Per Se Fire, Reopening, Rescheduling

[docsconz]

I was just starting to get my hopes up, when I got my call this morning. Oh well.

[plpcolumbia]

My wife and I were travelling to NYC on March 13th for dinner at Per Se, but I received a disappointing but gracious call this afternoon informing me that we would be scheduled for a future date.

I tried to find out what the re-scheduling policy would be (whether it would have to be within 2 months), but the caller said the rescheduling policy was still being "worked out".

One would think that they might have a larger window for reservation rescheduling, but this is probably just wishful thinking on my part. It's going to be harder to dine here than it is at The French Laundry.

In any event I hope to be able to dine there before Chef Keller heads back to Napa.

Still coming into town, but my wife and I will have to "make do" with the Lounge at Restaurant Daniel.

As an aside, this is my first egullet post, and I've enjoyed reading this thread over the past few weeks. I'm looking forward to the upcoming discussion, especially when Per Se is up and running again.

[Fat Guy]

Welcome plpcolumbia. Glad to have you here.

[GordonCooks]

In any event I hope to be able to dine there before Chef Keller heads back to Napa.

.

By the way, when will that be?

[plpcolumbia]

Probably Chef Keller is the only one with the answer to that question (maybe Laura Cunningham too!).

But therein lies the challenge: to eat at Per Se after the opening day kinks have been worked out (and the smoke has cleared) but before Keller goes back to Napa.

The thought of being able to have a meal prepared with Chef Keller actually there in the kitchen full time (however brief that tenure may be) is exciting - not as exciting if he's looking in via plasma screen video feed from Yountville (although that is cool).

[melkor]

In any event I hope to be able to dine there before Chef Keller heads back to Napa.

.

By the way, when will that be?

Soon, hopefully.

[Fat Guy]

But therein lies the challenge: to eat at Per Se after the opening day kinks have been worked out (and the smoke has cleared) but before Keller goes back to Napa.

I hope, and predict, that will not be a consideration. If his lifelong commitment to perfectionism is any indicator, Keller has too much integrity as a chef to go back to Napa or reopen French Laundry one minute before he is certain that his absence from Per Se will be completely and utterly undetectable on the plate.

One assumes, also, that like Ducasse he will travel back and forth often. But, ultimately, a successful restaurant kitchen is about delegation. The chef, for the most part, cooks nothing during meal service. Moreover, in most restaurant kitchens, it is a sous-chef or expediter who works the pass and gives the final okay on every dish. The chef's job has to be essentially completed before the meal service starts -- otherwise he's likely to be a failure as a chef. Opening two restaurants simply adds an additional layer of delegation to an already delegated structure. A chef worth his mettle can make that happen without any loss of quality, creativity, or spontaneity. I'm certain that these considerations have been foremost in Keller's mind all along, and that he has done everything imaginable to make certain that the delegation is effective and that nobody will be able to accuse him of "spreading himself too thin."

And I'm actually looking forward to seeing what Jonathan Benno does once the restaurant establishes a clientele of repeat customers and it comes time to cook off-menu for them. When I first met Jonathan, he was the line cook at Gramercy Tavern responsible for putting out the foie gras and several other difficult dishes -- he worked the hardest station in the kitchen. Later, I had some good discussions with him when I was working on a piece for Gotham that featured Tom Colicchio's three most promising sous chefs: Marco Canora, Matt Seeber, and Jonathan Benno. These are three names that will, as the next generation of chefs comes to prominence, become household names in the gourmet community. Most young cooks aren't secure enough in their own thinking to argue with journalists, but Benno had no such reservations: when he disagreed with me -- and he disagreed with me on a lot of things -- he said so, slowly, carefully, and articulately.

Of the three, Benno was always the dogged perfectionist. He had worked at French Laundry and bought into the Keller idealism about food and kitchens, his cuts were the straightest of all the cooks, his stoicism during meal service no matter how deep in the weeds the kitchen was earned him the nickname (always behind his back) "iceman," and he was tremendously respected by everyone who worked with him. I've long had a fondness for him and his great attitude and even greater skill, but wondered if there could ever be a restaurant in New York that would live up to his ideal.

And then the mountain came to Mohammed. In 2000 or 2001 when the rumblings about Keller's New York project started, I don't think there was any question in anybody's mind that there was one guy in all of New York who was the inevitable choice for the chef-de-cuisine position: Jonathan Benno. If anybody can do Keller as well as Keller, it's Benno. With him in the kitchen executing Keller's vision, I feel that we're safe.

[bloviatrix]

Today's NY Times quotes Keller saying April 1.

[rich]

Today's NY Times quotes Keller saying April 1.

Unfortunately, April 1 is also April Fool's Day!

[bloviatrix]

I'm well aware. Hopefully, this isn't a joke.

[mikeycook]

Just got a cancellation call for Mar. 23.

They said they would be calling to reschedule in 2 weeks.

[Mulcahy]

Just came home to message that April 2 reservation is off. Sigh.

[rich]

Things seem to be getting worse - I just received a call canceling my April 11 (Easter Sunday) reservation.

[rich]

If this goes much further and Keller goes back for the re-opening of FL, he may have cooked in Per Se for five days. Do you think he will stay in NYC longer or just leave it in the hands of his trusty and loyal underlinks?

[melkor]

I suspect they will delay the re-opening of the French Laundry to deal with the issues in NYC.

[gmi3804]

What is there reservations policy? How many days out does one need call? And is there a special reservations number for VIPs?

George (UNimportant in most ways)

[Mark Sommelier]

From what I've heard, because it was an electrical fire, they have to wait for a round of inspections by the appropriate city authorities before they can re-open.

[Mulcahy]

City inspections take forever. Noooo!!!!!!!!

[tan319]

From what I've heard, because it was an electrical fire, they have to wait for a round of inspections by the appropriate city authorities before they can re-open.

I can't believe Keller is getting screwed over like this, in terms of luck.

Damned shame!

[ijfri]

There is a new recording saying that they cannot honor reservations through April 15. Interestingly, they give a phone number to arrange private parties. Not sure what thats about-maybe just thinking long term.

My res is for April 17-glad I have a backup, but hope they are up and running.

[Stone]

I wonder whether Keller is facing a cash-crunch dealing with the closing. I'm sure he (and his investors) sank a ton into this place, and they must be hemorrhaging cash due to the lack of income. How much insurance is available to cover something like this? I would think that an ordinary restaurant would have trouble bouncing back when they lost their first 6 weeks of business.

[Mark Sommelier]

I wonder whether Keller is facing a cash-crunch dealing with the closing. I'm sure he (and his investors) sank a ton into this place, and they must be hemorrhaging cash due to the lack of income. How much insurance is available to cover something like this? I would think that an ordinary restaurant would have trouble bouncing back when they lost their first 6 weeks of business.

Business interruption insurance is a necessary protection to carry for most restaurants. I understand the TW building is paying all salaries till re-opening at Per Se. Still, its a bummer.

[Jojofofo]

I spoke briefly with Chef Benno last night at ICE. He said that he believes it will be at least a full month from now before they re-open.

(And just as a point of interest, they are currently setting up an intern program and interviewing for interns.)

[tan319]

Business interruption insurance is a necessary protection to carry for most restaurants. I understand the TW building is paying all salaries till re-opening at Per Se. Still, its a bummer.

This is a great thing, the building paying all salaries while they're closed.

[rich]

At this point, it seems illogical to attempt to re-schedule all the reservations that have been cancelled. Management should treat it just as they did February 2nd - open the phones lines and let people call.

I believe the last reservations were taken for April 21st. Honor those if the restaurant opens prior (mine was already cancelled for 4/11).

The question remains - what should the restaurant do (if anything) for the people who lost reservations? In my opinion, each should receive a copy of Keller's new book (signed).

Edited March 16, 2004 by rich (log)