty of the cotton candy." The salmon was cooked in a 180 F oven until just set and then seasoned with salt and olive oil. Foie Gras Cotton Candy Nineth Course Petrale Sole - foie gras bacon, woodear mushrooms, membrillo-tomolive The sole was glued together with Activa and sautéed in butter. The membillo tomolive is quince pureed with tomolive (pickled green tomato). The sole was spot on prepared but the star of the plate was the "foie bacon". The "foie bacon" was fantastic, truly tasted of bacon with the unctuous body of foie gras. The foie had been cured with salt and spices, smoked then brushed with maple syrup and coarse ground pepper. Then the lobe of foie was wrapped and pressed. Prior to service it was sliced, dusted with corn starch, deep fried, then finished in the oven. OUTSTANDING Tenth Course Turbot - tamarind cavatelli, olive leaf arugula, black radish The turbot was exquisitely cooked sous-vide at 52.5 C on the bone for 30 minutes, then taken off and served. This dish had a nice progression of flavors and textures; black radish with the maple vinegar (crunch, acidity, sweet), tamarid cavatelli (tang, chew-maybe a tad too much) This was the last fish dish and I must note the all fish was expertly prepared. Tamarind Cavatelli Eleventh Course Potato Gnocchi - foie gras consommé, red mustard, argan oil The potato gnocchi were so light and airy and unlike any gnocchi that I have eaten. They could have easily be named potato clouds. I would liken them to marshmallows that float on top of a hot chocolate. Alex described the process of making the gnocchi as, "methocel with mashed potato... how do you hold them together taste good and make them light... invariably you lose one in the process but in this case we have great potato puree with butter and cream in our gnocchi." The foie consommé was dead on and a delight. Yogurt Noodles...first step in the evolution of the gnocchi Prior to the serving of this course, I started to feel the effects of the 4 great-buttery outside crunch biscuits (not pictured as I cannot find that picture but I highly doubt anyone would question whether I actually ate 4 biscuits). that I decided I needed to consume with dinner. I glanced over to see how the other "foodie" table was doing. As it turned out, seated at the other table was Chuck and the lovely "svalewater" (did not catch her real name) from another food board. I really did not think that the young lady would be able to out eat me so I started watching her pass me out of the corner of my eye (the shame). Twelveth Course Slow Cooked Pork Tenderloin - butternut squash, marinated leeks, olive caramel The pork had been cooked for 2 hours at 57 C and was soft and tender. The butternut squash puree had some smoked maple syrup in it and was thickened with agar so they can manipulate the shape of the puree. Thirteenth Course Braised Lamb Neck - whipped baked potato, young marjoram, roasting jus I enjoyed the lamb. It was well braised and tender with a nice jus accompaniment. I thought the lamb neck was covered in potato foam, but to my surprise it was whipped baked potato consommé. The process to make the consommé into the whipped version is by adding Versa-Whip 600 and xanthan gum to the consommé and then whipping it with a whisk attachment to a hand mixer. The use of the consommé instead of a mashed potato is an effort to lighten the dish. Alex says they are always tinkering with,"How light can you make it, how ethereal can you make it, but keep that flavor? We are constantly thinking of ways to keep the flavor but lighten the food." The cooking process of this dish is: brine the lamb necks; debone them; glue them back together with Activa; cook them; sear them; glaze in chicken fond; and cover with the whipped baked potato consommé. Lamb Neck Fourteenth Course Hangar Steak of Grass Fed Beef - hollandaise sheet, preserved perigord truffles, broccoli florets I had seen the hollandaise sheet in preparations like the raw cooked purple asparagus with a hollandaise sheet and juniper aged balsamic vinegar. Did this sheet really taste like hollandaise?? My first bite was of the sheet and indeed, it did taste like hollandaise. The hangar had been attached with Activa to form a roulade and was braised in truffle butter at 52.5 C for 3 hours. This was a great dish!! Does the hollandaise sheet offer the same satisfaction of the traditional smooth, creamy and thick sauce...no, but it is a new riff on an old sauce. The sheet does offer novel plating options that the sauce can not. Fifteenth Course Fourme d' Ambert - smoked dr pepper, chorizo poached pear, epazote Putting this dish together: Then into the refrigerator to set up This was a great cheese course with a novel use of cheese and fruit together. The pear had been poached in chorizo water rather than calvados or any other standard poaching liquid. This gave the pear a chorizo nuance and did not over power the fruit at all. For my taste, the dots of smoked dr pepper were too smokey. Sixteenth Course Hot Cheesecake Ice Cream - port melon condiment, grains of paradise This version of hot ice cream was far superior to a version I had sampled at a "molecular" hot spot a couple of years ago. I thought the texture was smooth and creamy and I enjoyed the port melon that it was resting on. This dish is for "s---- and giggles" and is not meant to replace the cold and creamy ice cream that we all love. Hot Ice Cream Recipe Seventeenth Course Artichoke Cake - blis elixir, rose water panna cotta I loved the rose water panna cotta with the blis elixir --- so light and tasty. The blis elixir is sherry vinegar that is made in 18 yr old whiskey barrels that have had maple syrup in them so the barrels have that whiskey maple flavor to add to the vinegar. The artichoke cake was a tasty brown butter cake with artichoke. Eighteenth Course Vahlrona Chocolate Brownie - parsnip ribbon and ice cream, tart cherry-kola nut Dense chocolate brownie beneath a creamy ice cream that is better than good. The ribbons are dehydrated parsnips that are made into ribbons. Parsnip Ice Cream Recipe Nineteenth Course Coffee and Biscotti as bubble tea Just a spin to end the meal On my pillow, when I got to my room were a couple of chocolate chip cookies and somehow they did not make it until the morning. In the morning, after awaking from a substantial food coma, somehow I made it downstairs a little before breakfast was to be served right as some chocolate chip, banana walnut scones were coming out of the oven. Solely for the purpose of confirming quality controls I snagged one, it was great. The melting chocolate and hot banana with the crunch of the walnut awakened my hunger. The morning service staff had a separate dining room adjacent to the main dining room set up for breakfast. What do you serve for breakfast after a dinner like that??? melon chocolate chip Banana Walnut scone House Specialty "Eggs Alex" - griddled english muffins, bacon, guacamole, american cheese, poached eggs Alex commented that," People see that we have odd combinations or it does not read well to them on paper but when you taste it, there is a balance and there is a balance between Aki and myself. There is a balance on the plate that is what is really key to what we produce." Their culinary style was born out of the kitchens of a couple of dynamic chefs. Early in his career Alex worked for Chef David Burke at the Park Avenue Cafe. He felt that experience "began opening doors" for him by brainstorming with the other "young cooks". He thought Chef Burke was "an absolute genius, even his flops, you can just learn a ton from them." Alex then moved to Boston and got a job at Chef Ken Oringer's Clio Restaurant. This is where he met Aki after she had attended the New England Culinary Institute. Alex felt that,” Clio was the spark... how much can you learn and how exacting can you be." Alex was promoted to Sous-Chef at Clio. Shortly thereafter, they left Boston and moved to New York and opened their own catering company. During this time they were, “still learning, still rehearsing, still practicing, integrating flavors and ideas... it’s a constant evolution... always a rehearsal." During the summer, they worked for Marco Canora and his mother at their restaurant in Martha's Vineyard, La Cucina. Marco had been the chef at La Cucina and was scheduled to open Craft. Alex was hired as the chef and Aki as the pastry chef. Craft ended up opening later than expected so the first summer they worked with Marco at La Cucina. The Following summer, they worked at La Cucina while Marco was working at Craft. Alex then helped open Olives NY with Executive Chef Victor La Palaca and Aki worked at the Sherry-Lehmann wine store in Manhattan. Late that winter they were hired to run the restaurant at the Bradley Inn in New Harbor, Maine. While working there, the opportunity to come to Keyah Grande presented itself and they took the job sight unseen. The time they have spent in the wilderness of Colorado has let them define and refine their style. They feel that, “We are free from the "noise", extraneous noise from doing what everyone else is doing...to look at food as food and taste as taste." They feel their style is, “based on tradition while evolutionary, and most importantly based on taste." Alex and Aki's cuisine features great ingredients whether it is fish, vegetables or vinegar and using those ingredients to the best of their abilities. They tailor the food at Keyah Grande to the “likes and dislikes of the guests depending on how far they are willing to take things." This is a totally different proposition than running a restaurant where you serve only what you want to serve. Alex and Aki plan to spend another year at Keyah Grande and then desire to head to either coast to open, “a restaurant with an inn …rooms should be an amenity to the dining experience…there is something great about a house on the hill that gets you away from the hustle and bustle of life traditional." Keyah Grande closes for the winter starting in January and reopens in May. They say if you are planning to head out to Keyah Grande, “email ahead and let us know so we can pull out the stops and make a special dinner happen." Alex and Aki are extremely talented and the meal was one of the most exceptional experiences I have had this year.

JCish, Make sure to speak with General Manager Todd DeSilva so he knows that your group is celebrating a birthday. He just took care of a eGulleteer who had a birthday group of ten with a special tasting menu. Best, Molto E

Doc, Do you know when he invented this dish? I perfected a dish similar to this in day camp 1976 or so. No centrifuge needed...wooden stick, camp fire, marshmallow, hershey's chocolate bar, 2 graham crackers...toast marshmallow until caramelized...place it on graham cracker with chocolate bar and cover with other graham cracker to form sandwich...squeeze-marshmallow flies out hits dirt...scoop up and place back on graham cracker...Voilla, Molto E's Smore with dirt essence-delicious . On a serious note, do not miss Chef Christian Eckmann of Ambria in Chicago serving cod cheeks. I had dinner there and he mentioned that they were serving those at the conference. He spent a year at Arzak and is turning out some GREAT stuff at Ambria. Molto E

November 4, 2006 Carey Sweet's Dining Article...Carey has been seduced by the Indian aromas at Bollywood Brasserie. Spotted Donkey Cantina, The Bad Donkey ...Carey updates us on the plans of Sante Fe restauranteurs Cliff Skoglund and Robert Hall and following in the Donkey theme, the Bad Donkey in Carefree. Howard Seftel's Dining News...Howard gives us the details on: the new Wildflower Bread Co., Kai, Churchill's Pub and Grill, Kabuki Sushi and Grill and Spotted Donkey Cantina. From the Phoenix New Times: Best Bagels in the Valley...Food Critic Michele Laudig searches for New York Bagels and finds these Valley choices hit the spot: Chompies, New York Bagels N' Bialys, Karsh's Bakery, DJ's Bagel Cafe, and Back East Bagels. Entrees Made Easy...Michele goes where no food critic has gone before (I think) and tries out the "take home meals" at Entrees Made Easy. From the Tucson Citizen: Shish Kebab House of Tucson ...Food Critic C.J. Karamargin sums up the Shish Kebab House of Tucson in one word...Yum! RESTAURANT NOTEBOOK...This installment of the "Restaurant Notebook" details; the opening of Di Luca Fine Italian Foods, some Phoenix news and the "sexiest bartender of 2006" by Playboy.com. Good Eating, Molto E

Chef Liebrandt, how do you feel that the food at Gilt was portrayed so that the guest had a misconception of your cuisine? During meetings with the PR people that the hotel used did you tell them that you did not feel they were portraying the cuisine at Gilt accurately?

Doc, You touched on the role of the sense of hearing and eating. This is an article on the relationship between sound and eating by Heston Blumenthal: The appliance of science - The crunch factor Molto E

Ronnie S., Just tell me when to make the "reso"s!! Doc, Phoenix has some Chefs that definitely perform at a high level and hopefully we will have some more on their way out here soon . Molto E

The Vu Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA 85258 Tel: 480 444 1234 When Vu made the list for "Best New Restaurant" 2005 by Esquire magazine, the restaurant was thrown into the national spotlight. With the arrival of new Chef Brian Lewis, Vu's place among the finest restaurants in town is without question. The Phoenix fine dining scene shines brighter with this new star practicing the "craft" in town. Chef Lewis characterizes his culinary style as “rooted in tradition, but motivated by innovation". He features some of the finest boutique purveyors in the country; Summerfield Farms for veal, Jameson Farms for lamb, Painted Hills Farms for beef, and Niman Ranch. All the fish served at Vu is wild, line caught and hand harvested. The best way to sample the cuisine of Chef Lewis is by ordering one of the two six course tasting menus; the Daily Chef's Vu or the Garden Vu, based on heirloom and / or organic vegetables from small farms across the country, each priced at $80 and with wine pairings for $120. Chef Lewis had his first taste of the restaurant business at the age of 14. While looking for an odd job and he stumbled upon a Northern Italian trattoria that was owned by a family from Bologna. The restaurant had garnered 3 stars from the New York Times and was located in his hometown of North Westchester, New York. When he peered in thru the kitchen door," I looked in, saw kind of a macabre dance going on... everyone was quiet. swinging pans around...knives... with the aromas of parmesan and olive oil wafting thru the air... I knew that I wanted to be in there." Hooked by that one moment, Brian worked in the trattoria for the seven year period from high school thru his attendance at the Culinary Institute of America. After completing his studies at C.I.A, Brian embarked on a culinary journey that would not only expose him to a cornucopia of fine dining expertise but crystallize his desire to fulfill his dream to control his own kitchen. The first stop on his journey was in the kitchen of the immortal Chef John-Louis Palladin in Washington, D.C, where he spent almost a year learning at the feet of one of the greats. “I found my way as a cook in the kitchen of Palladin...those four walls were France, make no mistake about it … without even trying he was a pioneer for French and American chefs alike. He brought cooking organically to America. Cooking organically was not a chic thing back then...it was just the way you do it . You were not doing it because you had to...you were doing it because it is just what you knew. I do not think it was called organic as much then, seeking out small farms. It left an indelible impression on me." After his time at Palladin, he headed out West to work as Sous-Chef at the Ritz Carlton at Laguna Nigel. "My time there broadened my horizons as far as how simple and clean food could be...food did not need to be cooked so much, things could just be lighter. You do not realize that you are becoming a young chef at that point. You are just working and cooking and everything in your life is about cooking and then surfing." After three years in California, he decided that he was ready for the next step in his journey the bright lights of NYC. He spent four years in NYC as the Sous-Chef at the Sign of the Dove and then as Sous-Chef at Lutece. After gaining invaluable experience on both American coasts, Brian decided to cross the Pond, to do a period of comprehensive stagenaire training in London. While in London, he primarily worked for the infamous Marco Pierre White. Brian loved the dining scene in London. He felt it was "sophisticated and unique unto it's own." After London, he traveled to Lyon, Nice and Monaco amongst other places to further broaden his experience and hone his craft. After spending 8 months abroad, he returned to America accepting his first Executive Chef Job at Bix in San Francisco." I was throughly influenced by my travels in Europe. It allowed me to really begin to shape my cuisine. I was most influenced by Marco Pierre White's Style." Marco's style was characterized as," very sophisticated and elegant, modern French cooking but really grounded in tradition." While at Bix, Brian had a cook right out of high school working for him as a "stage" for 6 months and whom you can now find him on the October cover of Gourmet Magazine- Chef Homaro Cantu of Moto. After Bix, he worked at Chef Mark Sullivan's (Food and Wine Magazine "Best New Chef" 2002) much acclaimed Village Pub as Chef de Cuisine. Brian then headed back to New York and worked as Chef de Cuisine at the renowned Oceana with Executive Chef Cornelius Gallagher (Food and Wine Magazine "Best New Chef" 2003). While looking for an opportunity to open his own restaurant, Brian accepted an offer to become Executive Chef of the Greene House in Scottsdale. The Greene House found immediate success and landed on the "Best New Restaurant" list of Phoenix Magazine. At this point, opportunity came knocking, or more specifically the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, and Brian accepted the Executive Chef position at Vu. Chef Lewis has just recently debuted his first menu and if this is a glimpse of what is to come then watch out Phoenix! In the coming weeks, Brian will be incorporating local ingredients from some of the top purveyors in the state; Crooked Sky Farms, Duncan Farms and McClendon Farms. According to Chef Lewis," The local ingredients place on the menu is seasonally influenced by the growing cycle here because of the heat that they have to deal with. Those relationships and the products that I will be drawing from these local farms will become central to the style of my cooking here and paramount to it. The cuisine is driven by the product ... We are really going to drive that and support these folks and the management team at the Hyatt is very much behind me on this. I think it is great for our diners and it is great that our young chefs will be able to work like that and have an awareness of the product... local products brilliantly fresh coming in with the roots still on it, now that is cooking!" Chef Lewis will vary the menus according to what is in season. There will be weekly tweaks but not wholesale changes."I have spent the better part of my life cooking and the ongoing thrill and excitement of not being able to sleep at night because you are thinking so much about a dish is something that I never want to lose." The Vu is the perfect venue for Chef Lewis to express his passion. This may be the best time of year to dine at the Vu with its retractable floor to ceiling glass windows that makes dining al freco a joy. There is seating available outside on the patio as well as within a gazebo nestled in a fountained lagoon. The view from the entrance of the upper tier of the dining room The lower tier of the dining room Outdoor patio and gazebo dining Over Brian's career, his perspective on whether to add something to his repetoire has been,"…like singing a new note...be objective, appreciate it for what it is...sit back...if you are intimidated by it, don't be...if you are confused by it, figure it out...be confident of your own style and be influenced by what compliments your style" The Menu at Vu: The following pictures were taken from 3 meals at Vu. I tried as many things as I possible to sample the offerings of Chef Lewis. Amuses: Seasonal Shot- Green Apple Juice with Ginger and Cardamom Oil with smoked sea salt and grated citrus Refreshing Palatte cleanser...seasonal taste that will change as the season dictates Organic Carrot Panna Cotta with Cinnamon Salt with Micro Carrot Tops and Chive Paste This was a creamy, not too sweet version of a panna cotta. The cinnamon salt added a depth to make this a very neat amuse. Heirloom Carrot Terrine with cured foie gras red swiss chard vanilla salt An interesting combination with shaved foie and vanilla salt adding their own nuances to the heirloom carrot terrine. Butternut Squash Soup- butternut squash and apple juices with shallot cooked with a star anise cream and chives Out of this world...remarkable combination creating a soup that made you go ummmmm. Let the courses begin... Chiogga Beets- salt roasted with Mandarin Yogurt, Beet Glaze, Toasted Orange Powder, Sorrel Leaf with Osetra Caviar encased in Brioche While the beets were perfectly complemented by the mandarin yogurt, there is no getting past the best single bite in the state of Arizona-the caviar brioche. The question is whether to eat the brioche in one bite and absorb the "umami" like explosion of the caviar or cut it in half and eat it in two bites. Whoas me...No matter how I endavor describe the warm buttery brioche that houses a shot of pure ecstasy, I would not do it justice. warm La ratte Potato Cannelloni, Toasted Almonds, Chlorophyll and Mache with Osetra Caviar encased in Brioche This is a dish that tugs at the strings of my heart...Chef Lewis has a way with potato foam. Again served with that brioche that I could eat til I pop (and that may be sooner than I think ). Heirloom Tomatoes- complementary flavors balsamic gelee, micro assorted basil, confit of fennel, extra virgin olive oil sorbet over a Parmigiano Reggiano shortbread (plate to the right- from front to back) zucchini blossum, campari tomato, sage tapenade sandwich with fennel pollen and basil and tomato paint The dressing was partly composed from the seeds of a yellow tomato. Chef Lewis feels that the yellow tomato is the sweetest so that is why he uses the seeds. This was a creative spin on the heirloom salad with unique accouterments. The olive oil sorbet was great, with a perfect texture and clean taste. tomato with fennel confit tomato with balsamic gelee tomato with assorted micro basil (plate to the right- from front to back) zucchini blossom, campari tomato, sage tapenade sandwich Sweet Corn Vichyssoise- summer truffle, shaved potato, hazelnut Nice, clean, tasty soup Chef Lewis Plating the Yellowfin Tuna yellowfin tuna flashed in beurre noisette , soy caramel, cilantro paint and candied cilantro , avocado puree, pickled daikon root surrounding tuna tartar and hearts of palm Enjoyed this dish...love the soy caramel with the tuna. Chef Brian Lewis plating the Honey Glazed Turnips... Turnips Glazed in Orange Blossom Honey with Caramelized Walnuts, Endive and Walnut oil and Blood Orange The honey glazed turnips were cooked perfectly, walnuts and blood orange made a perfect marriage of flavors. FOCUS Maitaki Mushroom Risotto with Pea Shoots and a Truffle Celery Foam with Smoked Gouda Cheese Risotto was well prepared and the smoked gouda was a nice touch to the dish. Heirloom Carrots- pickled carrot terrine with salsify and red swiss chard... panna cotta of carrots with cinnamon salt, micro carrot tops...spiced carrot soup with beluga lentils with carrot paint on the plate Chef Lewis had recently received a shipment of heirloom carrots. The flavor profile of the dish is various forms of cinnamon vanilla and ginger. I had the terrine and panna cotta as amuses and then he paired them with the soup to make his homage to heirloom carrots. La Ratte potato foam, chanterelles, black trumpets, red wine gelee, black trumpet mushroom powder, shallot crackling, jus de poulet This is a sumptuous dish that exemplifies Chef Lewis's touch layering flavors within a dish. From the bottom up; a cold disc of red wine gelee, the wild mushrooms, luxurious potato foam, black trumpet mushroom powder, shallot crackling and jus de poulet: the hot potato foam melts the red wine gelee so a little sweetness creeps into the dish. The mouth feel runs the spectrum from sweet to earthy to crunchy to luxurious and best of all delicious. Sea of Japan- Red King Crab over Cured Lemon Tapioca with purple shiso, Hawaiian Pink Snapper with Seaweed based foam, Crisp Uni Tempura with plum This dish is meant to be eaten in this order Red King Crab I liked the combination of the delicately cooked crab with the lemon tapioca. Hawaiian Pink Snapper-crusted with toasted sesame seeds and dried seaweed(dulse) The fish was nicely prepared and the sesame seed / seaweed combo worked well. Crisp Uni Tempura Crisp on the outside with buttery molten uni on the inside Kurobuta Pork Belly glazed in Agave Nectar with Spiced Quince Puree, Pickled Chanterelles, Vanilla Tamarind Glaze I am a sucker for pork belly so I particularly liked the agave glaze with with the quince puree. Diver Scallops- foie gras ravioli -cinnamon salt, carrot tops, spiced carrot, beluga lentils, port and red wine When the foie gras ravioli was pierced and its flavor intermingled with the rest of the dish, the dish was brought to a whole other level. Lobe of Foie Gras presented at the Table Foie a la Christian Delouvier-salt roasted peaches and a tokai based sauce Madiera Glazed Black Cod - porcini confit, five spiced celery, oak aged soy This is what I would call Chef Lewis's "money dish". There are many renditions of black cod but this is the first that I have seen glazed with Madeira. The cod was soft and buttery with the sweetness of the soy and the earthy component from the porcinis make this a BIG WINNER. Mediterranean Bass- chorizo crusted caramelized egg, marcona almonds, polenta, smoked paprika oil Otherwise known as Loup de Mer, this is one of my favorite dishes on the menu. The chorizo adds not takes away from this Spanish inspired flavor set. John Dory poached in garlic butter, crisp chicken skin, shelling beans, espuma de baccala and jus de poulet This dish spins on the brandade and that nicely accents the John Dory. The last three fish dishes were superb and it would be hard to pick a favorite between them. plating perfection Painted Hills Beef Tenderloin - caramelized fig, cured foie, tamarind Butter poached filet of the highest quality lifts up this tenderloin dish, but having a torchon of foie gras shaved on it definitely does not hurt. Niman Ranch Beef Short Rib - shorpshire cheese, walnut and coffee crust, black cherry confiture The walnut and coffee crust on the shortrib starts an interesting combination of flavor waves. When the shortrib is eaten with a swoosh thru the sauces the entire picture comes into focus. Tribute to Bearnaise - Summerfield Field Veal prepared three ways crisp organic egg yolk raviolo lemon dressing glazed asparagus crisp serrano ham micro basil Chef Lewis plays with the sauce Béarnaise by giving the sweetbread black pepper syrup, veal cheek gets preserved lemon and the tenderloin receiving the shallot marmalade. Jameson Farms Lamb - aromatic peppers, merguez, apricot, white beans Jameson Farms lamb is the favorite of many of the top restaurants in this country and one bite confirms why. Housemade merguez sausage adds spice to the sweet apricots and the velvety white bean puree. Intermezzo Pineapple confiture with Tahitian Vanilla and Chardonnay sorbet and pinenut marjolaine Cheese and accompaniments????? Scharffen Berger Chocolate Two Ways- bittersweet chocolate gelato with a warm peanut butter froth and caramelized peanuts over the top / milk chocolate ganache with curry sugar coated chocolate doughnuts with curry custard and kaffir lime on the plate Frog Hollow Peach cooked in tahitian vanilla syrup with basil and candied ginger with a little raspberry Peach melba like dessert, simple but so good. Eucalyptus Honey creme brulee, tawny port sorbet and blackberry syrup, grated smoked gouda When this dish is served, the chef suggests enjoying all the flavors in one bite. I do not think that you can appreciate the complex craving that you experience when eating this dessert. I became fixated with the the smoked gouda inconjunction with the creme brulee. I can not explain it but I just needed another bite. The wine list holds some interesting treasures and the following was a reasonably priced bottle that I happened on: Orin Swift Cellars "The Prisoner" Napa Red Wine A blend of 53% Zinfandel, 15% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Charbono and 7% Petite Sirah, the Prisoner is loaded with dark black fruits, spice and hints of sweet oak. The Prisoner is named for a Goya painting that inspired Owner and Winemaker Dave Phinney. Vineyard sources include the best of the best of Napa Valley: Tofanelli, Morisoli, Page Nord, Marston. Dave is married to the daughter of Whitehall Lane owner, Tom Leonardini, and is also the current winemaker for Bennett Lane. The Hyatt has a strong candidate for best restaurant in the valley with the Vu. General Manager Todd DeSilva runs the front of the house in a professional yet approachable style that will appeal to the Scottsdale crowd. I have eaten dinner at the Vu three times while Chef Lewis has been the top toque and all the meals have been great. Chef Lewis says there is much more to come as he leads his crew along with the changing of the seasons. He adds that," November is my favorite month to cook in, with the coming of chestnuts, truffles and Nantucket" Hold on did someone say truffles-see you there! Phoenix Best Bets: Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Sea Saw Binkley's Restaurant Zinc Bistro Cyclo Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Kohnies-Coffee, Breakfast and Best Scones Pizzeria Bianco Pane Bianco Arlecchino Gelateria The Pork Shop Grazie Pizzeria Good Eating, Molto E

October 19, 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey gives us the lowdown on; Pumpkin-palooza at Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar, and the Slow Food dinner that was held on October 15. Renovated Wright's at Arizona Biltmore brings 'American Lodge cuisine' to Valley ...Carey runs down the offerings at the revamped Wrights at the Arizona Biltmore. Beau-Bay...Food Critic Howard Seftel reviews the Caribbean restaurant Beau-Bay and loves the food, but is mystified by the price. Anticipated Skye, Olive & Ivy set to go ...In this installment of 'Dining News'; Olive & Ivy has opened at the Scottsdale Waterfront and Skye sets to open on the westside. Pacific Bay Co....Howard says the Mesa fish house Pacific Bay has some "small, irritating flaws that short-circuit the dining experience, keeping it from reach- ing its potential." From the Phoenix New Times: Gomo's Korean Restaurant...Food Critic Michele Laudig wants to go more to Gomo's Korean Restaurant. (could not help it) Orange Table...Michele likes what she finds for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Orange Table. ( I ate there for lunch once and enjoyed the sandwich. Difficult to find though...a few doors south of AZ88 in the same plaza.) From the Tucson Citizen: Fuego...Food Critic C. J. Karamargin says the Tanque Verde restaurant row staple Fuego is still performing at a top level. Restaurant Notebook...This chapter of the "Notebook" has news on Bowz, Luxor, restaurant closings, downtown progressive dinners and "Top Chef". Meet The Chef: Justin Morrow...C.J. Karamargin performs a Q&A with Chef Justin Morrow of Canyon Ranch. Good Eating, Molto E

Senor Suburban, That squash flatbread as well as the salad looked amazing. Does Prarie Grass offer these kinds of interactive dinners regularly?? Molto E

Thank you for your reply! What position did you hold at El Bulli and for how long? When you say that MINIBAR is that restaurant in America, I take it you mean in style. Do you currently have a "formal relationship" with the "El Bulli" team? Thank You, Eliot

Josh, Great to hear...how busy was the restaurant and at what time did you dine? Molto E

Los Sombreros is also closed on Mondays...People love Richardson's that is not close to the Phoenician. There is Los Olivos in Old Scottsdale (Mexican, will not wow you), Frank and Lupe's (Bobby Flay did a show there if that does anything for you New Mexican style), Cowboy Ciao ( I am not a fan, but I am in the minority). Windows at the Phoenician- I have not eaten there under this Chef so if you go let us know. Molto E

Chef Andres, Can you discuss the history of your background with Chef Ferran Adria and his team? Some of the cuisine at Minibar has nuances of the cuisine of "El Bulli". I think that I read that Chef Adria had wanted you to open the first El Bulli in the United States... is that true? Thank You, Eliot Wexler

Were you allowed to sniff it ... deeply? How many servings of risotto would that white truffle cover, molto e? I had the pleasure, for the first time, of having a golf ball-sized white truffle shaved over a bowl of risotto at Providence two nights ago. The flavor is subtle. And the smell ... straight from the earth ... ← I think that one was 12 ounces so that covers a bunch of arborio....

What does Chef Brad Thompson of Mary Elaines have that I don't? Food and Wine Magazine "Best New Chef" award...well, yeah but what else? James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef" Southwest award...not talking about that... The biggest one of the season :angry: Hey Chef...DON'T SHAVE IT ALL IN ONE PLACE

My post will be up in a couple days

October 10., 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Trader Vic's...Food Critic Howard Seftel did not like the Trader Vic's of old but likes the new version at the Hotel Valley Ho. Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey gives us the head's up on some new happenings at Sol y Sombre and breaks down the offerings at The City. From the Phoenix New Times: Star Spangled Tavern...Food Critic Michele Laudig gives an up and down review of the new DC Ranch Marketplace, Star Spangled Tavern. From the Tucson Citizen: Al Fresco Dining...C.J. Karamargin lists some spots to enjoy dining outdoors. Restaurant Notebook...This edition of the "Notebook" details; BBQ joint-Touch Of Class, Froth Coffee Bar, Starbucks, Mario's Pizza, Cafe Bama Pizzaria and the Melting Pot. Meet The Chef: Odell Baskerville of Arizona Inn...C.J. Karamargin performs a Q&A with Chef Odell Baskervill of the Arizona Inn Good Eating, Molto E

This answer comes from a friend that I asked about the best Korean in the area: the best korean food in town is at Cho Dang, on arizona avenue in chandler. I have been to hodori, it is ok. takamatsu in phoenix is supposed to be quite good, but i can't speak personally. Hope that helps, Molto E

Question about Ideas In Food Ideas In Food Thanks, Molto E

I just heard the same thing about this book

Doc, The thing I find interesting about their cooking at Keyah Grande is that they customize the menu according to the guests wishes. They have an affinity for the avant-garde style but as they blogged last week sometimes the guests want burgers while watching football or roast chicken brined in soy and maple syrup. Molto E