Gilt

[gaya]

Why do you want to see the kitchen TAN?

[tan319]

To see all of the HYPE equipment!!!

Watch these guys lay it down!

[inventolux]

As a line cook, I can rememnber reading amazing things coming from chef L. at Atlas. I became very inspired by watching Americas first risky chef attempt really provocative cuisine. He took chances and that in my book is what it takes to be creative. He is still taking chances and executing wonderful end results. My team and I had a wonderful meal at Gilt this year and I owe a debt of gratitutde to Chef for ispiring myself and paving the way for many hungry young gastronomers. There will always be resistance to change, especially when it pertains to things we are unready to consume. However, evolution will happen.

Gilt is a rock solid operation. Chef L. executes an experience that in my opinion surpasses any 4 star restaurant I have experienced in NYC. Thank evolution for blogs and freedom of opinion, even if it is hired by one of the worlds largest newspapers.

[gaya]

I will say that Paul's food is much more disciplined then at Atlas. There are times were it will seem cluster, lost, over zealous, but 90% of the time it very the creations are amazing. As far as the equiptment goes, there are not that many "toys" if you will. I know he has a Thermomix, and Paco, and several polyscience circulators.

[tan319]

I will say that Paul's food is much more disciplined then at Atlas.  There are times were it will seem cluster, lost, over zealous, but 90% of the time it very the creations are amazing.  As far as the equiptment goes, there are not that many "toys" if you will.  I know he has a Thermomix, and Paco, and several polyscience circulators.

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Yeah, that's all I really mean, I'm a cheap date.

A few things gurgling with the PSC's blinking, I'm jazzed.

I'm interested in the kitchen size, how many cooks, etc.

Would like to see a layout like the Per Se feature they did in Food Arts.

The latest on on GILT was cool though.

PS: THermomixes ROCK!!!!

Used them a bunch in Miami doing a consulting gig, beautiful things!

[noambenami]

TAN - can you talk a bit more about creative uses for thermomixes? I'm a bit too junior to be able to envision all the possible uses...or if you could point me somewhere?

Thanks!

[tan319]

TAN - can you talk a bit more about creative uses for thermomixes? I'm a bit too junior to be able to envision all the possible uses...or if you could point me somewhere?

Thanks!

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Well, basically it's a blender, very adjustable speed blender/mixer that heats/cooks also.

You can reduce a sauce while you blend it .

The chances of scorching are practically nil and the people I was working with, the savory guys were using it MUCH more then we in pastry ever did.

So I suppose you could do anything with eggs, an aioli or hollandaise, sabayon, and pasturise it (85c) yet not curdle the eggs.

The El Bulli books '98/01, for instance, use it all the time.

Thermomix

There's the link, the site is being worked on (built out).

The recipe book I've never found extremely handy or inspirational.

I could envision a lot of uses in GILTS kitchen for them.

Maybe someone from the kitchen there could illuminate us?

Hope that helps!

[ASM NY]

I went for my second visit yesterday, and while I won't go into a dish-by-dish review, I will say that it does remain in my opinion, one of the best high-end places in NY today.

Here's a quick list of the things we had (I may have some of these wrong as it was a lot of dishes):

-Caipirinha marshmallow

-Black sesame financier

-Goatcheese tartlet

-Salmon tart

-Spring pea royale with apple

-Oyster with smoked tea air

-White Asparragus, beer sorbet, almond Powder

-Watermelon sous vide

-Split pea soup, scallop, cuttlefish ravioli

-Crab salad with caviar

-Chanterelles dish

-Morels with sassafras foam

-Sole poached in frankincense, summer truffle, quail egg

-Seabass en planchette, summer truffle

-Apple wasabi sorbet with olive oil

-Rabbit, smoked potato, rabbit "meatball"

-Lamb, arichokes

-Traditional Cheese dish: A tasting of 6 cheeses

-Modern Cheese dish: Goat cheese ball dipped in liquid nitrogen with zucchini gelee and truffled popcorn, gruyere with tamarind

-tarragon foam, lemon sorbet, orange gelee

-mandarin with lychee sorbet

-pineapple, licorice panna cotta, rhubarb sorbet, honey tuille

-orange chocolate cake, chile ancho

-carrot "cake", saffron

-mignardises

As far as things that were similar to my last visit, there was one repeat dish (the wasabi-apple sorbet with olive oil), and a variation of an past dish (oyster with a smoked tea "air"). Of the 5 desserts we tried, only 2 were new (tarragon foam and pineapple-licorice). Another thing that was consistent was the service, which was top-of-the-line.

Of the things that I found different this time around were for starters the place was pretty packed, compared to the first time we visited. This time around, there was a "modern" option to the cheese course, which was also the first time I had noticed the use of liquid nitrogen at the restaurant.

I did have quick visit to the kitchen at the end of our meal, and while I wasn't there long enough to see all the gadgets, I will comment that the kitchen is a lot larger than what you can see from the dining room.

Overall we found the food to be very solid. Most of the dishes we really liked, a couple of them were just "good". There was nothing in the main dinner service we hated. The carrot and saffron dessert we did not like at all. We are looking forward to going back...

[tan319]

Thanks for the report, sounds a winner.

[Sethro]

-Watermelon sous vide

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Whoa.

[ASM NY]

-Watermelon sous vide

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Whoa.

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Actually, I don't believe that the watermelon (or the other fruit) on the plate were actually "cooked", it is however fair to call it sous vide because they are prepared in a vacuum, with a light syrup or other ingredients and left for a little while. The process adds an interesting texture and translucense to the fruit.

[Timh]

Pan, 15 + years ago when I was working in a tiny kitchen in Paris, we used the thermomix for warm emulsifications(soups)and savory custards(really more like savory creme brulees). We also would make fresh sauces with liquids(fresh juiced whatever or clarified stocks) and ant number of vegetabes or fruits,even intense herb"soups". The ability to regulate the heat just so,and at the last possible moment allowed for some amazing "fresh" flavor and textures.

[tan319]

That's what I'm 'talking about....

Pan, 15 + years ago when I was working in a tiny kitchen in Paris, we used the thermomix for warm emulsifications(soups)and savory custards(really more like savory creme brulees). We also would make fresh sauces with liquids(fresh juiced whatever or clarified stocks) and ant number of vegetabes or fruits,even intense herb"soups". The ability to regulate the heat just so,and at the last possible moment allowed for some amazing "fresh" flavor and textures.

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[gaya]

Gilt does not use the Thermomix for anything out of the ordinary. Foie royales, purees, ice creams, tuiles/croquants, ect......

There are 47 seats in dining room. 20 cooks/ 3 Sous chefs.

[Sethro]

-Watermelon sous vide

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Whoa.

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Actually, I don't believe that the watermelon (or the other fruit) on the plate were actually "cooked", it is however fair to call it sous vide because they are prepared in a vacuum, with a light syrup or other ingredients and left for a little while. The process adds an interesting texture and translucense to the fruit.

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OK, I don't really see how sealing the watermelon in a vacubag is gong to make ANY difference in the resulting texture. I do watermelon dumplings that are marinated for 6 hours in a regular old quart container and they develop the same translusence and textural change. This sounds like a case of just adding fancy terms to the menu for the sake of it.

[twodogs]

you mean like watermelon dumpling?

[NaFairge]

it's been referred to as 'cold sous vide'. since sous vide is technically only the act of sealing under vaccuum, the term is perfect. it breaks the cell walls (this is when the liquid in the bag appears to be 'boiling') and kind of force-infuses the liquid ie simple syrup, verjus, vinegar, etc.

it is an amazing technique and one i have found to be very addicting!

it gives the appearance of food being cooked, although it's really just a marinade.

tan, you gotta try it. see what it does to apples.

as far as fancy names for menus sake, we are all guilty of that to some degree. just remember, function first. calling it by another name is the fun part.

[Sethro]

But-but...they're in a soup! And dumpling shaped!

Heh, I guess I am caught red-handed, calling the kettle black.

I guess I will have to try watermelon sous vide myself before I'm satisfied.

Does anyone here have any hands-on experience "cooking" fruits sous vide?

EDIT: I swear I'm not crumudegeonly, I love fun names so long as they aren't misleading.

Edited June 5, 2006 by Sethro (log)

[tan319]

I'd love to try both technigues, sous vide with fruit ( Mason does his caramelized bananas that way, Ducasse a zillion fruits ditto).

RE: Themomix: Yes, that's about what I would have thought Gilt would be using it for, perfectly in line with things I've read about it.

Unrelated: I was looking at an old ish of Food Arts, with Conticini circa Petrossian/ El Bulli doing breakfasts at Hotels in Seville, and Oscar Palacios (SIC?), GILTS Pastry chef was in there from Cello, with two really nice desserts.

[tan319]

Link to a mini interview ...

With Gilt Chef Paul Liebrandt.

A good read.

[BryanZ]

So I had a dinner reso at Gilt early next week. I received an unfortunate call today that Chef Liebrandt has moved on and they're in the works of training a new chef. They will not open until the beginning of September because of this.

Anyone have any more details as to why the sudden change? I was supposed to go with the g/f for her birthday before we went back to school; now we're kind of S.O.L.

[docsconz]

So I had a dinner reso at Gilt early next week.  I received an unfortunate call today that Chef Liebrandt has moved on and they're in the works of training a new chef.  They will not open until the beginning of September because of this.

Anyone have any more details as to why the sudden change?  I was supposed to go with the g/f for her birthday before we went back to school; now we're kind of S.O.L.

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Wow, that is big news. I am sorry to say that I missed the chance to try Gilt under his lead. "he who hesitates is lost". I missed it, not because I had any lack of interest, but I just didn't have the right opportunity. I hope that he resurfaces soon and wish him the best.

[Sneakeater]

"he who hesitates is lost".

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It's funny you should say that, cuz I was just thinking about it.

On the one hand, we're always cautioned against rushing to try places when they're new, because even the best places take a while to find their bearings and "a good restaurant will be better after a year than right after opening."

On the other hand, in today's tumultuous market, you often find chefs leaving, menu concepts being adjusted, or owners just losing interest, and you can miss out.

It's hard to know the right thing to do.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

Open Note To Paul Liebrandt

Stop trying to open restaurants in uptown hotels.

There's a place for you in New York, but it's not where you've been trying.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[ASM NY]

That blows... was also planning on taking my parents there soon... very curious to find out what happened, as it has only been open for 9 months or so.