A Day in the life... Alinea

What do you think of when you read about the top rated restaurants in the world? Do you see menus that have words and phrases you don't understand? Are there servers walking around with serviettes draping over their crisp black jackets? These impressions or presumptions of fine dining are based on your knowledge of what the classical restaurant heroes were portraying. To be honest, that is what i imagine when I hear about two or three star Michelin rated restaurants. News flash, its not true at all. Not anymore at least.

When I think of the world's greatest, I think of spotless kitchens, Beautifully organized walk-in coolers with everything lined up perfectly having labels and dates stuck perfectly to them. Even the tape of the label is cut at a precise 90 degree angle. These signs, this attention to detail is what elevates a restaurant from good to great. Having a staff that cares about even the smallest of details will create an environment that is constantly urging each other to be better.

On June 19, 2015, I got to experience a day in the kitchen run by one of the most creative minds of our generation; Alinea. And might I add, what an incredible experience. To work in a kitchen again that has standards above and beyond what the norm requires was such an honor. (even if it was for a day). To really experience the kitchen of Alinea, I had the privelage of working side by side with Chef Achatz' right hand man, Chef Mike Bagale.

The entire kitchen looks like one central highway with two service roads on either side. Each side of the service road is where all the cooks prep and execute service. The center highway is where the sous chefs, the runners and Chef walk up and down keeping a vigilant eye on the quality of each dish. From 10:30 am until 1 am, the kitchen is eerily quiet. You must close the door by hand every single time to eliminate any sound. When placing a pot on the french stove top, it must be as gentle as laying a baby in a crib. Every motion, every step is meticulously calculated to be precise and quiet, It requires the utmost discipline to do this every single day, all day, 6 days a week.

During my stage, I was allowed to help plate a new dish throughout service. It was a simple, small dish that had 9 perfectly placed garnishes. To make 80 throughout the entire night was tedious yet exhilarating. As service progressed, I was able to perfect the plate and recreate each and every time the original plate design. That is the whole purpose of having so many people in such a prominent kitchen. There is the man power to have one or two dishes completely fabricated from start to finish from one person. It truly was quite an experience that I will never forget,