StudioKitchen (2002-2007)

[JosephB]

My thoughts from last Friday's dinner. Better late than never.

First, thanks to philadining for organizing the dinner, and to Shola for a fine performance. Also, I enjoyed meeting all of you.

It can't be said often enough: It really is a privilege to be one of the relatively few people who have experienced a StudioKitchen meal.

The dishes Shola prepared were all delicious. I was particularly moved by the wonderful lobster salad, which had a striking high note from a tomato gelee. One may argue that lobster prepared in this way loses its true identity, but I'm convinced now that textural quality was what Shola was after in the dish, and it worked beautifully.

Another highlight was the appearance of micro-greens and herbs in several of the dishes. These greens were far from ordinary, and were treated with a most delicate hand by Shola.

Another dish which left a strong impression was the pork belly, which was cooked slowly so that the belly turned to custard. More remarkable was the glass-like finish on the belly's topside, which would put most renditions of crème brulee to shame.

It's worth noting that a starch in the form of perfectly prepared farro made a cameo appearance with the pork belly. Earlier in the evening, a challah toast point showed up, but didn't stay long. Seriously, as much as all seven courses were satisfying, the absence of starches, especially with the good amount of wine consumption throughout the evening, left me feeling slightly peckish at the end of the evening. If I just had one baguette . . . .

Fine company and the intimate dining setting of StudioKitchen turned a great meal into a unique and special happening, which I hope I can be part of again in the future.

[jwjon1]

I have been following this thread for a bit now and even made the gesture to contact Shola to arrange an outing with some of my friends from the area. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of offering multiple dates to the parties involved, and none of them could reach a common evening. This should have been a sign to choose dining partners more carefully (heck... I personally was willing to toss aside ANY prior obligations for this experience), but instead I threw the towel in and declared my motivational skills non-existent.

So here I type with no excuse whatsoever for not having partaken in the Shola experience. Truth be told, I did contemplate setting a date and sticking an invitation in the ISO thread. I did not pursue this route, however, because I talked myself into thinking that dining amongst "strangers" in such an intimate setting would be a bit unnerving. How naive one can be.

Now that Shola is off to do his research, I can only hope that he returns to StudioKitchen for at least one last hurrah. This time around I will not hesitate to set a date and invite the members of this community... or if I'm lucky, I see Rebecca's or someone else's announcement in the ISO thread and take them up on the reservation. All of your kind words towards new friends and old alike, to giving Shola's creations (and Shola!) the credit they deserve, and the general good natured humor on this string convince me on the err of my ways: clearly, the members of this community are precisely the type of people I should have invited from the get go!

Thanks for providing such an inspiring string... here's hoping Shola continues to amaze from Philly!

(edited for spelling)

Edited March 22, 2006 by jwjon1 (log)

[Jeff L]

I did not pursue this route, however, because I talked myself into thinking that dining amongst "strangers" in such an intimate setting would be a bit unnerving.  How naive one can be. 

 

This time around I will not hesitate to set a date and invite the members of this community...  clearly, the members of this community are precisely the type of people I should have invited from the get go! 

Thanks for providing such an inspiring string... here's hoping Shola continues to amaze from Philly!

(edited for spelling)

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For a fleeting moment I shared your apprehension of dining with strangers at SK but it lasted only a moment. Truth is, I had met several folks in previous outings and the more I follow this board, the more comfortable I am in the knowledge that we are really kindred spirits here. This community goes the extra mile in the search of better ingredients for the home cooked meal, long drives for the best pizza, rodizio, etc, and shared understanding of what is necessary to acheive new heights in all things culinary.

I know this is a bit off topic but just wanted to say how profoundly pleased I continue to be at the offerings not only on this board, but EG in general.

[philadining]

Sorry for the repost of the pictures, but I had wanted to add some comments, and missed the editing window...

StudioKitchen, March 17, 2006

Aperitif: Chateau Frank 1999

Jerusalem artichoke Soup with Grapefruit Froth

Frau Weingartner Wachau Gruner Veltliner 2004

This was one of Shola's signature earthy soups, we've had similar versions with other root vegetables, enriched with a little chicken stock, given a slight mystery via a clandestine smoked turkey wing. They're all great, but this was a particularly nice rendition, topped by what was really a light breeze of grapefruit, just enough to suggest a citrusy sharpness.

The GruVe was just right with this soup, and pretty good for a few more courses!

Foie Gras Custard, Spring Egg, Truffles, and Truffled Bread

Pierre Morey Meursault 2001

Another appearance of the hot spring egg, in all its just-barey-set glory, but this time fighting for the richness crown with a creamy, cool, foie gras custard, and an amazingly intense truffle jus. I was afraid that it might have turned overwhelmingly smooth and unctuous, but no - the bread ban is lifted, and we have some crispy toasted challah, spread with truffled butter, to lend some crunchy contrast. Each of these elements really amplified the others, making this intensely flavorful, but somehow not too much.

Sadly it was a bit too much for the Meursault, which was a quite tasty wine on its own, and actually had a very compatible flavor profile, which would have gone really nicely with this dish if its flavors had been dimmed 50 percent. As it was, the wine tasted a bit like water... but I look forward to trying this wine again with another dish.

Tomato – Combova Lime Gelee

Lobster Remoulade

Celeriac “Chantilly”

Puffed Rice

Chateau d'Yquem Ygrec 2000

This was an absolutely stunning dish, my favorite of the night. Just as I was trying to locate what was so impressive about it, Matt articulated it perfectly: it was the flavor and textural interactions that were really making this sing. Individually, the parts were quite tasty, but when the acid bite of the tomato-lime mixed with the creamy celery root, whole new flavors erupted. When either of those combined with the rich remoulade, another series of reactions ensued. Some have noted that the lobster seemed secondary, and I'll concur. It was delicious, tender lobster, not a thing wrong with it, but this dish might have been just as good with shrimp or crawfish. But that's just it: it wasn't a lobster dish, it was a sum of its parts. And spectacular.

The Ygrec was a worthy companion to this, and as it turned out, a great pairing with just about anything. I really loved this wine, full of the same flavors as the better-known, sweeter Yquem, but perhaps even more complex in this drier vehicle. Beautiful on its own, even nicer with almost anything we were eating. Again, major thanks to Doc for sharing this one.

Foie Gras and Rabbit Terrine

Miso Lemon Curd

Asian Pear

Young Frisee Lettuce

Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling 1990

A classic terrine of Foie Gras, with a bit of textural contrast provided by the rabbit. And once again we had a plate that contained quite delicious elements that would reach even higher plateaux when combined. The sour lemon curd, rounded by a touch of salty miso, provided an acid to counter the rich foie gras, the pears some sweetness and crunch, the frisée a little of both. Tasting two or three of those components together made for an even more rewarding experience. That said, I could have eaten that delicate, tender frisée all by itself...

I'm not sure this riesling was the perfect pair for this dish, but we were on the right track! We had an embarrassment of rieslings to pick from, but all of them dry... and we needed one with a bit more sweetness. Next time...

Slow Cooked Ocean Trout

Yuzu kosho

Olive – Muscovado Streusel

Sorrento Lemon Oil

Creekside Farm Nine Herb Salad

Hope Estate Hunter Valley Verdelho 2005

I'm not especially fond of salmon, and this fish is from that family, so I had some trepidation about this dish. But that worry was quickly banished upon tasting this beautifully moist, just barely cooked fish, whose mild flavors were enhanced by the sweet and salty crunch of the topping and the spicy zing of yuzu kosho below. And the herb salad!! Almost unbelievably fresh, young, vibrantly flavorful herbs, lightly dressed in a lemony oil were a great companion for the ocean trout, and would have made a fine course on their own.

The Verdelho was an excellent match with this dish, and I could imagine this being great with just about any seafood, and beyond. Thanks Katie!

Slow Roasted Berkshire Pork Belly

“Preto Biologica” Farro and Proscuitto Cotto Stew

Braised Pork Cheek, Prunes, Bergamot Oil

Weis Beer Froth

Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac 1990

Château Bouscassé Madiran 2000

One could have worse problems than trying to decide which part of this dish to save as a last, lingering taste, but I noticed my brother doing the same thing as I was: cutting bits of the belly and the cheek in to ever-smaller morsels, unable to decide which to finish with. Both were decadently good. As noted by JosephB, the belly had gone to a custardy consistency with a caramelized, crunchy top. But the cheeks were no slouches either, with a falling-apart tenderness under that beery froth. And not enough can be said about the goodness of that faro, with just a slight bite left to the grains, and a hint of porky salt from the cooked ham. Much credit can go to the quality of the product, but it still took a sure hand to get it to those heights.

Both of these wines seemed a touch too brawny when we first opened them, but with a little air and a little pork, each was just fantastic. I think I ended up liking the Lynch-Bages with the pork belly, and the Bouscasse with the cheek, but you know, either was pretty darn good with either..

Redcurrant Rhubarb Soup

Lemon – Chaource Ice Cream

Confit of Berries

Two Hands Brilliant Disguise Moscato 2005

Domaine Pinnacle Cidre de Glace 2001

This was a nice springy, almost summery dessert, and a nice light contrast to the hearty course preceding. I love those cheese ice creams Shola makes, and this one melded beautifully with the berries, and with the bright soup.

We've decided that this particular Moscato goes with anything even vaguely fruity, and indeed it was a good partner here. And yes, also quite nice with a scoop of ice cream in it for Katie's patented moscato floats! And that wine made from frozen apples was quite nice as well, and different, thanks for sharing that one too, Doc.

It was an enjoyable evening from all angles: the food was spectacular, the wines were universally complimentary, the crowd around the table was friendly and fun. And that social aspect continues to amaze me, it was as if we'd all been dining together for years, even though we had 4 first-timers in our midst. It was great to bring some new folks into the club: Doc, Kitty, Joe and Greg, I hope we'll see you again around that table! Thanks to everyone for good conversation, and good wines.

And as always, thanks to Shola for creating such a special meal yet again. We look forward to the next stage... whatever it may be!

Edited March 23, 2006 by philadining (log)

[docsconz]

Perfectly summarized and stated, Jeff. Thanks for setting it up and now finishing it. It was an evening to remember.

[Diann]

I was lucky enough to have been a last-minute replacement for that meal. Everything was phenomenal, of course (especially the amuses and the lobster) but my favorite aspect of Studiokitchen is the education. It's the opportunity to sniff a combava lime, taste chocolate salt, eat baby corn shoots, try PX vinegar as a breath spray...

While each part of the Studiokitchen experience is lovely, the sum of the parts is sublime. Best of luck to Shola in Europe!

P.S. The same corn shoots (or are they stalks?) garnished my entree Monday night at Brasserie Perrier. I would have squealed with delight, but it was a business dinner. So I settled for cleaning my plate. They have an intensely sugary aftertaste -- I'd love to see how Shola would use them.

[Rebecca263]

Shola has just very nicely informed me that upon his return to the States he will be working in the private sector, and Studio Kitchen will be no more. We wish him all of the best, and expect to see his name on a restaurant, someday! We will be there, for a special meal, and kiddle will appreciate it all the more, for the year when she missed Studio Kitchen. Now, there's some money in an envelope that we've got to deal with!

[Chris Amirault]

I just spoke to Shola on the phone to confirm, and it's true: after the trip to Europe, he will be moving on to other ventures. I'm sure we all wish him the very best in those endeavors!

[docsconz]

I predict this thread will be a footnote to culinary history. The man is quite talented. I feel very fortunate to have been able to participate even if just once.

[ulterior epicure]

I predict this thread will be a footnote to culinary history.

I don't know doc, the way you have all raved about Shola, I'm sure this thread will actually be an "eGullet essential primer" for future users who will be enjoying his talents in new ways. I just hope I'll be one of thos lucky ones!

u.e.

Edited March 23, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[robert40]

Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today!

Dam.... I should have listened to my mother.

[Jeff L]

Shola has just very nicely informed me that upon his return to the States he will be working in the private sector, and Studio Kitchen will be no more.   We wish him all of the best, and expect to see his name on a restaurant, someday! We will be there, for a special meal, and kiddle will appreciate it all the more, for the year when she missed Studio Kitchen. Now, there's some money in an envelope that we've got to deal with!

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Sad news indeed, but alas, I was fortunate to have dined there once.

My thoughts and concerns now are with Philadining who is undoubtedly in some exclusive culinary treatment center.

[mrbigjas]

My thoughts and concerns now are with Philadining who is undoubtedly in some exclusive culinary treatment center.

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what do you think 'private ventures' are? i would venture to guess philadining has hired him as a personal chef.

[Jeff L]

My thoughts and concerns now are with Philadining who is undoubtedly in some exclusive culinary treatment center.

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what do you think 'private ventures' are? i would venture to guess philadining has hired him as a personal chef.

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I thought he already was his personal chef.

Seriously though, I was planning to have him do a dinner party here as his card indicates he does consulting, catering and instruction

I can wait to see where he turns up.

[philadining]

i would venture to guess philadining has hired him as a personal chef.

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If only...

While of course this is sad news, I'm hopeful that there will be an even more rewarding manifestation of Shola's talents in the future, and who knows, maybe some interesting transitional experiences... We'll see!

I'm excited to see what Shola does next, and who knows, perhaps there will be some sort of SK-ish experience to be had along the way.

And to those of you who teased me about jamming in as many visits as possible, doesn't look so crazy now, does it?

[jwjon1]

And to those of you who teased me about jamming in as many visits as possible, doesn't look so crazy now, does it?

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Just the opposite, in fact: it makes me feel quite foolish for not following your example! Ohhh the envy!!!!

So who knows the lucky man/woman/family who has hired out Shola for the Spring/Summer? And how can I crash that party?

[Curlz]

I predict this thread will be a footnote to culinary history. The man is quite talented. I feel very fortunate to have been able to participate even if just once.

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My thoughts exactly, but yours were far more eloquent, Doc.

Shola, nothing but wonderful thoughts are coming your way!! I'm more thrilled than ever that I grabbed the opportunity when I had it!

And of course, I'm worried about Katie.

[Jeff L]

And to those of you who teased me about jamming in as many visits as possible, doesn't look so crazy now, does it?

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Truth be told, I suspect we were all a little bit jealous of the frequency of your visits.

[cdh]

Wow... bummer that the SK is out of commission... I've been 3 or 4 times over the past few years and it was always fabulous. I hope Shola's next venture turns out as successfully as this little experiment. It always did seem a little odd having the undivided attention of somebody that talented lavished over just 8 people.

[I_call_the_duck]

And to those of you who teased me about jamming in as many visits as possible, doesn't look so crazy now, does it?

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It saddens me that StudioKitchen is indeed no more, and though I wish I went there more often, I am very grateful for the times that I was fortunate to go. It is an incredible experience that will be hard to replicate anywhere else.

I wish Shola luck in his future ventures, and hope that this won’t be the last we hear of him. He deserves nothing but the best.

And yes, part of teasing philadining is due in large part to a bit of envy. BTW, a friend suggested that you publish a book of your SK dinners. Just think how that great that would look on our coffee tables!

Edited March 23, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[Capaneus]

I am... I am very sad.

I hope Shola's measureless ongoing success will dispel that soonest. And I hope it will take some form that will allow us to be part of it.

[shacke]

Allow me to fittingly recall the post on my first SK dinner....

Nothing this good can last forever and I wish him all the best. I will always happily recall my time there when it is long gone.

Still, a gut slap to hear the news. say it aint so....

Evan

[KatieLoeb]

And of course, I'm worried about Katie. 

Thanks for your concern. I suspect my withdrawal pains will be less severe than philadining's. Fortunately, I consider Shola a friend and know that I'll see him when he returns, even if we're eating someone else's food together.

It's been a rare pleasure and priviledge to have enjoyed as many fine meals as I have at Shola's table the past several years. Although many of the PhilleGulleteer SK regulars were my frequent dining companions I also had the opportunity to bring other friends to experience SK on a few occasions. It was always a treat and fun to watch the not-so-crazed foodies enjoy their first SK dinner. I'll miss being able to do this, but I know that Shola has great plans and I have no doubt we'll all be hearing from him again.

I wish Shola safe travels, an enjoyable and productive stay in London and will look forward to seeing him do his own stunts again upon his return, in whatever venue or form that might take.

[hathor]

What about all those incredible ingredients in their neat boxes? and pots and pans? that was a mighty sweet set up. Shoala, if you need some storage space, PM me. Seriously.

Bon voyage.

Buon fortunato.

Buon lavoro and above all....have fun!

[MarketStEl]

Forgive me, Father, for what I'm about to do...

Rebecca said merely that Shola will go into the "private sector."

We've already heard the personal-chef speculation; indeed, nothing could be more private than that.

But this evil thought just crossed my mind:

Perhaps someone at Aramark has purchased a clue?