History
edit- In 2001, Grant Achatz, a then-sous chef at The French Laundry, became the head chef of Trio in Evanston, Illinois[1]
- At his new position, Achatz was given the freedom to create a experimental and progressive menu inspired by global cuisine[2][3]
- His tenure at Trio garnered national praise, as he won the Rising Star award at the James Beard Foundation Awards in 2003[4]
- It was announced in June 2004 that Achatz would leave Trio to open his own restaurant, Alinea[5]
- To promote the restaurant, Achatz launched a website that featured a slideshow of artistic food imagery[6]
Design
edit- The name refers to a new paragraph[7]
Theming
editCuisine
edit- In a report for Nation's Restaurant News, Achatz described his food as "progressive American"[7]
- Achatz: "Ultimately, it comes back to how it tastes - that's where it starts - with flavor. [...] Then it gets put through its paces in the kitchen, for presentation and manipulation."[7]
- Achatz, on his intentions for Alinea's amuse-bouche course: "For us it becomes a way to disarm the diners. Yes, the food is highly manipulated, yes, it is aesthetically different than most that you have had, yes it tastes good, but it is also familiar and it is OK if it makes fun of itself. [...] If we can successfully place a dish in front of the guest that is visually unfamiliar yet tastes of one of the most comforting flavors known, we have successfully set the tone for the rest of the evening."[8]: 26
- Consists of a 30-course tasting menu ($175), where each course's portions amount to a few bites[7][9]
- Diners can also choose sitting through 12 courses for $110, or six courses for $75[7][8]: 26
- Courses include:[7]
- a "whimsical" take on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, where a peeled seedless grape is coated in a peanut purée and wrapped in a thin sheet of bread
- a vegetarian dish featuring the flowers of a radish plant with sea beans and eggplant
- wild Atlantic turbot, served with water chestnuts and clams and paired with a "lilac vapor" consisting of a bowl of lilac flowers steamed in water that guests are meant to smell
- a prime rib-eye of beef, served with a deconstruction of steak sauce ingredients that have been dehydrated, puréed or reduced
- Some menu items take as long as four months to perfect[7]
- Many of the ingredients that Achatz uses are sourced from artisanal producers[7]
- E.g. he uses finger limes grown by an Australian farmer that are uniquely hot pink and fluorescent green in color
Impact
editCritical reception
editAwards and media
editNotes
edit
References
edit- ^ Vettel, Phil (2001-05-25). "Trio gets a new chef; Kornick expands to Northfield". Chicago Tribune. p. 23. ISSN 1085-6706. Retrieved 2023-07-28 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Rice, William (2002-01-11). "A zealous chef's rise to the top". Chicago Tribune. p. 5.1. Retrieved 2023-07-28 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Gebert, Michael (2014-09-08). "The guy who gave us Grant Achatz". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on 2023-07-28. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
- ^ Swanson, Stevenson (2003-05-14). "Star grazing". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2020-05-23. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
- ^ Vettel, Phil (2004-06-03). "Chef to leave Trio for own 'evolution'". Chicago Tribune. pp. 2C.2. ISSN 1085-6706. Retrieved 2023-07-28 – via ProQuest.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ McLaughlin, Katy (2005-01-06). "Eating Around: Restaurant Web Sites". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 2023-07-24. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Walkup, Carolyn (2005-03-14). "On the Menu: Alinea, Chicago". Culinary Currents. Nation's Restaurant News. 39 (11). New York: Lebhar-Friedman: 28. ISSN 0028-0518 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b Krummert, Bob (May 2005). "Chicago: New Epicenter of Eats". Observer. Restaurant Hospitality. 89 (5). Cleveland: Informa. ISSN 0147-9989. Retrieved 2023-07-24 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Enna, Renee (2005-02-23). "TV time for local duo". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-07-24 – via ProQuest.
Food & Wine profiles Chicago chef Grant Achatz and his highly creative approach to food, which will soon be showcased when his restaurant, Alinea, opens in the coming months. (Case in point: He'll have a 30-item tasting menu.)