[CHI] Alinea – Grant Achatz – Reviews & Discussion (Part 2)

[yellow truffle]

Sorry to get off the NYE discussion, but I was curious about the plate/bowl used for the hot potato.

I think I read somewhere that the bowl is made out of wax and is remoldable?

I'm just wondering if there is a reason for this as opposed to having a hard plastic bowl?

Mindbender is correct; the bowl is made from food grade paraffin wax. This is another Crucial Detail design. Martin designed a four part molding system that we use to cast the bowls daily. As part of one of the chef’s mise en place he is required to make 90 wax bowls each day.

The use of wax was chosen for a couple key reasons. It allows us to pierce the bowl with the stainless pin used to keep the hot potato separate from the cold potato. The soft feel of the wax itself is very nice in the hand and on the mouth, and the translucent qualities of the thin wax are aesthetically appealing on the dark table.

[ulterior epicure]

gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous... i just might have to pony up for your camera!!

u.e.

[docsconz]

The dish is gorgeous too. That was one of the more outstanding ones I had anywhere in 2005.

[martin_kastner]

Sorry to get off the NYE discussion, but I was curious about the plate/bowl used for the hot potato.

I think I read somewhere that the bowl is made out of wax and is remoldable?

I'm just wondering if there is a reason for this as opposed to having a hard plastic bowl?

The primary reasons to use paraffin are its translucency, tactile quality and mouth-feel, the way it interacts with the tabletop. The idea was to introduce a material which would offer a different tactile experience compared to porcelain, metal or glass.

Plastics suitable for this purpose, offering similar visual and tactile qualities would have to be molded using industrial methods while paraffin bowls can be produced in small quantities as needed at the restaurant, using silicone molds.

[ulterior epicure]

how long does it take to craft one/ninety bowls for a day's service?

[chefg]

how long does it take to craft one/ninety bowls for a day's service?

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Martin made us 15 molds that cast 3 bowls per mold. So the chef de partie casts a set before he leaves at night....and than another first thing when he walks in the door each day...

It is time consuming...taking probably at least 45 mintues to hour of that persons day to cast, clean, unmold and re-cast the wax.

As a staff we talked about this right before the winter break....it seems strange to have items on the prep list like "make wax bowls" or "seal and cut 100 mace pillows" but we find ourselves going in this direction as the serviceware and the actual food become more specific to eachother.

Edited January 12, 2006 by chefg (log)

[snekse]

Martin made us 15 molds that cast 3 bowls per mold. So the chef de partie casts a set before he leaves at night....and than another first thing when he walks in the door each day...As a staff we talked about this right before the winter break....it seems strange to have items on the prep list like "make wax bowls" or "seal and cut 100 mace pillows" but we find ourselves going in this direction as the serviceware and the actual food become more specific to eachother.

Why only 90 bowls, but 100 pillows?

[chefg]

Martin made us 15 molds that cast 3 bowls per mold. So the chef de partie casts a set before he leaves at night....and than another first thing when he walks in the door each day...As a staff we talked about this right before the winter break....it seems strange to have items on the prep list like "make wax bowls" or "seal and cut 100 mace pillows" but we find ourselves going in this direction as the serviceware and the actual food become more specific to eachother.

Why only 90 bowls, but 100 pillows?

←

If we send food to the dining room and a guest is not seated the food comes back and is thrown out...that means if the pillows have been punctured they are not re-usable, obviously they deflate...but if a "Hot Potato-Cold Potato" goes out and comes back untouched we can re-use that wax bowl...but the food is lost.

Edited January 13, 2006 by chefg (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Hi Folks,

Chef Achatz has graciously agreed to block out some of his time and answer a bunch of our questions. This is going to happen fairly quickly (through late night on 1/13) so, if you're interested in participating, please visit this thread:

Q&A Impromptu with Alinea chef/owner Grant Achatz

Thanks,

=R=

[Simon_S]

I hope nobody minds if I revive this thread, especially since this is my first post to the eGullet forums, but I feel that here is the most fitting place to make my debut.

I will be in Chicago visiting friends for a few days in mid-March (coming over from Ireland for Paddy's Day) and was considering trying to find a top-notch restaurant for my girlfriend and I for one of the nights. This thread, and the others on eGullet, have ensured that the choice was a no brainer, so yesterday I called and made a booking for Alinea. Suffice to say, we are both incredibly excited. The person I spoke to while making the booking was extremely friendly, and I got a table at exactly the date and time I was looking for. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread, and to Chef Grant, for providing the wealth of information, pictures and descriptions. It's really made me realise what a fabulous resource this is. I have been lurking here for quite a while, although mainly on the European forums, and the information and knowledge I have gained has been invaluable.

My girlfriend (Hazel) and I are in the middle of an excellent period of foodiness. We made the pilgrimage to Paul Bocuse in Lyon a couple of weeks ago (it was extremely disappointing) along with Nicolas le Bec and Leon de Lyon while we were there, we will be eating at El Bulli at the end of April, and are intending to travel to Monaco in June/July where we may dine at Alain Ducasse. However, I am as excited about the trip to Alinea as any of those other restaurants. We will, of course, be taking the Tour with the wine pairings -- I just hope we're up to the challenge. In any case, I'll report my experience when I get back.

Once again, hello to all, thanks to all, and hopefully you'll be hearing more from me soon. To all those at Alinea: I can't wait to get there!

Si

[ronnie_suburban]

Welcome, Simon, to the eGS!

I hope you have a great time at Alinea and please, come back here and let us know how it went.

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

welcome simon!

wow - sounds like you'll have your hands bellies full for quite some time!! i'll be at alinea just before you, so i'll be curious to hear how your experience compares!

cheers! happy eating and travelling.

u.e.

[babern38]

I don't suppose any one has been holding out on giving us updates about new menu items and other changes to Alinea?

[BryanZ]

I was going to ask the same thing, but it doesn't seem like the menu has changed yet. I'm very curious to see what will bring us from late winter into spring.

[molto e]

I was going to ask the same thing, but it doesn't seem like the menu has changed yet.  I'm very curious to see what will bring us from late winter into spring.

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A certain truffle that is always in season told me that around 20 percent of the dishes changed including some new serviceware. He can expand on that on that further.

[ulterior epicure]

I was going to ask the same thing, but it doesn't seem like the menu has changed yet.  I'm very curious to see what will bring us from late winter into spring.

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A certain truffle that is always in season told me that around 20 percent of the dishes changed including some new serviceware. He can expand on that on that further.

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mr. truffle, please speak up, as i'm planning a visit very soon... and if the menu hasn't changed significantly, then i shall abide a little longer...

u.e.

Edited February 17, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[little ms foodie]

soupsister and I will be dining here in March, very much looking forward to it!!

[ulterior epicure]

chef achatz explained it once when i was there for dinner, and i thought i wrote it down after my first visit - but can anyone please crack the menu's "bubble code" for me? i remember that the placement of the each course listing (left/right) as well as the accompanying "bubble" size has some special flavor/size meaning.

thanks.

u.e.

[ronnie_suburban]

chef achatz explained it once when i was there for dinner, and i thought i wrote it down after my first visit - but can anyone please crack the menu's "bubble code" for me?  i remember that the placement of the each course listing (left/right) as well as the accompanying "bubble" size has some special flavor/size meaning.

thanks.

u.e.

←

Click here to read Martin Kastner's comments about the bubbles.

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

chef achatz explained it once when i was there for dinner, and i thought i wrote it down after my first visit - but can anyone please crack the menu's "bubble code" for me?  i remember that the placement of the each course listing (left/right) as well as the accompanying "bubble" size has some special flavor/size meaning.

thanks.

u.e.

←

Click here to read Martin Kastner's comments about the bubbles.

=R=

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Right... so bubble size coordinates with portion size. That makes sense and what I suspected, but re: sweet/savory - left/right? right/left? Still unsure...

U.E.

[markmcc]

Right... so bubble size coordinates with portion size.  That makes sense and what I suspected, but re: sweet/savory - left/right?  right/left?  Still unsure... 

U.E.

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Sweet to the right, savory to the left.

Mark

[ulterior epicure]

cheers mate! right in the nick of time! thanks... i guess this just reinforces my self-diagnosis that i'm an all-around left-brainer!!

ulterior epicure.

[yellow truffle]

Quick update, as of 12th of February...

Renovated dishes:

HOT POTATO - now with black truffles.

OLIVE OIL - same as the NIÇOISE OLIVE - think yin-yang.

New dishes:

DUNGENESS CRAB - a take off of the KING CRAB.

SWEETBREAD - with sauce.

LOBSTER - dare I say Trio esque, perhaps something with rosemary vapor.

PINEAPPLE - tropical, like hanging on a hammock.

MORE CHOCOLATE - more service ware than chocolate, really.

Service ware:

BOW - back by popular demand.

PEACOCK - new, think Milwaukee Art Museum.

Edited February 23, 2006 by yellow truffle (log)

[yellow truffle]

A wine note on that evening. The last 3 of 16 paired wines were so overindulgent. A tawny port, followed by a sweet Spanish red (Monastrell) and finish with an 18 year old calvados. All very good wines but a too rich for the finish (IMHO). I can handle those wines, but having it at the end might be difficult to handle for some. In fact, I was helping everybody out at the table.

[ronnie_suburban]

. . . I can handle those wines, but having it at the end might be difficult to handle for some. In fact, I was helping everybody out at the table.

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You're such a good boy; so selfless

=R=