StudioKitchen (2002-2007)

[I_call_the_duck]

A joke in my family is to lift the plate up to your face and ask the person sitting across from you "where was this plate was made?" While that person is reading the bottom of the plate, he/she won't notice that you're licking the plate. I came really close to doing that at my last SK dinner.

edited for clarification

Edited February 6, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[Curlz]

Many restaurants make a point of saying, "Go ahead, use your fingers," overruling the social doctrine that one must not use their hands when eating fried chicken.  Perhaps Shola could do the same with licking the plate.  Bread adds flavor and bulk; plate licking does neither.  The ideal solution.

←

Wait...you mean I shouldn't have done that when I was at SK?!?

[Jeff L]

Forgive my obsessive posting but I must continue. I'm not sure what to call the subject of this second installment of my reaction to dinner two nights ago. "The experience" seems too flakily phenomenological, Husserl cum Hendrix, so I'll go with the event.

When I read Steven Shaw's Turning the Tables, I found myself deeply agreeing with his comments about establishing your own local favorites and becoming a regular there. It's what I do here in my own town of Providence; we have a handful of places (shops as well as restaurants) at which we know we can feel that strangely contradictory comfort of out-at-home.

Sometimes we have dinners at those regular joints that include friends, people with whom we feel relaxed and convivial. Of course, my interest in food is a bit over-the-top for virtually all of my pals, and as such I usually rein it in a bit. That is to say, my intense attention to food doesn't really promote social lubrication.

In a perfect world, I'd have all of these things: an experience at a restaurant that feels out-at-home, shared with friends, during which we all can indulge in our love for food. That's a good way to describe my experience at StudioKitchen.

When I was walking up to Shola's door with Holly, Carman, and Andrea after Holly had parked, I felt as if we were walking into the home of someone I knew from another context, that sense of slight familiarity overshadowed by an awareness that I really had no idea whatsoever what to expect. We walked up the stairs, and before we could get to the red door, Jeff opened it up and escorted us up two flights of stairs with no decoration whatsoever. And then? Well, then you walk into the coolest space you've ever seen.

There are lots of shots of the space elsewhere on this thread, so I'll spare the enticing details about the Thermomix, the gazillion All-Clad pots, the anti-griddle, and the meticulous storage system. What I want to emphasize here is how much the place still felt like a space that was full of life. Shola, who was already toiling away in his postage-stamp-sized kitchen, waved hi to us as we snooped around. We milled about the dining room, pointed and joked, and I realized that I had immediately felt at ease. On the drive back home, Andrea said that it was like having your pal over to cook in your house because he's such a great cook. I agreed: it was more like being in our own house than in a restaurant. We were, indeed, out-at-home.

What's more, the StudioKitchen requirement of eight to ten people forces a very particular sort of social planning. You've got to pony up $100 for a meal not of your choosing (though you can excise allergies and intense dislikes), select and bring your own booze, and find at least seven more folks to join you. I confess to a bit of anxiety about the last thing on that list, but I shouldn't have worried: I had dinner with a remarkable group of people. Everyone was eager to talk and share their experiences of the food; most of us shared anecdotes about other food-related things while we waited for Shola to finish or plate the next dish.

Most of all, everyone was terrifically excited. This was not a crowd of jaded food snobs waiting to have our suspicions confirmed or denied; this was a group of people who felt truly thrilled to discover what each sights, smells, textures, and flavors each next course would bring. When the courses did arrive, we set upon them slowly, carefully, with great delight and attention (and, yes, with a few digital camera flashes). And then, we'd start talking, producing an analysis that was motivated not by smug superiority nor by a desire to criticize but by a shared belief that such analysis would heighten and extend our individual and shared senses of pleasure.

We did this for nearly five hours, and I enjoyed every second. I realize that there certainly must be people who do not want this sort of out-at-home experience when they go to a restaurant. As must now be pretty clear, that ain't me. Until I walked up those stairs, I would never have been able to describe my ideal for eating out. Now I know.

When he was serving one of the courses, Shola quietly said, "Damn -- I thought I put this chipped plate away." "Put it here," I blurted. Even though I hadn't known it before he set them down, both the dish and the plate were just what I wanted.

edited to fix some spelling and clarity problems --ca

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Chris, I too thank you for your heartfelt recounting of some of the other non-food things that seem to be business at usual at SK. There really are many pages of posts and great pictures of the amazing meals had at SK on this thread and it's refreshing to read of others overall feeling and experience without recounting just the food and wine. Don't get me wrong, I love reading about the food and wine too, it's just I don't get to hear some of what you've described to us.

I can not tell you how excited (and embarrased that it's taken so long) I am to be going there for my first time in a few weeks. I will also thank Jeff T for the one invitation that didn't conflict with my schedule.

Anyway, it was really nice reading your post because it dealt with the other factors which all contribute to an amazing dining experience, great people, great conversation, great surroundings and the ultimate anticipation of what is surely to come from Shola. I've been reading this thread for a while now and almost feel like I know him.

I've been thinking about this E Gullet world and it dawns on me that for the most part, posters here are like the ones you described in your post in attendance at SK. The fact that they are extremely well versed in all aspects of food and most oten, wines, they discuss in a non snobby and non elitist way. I think, for me, this is one of the most appealing aspects of EG as a whole and the reason I spend entirely too much time here!!

[shacke]

Thanks so much for posting your impressions, I think some of the regulars here forget some of the most remarkable parts of the experience, because it feels so familiar so quickly.

Not me. Every time's like the first. I just wish I were as eloquent as Chris! What a post that was sir.

That aspect came up in a recent on-line chat with Craig LaBan (the food reviewer from the major newspaper in Philly, for you out-of-towners), when someone asked him if he'd been to SK. He said he had, but that it was a while ago, and while quite complimentary, he hedges a little, saying " Shola is a very fine chef and an intriguing individual (exceptional for industry gossip), though, perhaps not quite as God-like as some chatrooms  would have you to believe" (hmmm... I wonder to whom he could be referring?!?!)

Good. 1 bell from Laban. Hates it. yup. Next. Not good enough, now drop the thought. Leave us nutty dull palated chatroomsters be!

Ahh, there it is, I feel like less of a flack!  Shola, we need bread!!!  Not a big basket of bread at all times, I'm with you, there's no need to fill up on it, nibbling distractedly between courses. ....I tell you, people are going to start sneaking their own in....

If it becomes BYO"B", count me in for baking the bread!

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. I actually was planning a third post that focused specifically on Shola, but instead I think I'll just react to some of the things that other people have posted.

It's been mentioned many times that a StudioKitchen dinner is affected quite a lot by the group at the table and the interaction with Shola, which then cross-pollinate one another. I have absolutely seen Shola's vibe change based on the energy of the table, and that makes its way into the food, and in the type of conversation and interaction one has with him. 

I know for sure that he amps up the cooking a bit for our eGullet groups, because he knows that he has a receptive and open-minded crowd, up for experiments and adventures.

And outside of what's on the plate,  there have been some nights that are practically master-classes in cooking techniques, other dinners that are outright hilarious discussions of restaurants and food and culinary trends, others that are all business, it really depends on who's there, and how they're interacting with each other.

Jeff, I think that this really gets to an important point, which comments about treating Shola as a god miss utterly. Anyone who's been there knows that Shola is, very happily, just a smart, attractive, articulate, friendly man who happens to cook remarkably well. Considering how easy it would be to fawn all over him, his refusal to act the star is an accomplishment all by itself.

Given what a good bloke he is, it's great that he's just this side of a dining companion for much of the meal. He wants to know what you think, talk about what you're talking about, join in without butting in. Of course, when he's not chatting about D'Artagnan's quail or that night's BYOW selection with you, he's whipping you up the things shown above in his ClosetKitchen (which, I cannot resist to add, alone makes comparisons to other chefs in spacious, well-appointed and -staffed kitchens absurd).

I think that John's got it -- and will have a very enjoyable experience soon as a result:

It is precisely because of the apparent quality of the food, comradery, intimacy and conviviality that I am so excited to be going there. In my experience all the best meals that I have had have one this in common. They provide great food in an atmosphere of excitement and joy. Nothing can kill a great meal more quickly than to be with someone or someones who not only don't share in the excitement, b ut who obviously would prefer to be elsewhere.

←

I couldn't agree more -- and, John, unlike most other restaurant experiences I've had, the chef in this case is a central part of the conviviality.

Anyway, it was really nice reading your post because it dealt with the other factors which all contribute to an amazing dining experience, great people, great conversation, great surroundings and the ultimate anticipation of what is surely to come from Shola. I've been reading this thread for a while now and almost feel like I know him.

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And stop and think about that for a moment. What restaurant dining experiences have you had that have left you feeling any human connection with the chef? And what restaurant dining experience have you read about that have left you feeling that way?

[Jeff L]

Anyway, it was really nice reading your post because it dealt with the other factors which all contribute to an amazing dining experience, great people, great conversation, great surroundings and the ultimate anticipation of what is surely to come from Shola. I've been reading this thread for a while now and almost feel like I know him.

←

And stop and think about that for a moment. What restaurant dining experiences have you had that have left you feeling any human connection with the chef? And what restaurant dining experience have you read about that have left you feeling that way?

←

In a word, none

Edited February 7, 2006 by KatieLoeb (log)

[docsconz]

And stop and think about that for a moment. What restaurant dining experiences have you had that have left you feeling any human connection with the chef? And what restaurant dining experience have you read about that have left you feeling that way?

←

Actually, most of the very best dining experiences I have had have included significant interaction with the chef, although perhaps not to the degree one has at SK. When I was talking about my best dining experiences I was certainly including restaurant experiences, but they are not limited to those. Some of my best dining experiences have also occurred in people's homes, including my good friend Joseph B.'s. In all cases the food was exceptional, but it was that combined with a relaxed conviviality that makes a dining event truly special. It is not simply one thing, but a confluence of elements that elevate a dining experience to true greatness.

[KatieLoeb]

Chris:

I have to thank you for dragging the rest of us over-fortunate types back to reality. At one point during the meal the other day you leaned across the table and looked me dead in the eye and said, "Do you realize how lucky all of you are to have this here at your disposal so frequently??

I might not have grasped the enormity of what you were saying then, but having read your eloquent and utterly objective posts since our wonderful dinner, I certainly do now. Those of us that are fortunate enough to be frequent dining companions at Shola's table are utterly spoiled by being able to do so regularly. It is, and always shall be, a treat and a priviledge, even if we sometimes forget.

[hathor]

Seems I’ve joined the ranks of the lucky who have dined at Studio Kitchen. And you know what, it lived up to its reputation. No pictures to post. No wine list to review. Just some thoughts to share.

The menu was probably not the most aggressive, outlandish menu ever created by this chef, but it certainly showcased how he thinks about flavors. This was a careful and exacting menu, designed to tease and please without ever frightening anyone.

Menu:

Parsley root soup that was a smooth, seductive foil to the bits of grapefruit, braised scallions, and candied pecans that randomly showed up on the spoon. Each spoonful was a uniquely flavored taste journey.

Herb risotto with fennel emulsion, manchego cheese and chicken escabeche that was a riotuous green mound of pea studded risotto, surrounded by white foam, topped with the orange spiced chicken. Totally satisfying. Made me want to see what Chef could do in the spring when all these herbs and peas are locally fresh.

Skate that was cooked perfectly and accented by a fennel, green apple slaw that also complimented the sweet and silky parsnip puree.

Veal cheek extravaganza: braised veal cheek, and then another cheek turning up, placed on top of an unctuous short rib/caramelized onion ravioli. Delicious. But the rutabaga/vanilla puree was the flavor combination of the evening. Totally inspired blending of flavors.

Dessert was a medley of flavor sensations: from the cauliflower ice cream over peach pain perdu to the apricot ginger compote, all loosely tied together by the delicate elderflower syrup.

Wonderful wines. Wonderful company.

Not only cannot I not wait to return to Studio Kitchen (and I swear…now that we’ve settled on how to get there….I will never be late again!), but I’m still pondering the flavor combinations. There is equal part intuition and intelligence in these combinations that makes you want to see what he will come up with next.

[philadining]

Hathor, glad you made it to SK, and enjoyed your dinner!

That menu is not too different from what many of us have been seeing, but you're probably right: he might need to get to know your crowd a little better before he'll spring something really unusual on you... But I'd be happy with those dishes any day.

Welcome to the club, and we look forward to more reports in the future!

[hathor]

Studio Kitchen's food doesn't have to be unusual....just those flavor texture/combinations for relatively normal ingredients is enough to keep me very, very happy!

[handmc]

This makes me sad. Shola's response to my email

Thanks for your interest.

Studiokitchen will be closed indefinitely at the end of march.

The last 8 dinners have been booked.

The entire schedule for the last month is complete. and nothing is available.

Thanks for your interest.

Studiokitchen

On 2/18/06, Handmc@aol.com <Handmc@aol.com> wrote:

>

> Shola:

>

> After months of reading on Egullet I can't put it off any longer, I have

> rounded up a group who I am sure you can dazzle.

>

> Do you have any dates open in March or April?

[philadining]

...Studiokitchen will be closed indefinitely at the end of march...

And some of you mock me for going as often as possible!

It is the middle of February already, so I'm not too surprised that he's booked through March. And he's been planning on doing some traveling and studying, so closing-up for a while is not a big surprise to many of us.

Of course we certainly hope that "indefinitely" isn't too long, and there's reason to believe that there will be StudioKitchen dinners again in the future, but when? If? Will it be the same thing? Who knows?

We shouldn't take Shola and StudioKitchen for granted...

[shacke]

We shouldn't take Shola and StudioKitchen for granted...

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I couldn't have said it better myself and I agree 100%

I still have the same feeling about SK as I did in my very first post somewhere buried in the earlier part of this thread. It is an experience that I will one day recall very fondly when Shola closes shop. I treat every meal there as if it were going to be my last there and if you do actually take it for granted then you are missing out on the magic.

Having said all that, I hope the end is nowhere near and I suspect we will be treated to some awe inspiring dinners after his triumphant return from the European campaigns.

Evan

[Chris Amirault]

Evan, this one-timer thinks you hit the nail on the head.

[Jeff L]

This makes me sad. Shola's response to my email

Thanks for your interest.

Studiokitchen will be closed indefinitely at the end of march.

The last 8 dinners have been booked.

The entire schedule for the last month is complete. and nothing is available.

Thanks for your interest.

Studiokitchen

On 2/18/06, Handmc@aol.com <Handmc@aol.com> wrote:

>

> Shola:

>

> After months of reading on Egullet I can't put it off any longer, I have

> rounded up a group who I am sure you can dazzle.

>

> Do you have any dates open in March or April?

←

OK, maybe this will make you feel less sad even though it was sent back in January:

Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 22:41:51 -0500

From: studiokitchen

To: Jeff

Subject: Re: Re: Reservations

Not a problem except over the holidays, my schedule has been fully

booked up through March and I will be leaving the country at the end

of march to go work in Europe for a while.....

perhaps later this summer ?

Thanks

sk

On 1/7/06, Jeff wrote:

> Hi Shola:

>

> I've haven't lost sight of our plans to have you host our party of what now

> looks like 10 folks. Would you mind letting us know your first Saturday

> night availability, keeping in mind my previous email below?

>

> Thanks and Happy New Year!!

Edited February 19, 2006 by Jeff L (log)

[philadining]

StudioKitchen February 21, 2006

Togarashi Caramel Corn

Dried Tomatoes

This was really fun: spicy, sweet, crunchy, tangy.. This is what happens when Cracker Jack and Screaming Yellow Zonkers spend all weekend watching Kurosawa DVDs and inevitably want to be as cool as Toshiro Mifune.

Smoked Salmon

Pickled Fruits

Maple Cured Wild Steelhead Roe

Celery Confit, Spicy Herb Coulis

Sorrel Salad

The lightly smoky fish played beautifully against the sweet and sour fruit, what else could it need? Ahh.. a little crunch. And finally a Napolean with some height! The celery had been tamed by sous-vide, but still retained a bit of snap, and gained a depth of flavor and a pickled tang that played nicely against the salty roe. The maple curing contributed an ethereal sweet edge to those sharper tastes.

Those of us prudent enough to save a little of the Chateau Frank NYS sparkler we were drinking at the start would have found a simpatico accompaniment in their attmpt at a classic champagne. On the other side, a sweet moscato played off different aspects of the dish, to no less pleasing effect.

Parsley Soup Two Ways:

Roasted Parsley Soup

Last Summer's Corn Milk

Chicken “Para Bistek”, Aromatic Spices, Roasted Garlic

Parsley Root Soup

Leek Confit, Grapefruit Emulsion, Lemon Oil

The root soup, sharing the shotglass with some chunks of grapefruit was both earthy and airy, not too different from other root vegetable purées, brightened with citrus essences. And it's that combination that really lifts this, the broth itself would be perfectly satisfying and comforting, but that grapefruit edge somehow fits comfortably in, while simultaneously pulling the flavors up and out.

But it's the roasted parsley soup that stole the show, maybe took the prize for the whole meal. The green broth was as vivid a flavor as it is a visual statement. What you can't see is the mellowing sweetness of the corn soup that resides underneath, giving a creamy richness to the soup, and offsetting the spicy chopped chicken. That chicken had been given a rustic grilling after being encrusted in too many spices to count, which added mostly complexity, but a little heat too. Somehow this was not too much going on, rather it was a concert of flavors pulling together, an orchestra paying attention to the conductor.

I completely misunderstood where these flavors would be going when reading the menu, and had selected a dry Italian white to pick up the parsley and garlic and corn. Sadly it was a complete mismatch, in fact rather unpleasant with the root soup. This may be the only time I've ever failed to bring a Riesling to Studio Kitchen, and I think one might have done the trick if I'd just listened to my inner voice and thrown one in the cooler! Or perhaps, with the assertive spice and earthy Mexican flavors of the green soup, we would have been well-served by Shola's suggestion of a nice cold beer. Ahh.. we live and learn...

Pulled Skate Wings

Mushroom Ragout

Hot Spring Egg

Scallop-Morel Emulsion

Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Vinaigrette

This was a really comforting, tasty homey-feeling dish, inspired by those warming Asian meals in a bowl, such as bi-bim bap or donburi. In this case the egg wasn't meant to be stirred-in, it was much too much of a work of art for that, precisely slow-poached in its shell in the circulating bath so that it reached a perfect just-barely-set consistency. Doesn't hurt to start with excellent cage-free eggs either... A little drip of barrel-aged Maple Syrup from our own little squeeze bottles really took that egg to an even higher plane. The pulled skate wing had a delightful texture, cleaving along its natural striations, ultimately reminding me of the most artfully thin-sliced meats in Chinese stir-fry that roll up on themselves to almost resemble a noodle. The combinations of the tender ribbons of fish, the pillowy egg and deep dark mushroom base made this another supremely satisfying dish.

It wasn't too hard of a call to drink a Chassagne-Montrachet with this, that clean yet full white burgundy was just perfect.

Braised Veal Cheeks

Seared Foie Gras

Pickled White Asparagus

Coco Beans and Cocoa Nibs

Banyuls Vinaigrette

A few at the table cheated and headed straight for the foie gras, but I'm not sure which components of this plate offered the most rewarding richness. Those full flavored cheeks were concentrated by a slow braise, the cocoa nibs and banyuls adding to the intensity. The pickled asparagus offered a crucial acidic counterpoint to the richness of the meat. I loved eating the asparagus and the foie together.

The strong flavors of this meat allowed us to bring out the big guns for a change, and both an Almaviva and the Chateau Lynch-Bages were worthy companions to this plate. I thought both wines were delicious, and very good matches, and if I gave an edge to the Lynch-Bages, it would only be by a nose.

Parmesan Soup

“Sholives”

Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

Creamy, cool, cheese soup, Shola's trademark pickled grapes, some fresh greens and twists of fresh reggiano make for a beautiful if unconventional cheese course! Shola joked that it was almost a liquid caesar salad. Don't worry, that version is coming... a couple of tweaks...

Some sweet, but not too sweet, Vouvray was a lucky coincidence, it ended up complimenting this dish beautifully. Wish we could take credit for the paring, but we didn't know this course was coming! It's good to have spare wine...

Chocolate Cherry Galette

Smoked Chocolate Crumble

Cardamon Infused Mineola Syrup

Cauliflower Foam

It's hard to go wrong with a big, intense chocolate dessert, and this was all that, and then given a spin of complexity with the spiced orange syrup, and the now-familiar cauliflower flavors. The cauliflower and orange are for some reason a beautiful combination, as are orange and chocolate, so... guess what? they all play well together.

And this occasioned one of the wine highlights as well, a Recioto della Valpolicella that was quite lovely on its own, but freaking awesome with the chocolate. Major thanks to the folks down at Moore Bros in Wilmington for that excellent tip. And we're never going to dissuade Evan from popping a bottle of PX for good measure...

To sum up, see earlier posts, you know, the ones about how this somehow topped the meals before and was a truly magical experience and blah blah blah... it must seem so trite from the outside. But really, yet another amazing meal, all the way through.

Big thanks to my dining partners, who did indeed help make it an even better night. It's always fun to have some new folks along, and watch as they get that possessed, addicted look in their eyes... I'm quite sure we made some converts last night!

Special thanks to JeffL, Percy and Evan for donating some truly awesome wines, and of course to Shola for somehow topping himself again and again...

Edited February 23, 2006 by philadining (log)

[prasantrin]

StudioKitchen February 21, 2006

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That meal looked particularly Japanese-inspired, especially the above dish. Did Shola talk about his inspirations for this particular meal?

[Mummer]

Thanks Philadining for getting us together, thanks everybody for bringing spirit to the meal, and, of course, thanks Shola for being Shola.

[Vadouvan]

That meal looked particularly Japanese-inspired, especially the above dish. Did Shola talk about his inspirations for this particular meal?

Shola is good friends with Alex Talbot and his wife Aki Kamozawa, he said some of the inspiration for this dinner was provided by thier "working relationship".

For more info on who Alex and Aki are ....

Click...http://ideasinfood.typepad.com/

These two Rock.

[docsconz]

I can't wait for the full descriptions of these dishes. It is hard to believe, but the photography keeps getting better as well.

[Jeff L]

Wow. My first time at Studio Kitchen. Wow. That's all I can say now except thanks to Jeff Towne for organizing and wine pouring.

Great seeing everyone again and meeting some of the others for the first time.

[docsconz]

That meal looked particularly Japanese-inspired, especially the above dish. Did Shola talk about his inspirations for this particular meal?

Shola is good friends with Alex Talbot and his wife Aki Kamozawa, he said some of the inspiration for this dinner was provided by thier "working relationship".

For more info on who Alex and Aki are ....

Click...http://ideasinfood.typepad.com/

These two Rock.

←

Very interesting. Thanks for the link.

[shacke]

Thanks Philadining for getting us together, thanks everybody for bringing spirit to the meal, and, of course, thanks Shola for being Shola.

←

Yes - thank you to Jeff for including me and to everyone old and new. Always the biggest thanks to Shola for performing magic once again. I'll surely miss him this spring. Hopefully Studiokitchen West (hint to Percyn demigod of sous vide) will open and not be "lame".

Of all the great dishes these last two dinners, I am strangely enamored with poached eggs now. A perfect example of complex simplicity - poaching an egg in a 63.8 (+/-1) degree bath for 1 hour exactly. The squirt bottle of maple vinegrette for the egg was a particularly nice touch to the skate course which needed no additional power to make it shine - but got it anyway.

Evan

[Chris Amirault]

Evan, what was in that bibimbap-y looking egg dish?