Raising eyebrows in Durban with the mention of a traditional dish.
Food and heritage are inextricably linked. Every culture has its food or drink-related traditions, and within that are variations based on region, class, or other such particularities that unite and divide groups of people.
Most cultures boast some form of the dumpling or stuffed pocket. Meat in tube-form also has many permutations throughout the world.
Yet, as this article gets at quite nicely, food - though it can be a unifying link - is also often one of those wedges that distinguishes one culture from another, one social group from another, one person from another.
In reading and re-reading this article, I chewed and chewed on the idea that we, as people, focus too much on what divides us. We blatantly ignore ties, connections, similarities, because we can and feel as though we should. I am better than that person. My culture is more sophisticated than their’s. I am above this all.
Yet, we all have desires. We all, to a certain extent, are stumbling to find our way in this world. And, in the most basic way, require sustenance to keep us going, to keep us sated, to keep us happy.
Food, though it may divide us at times, can and should ultimately link us together. It is one thing that we all need, and can call appreciate in our individual ways.
So, should you be sitting down at a linen strewn table, with thin-stemmed glasses full of the finest wine, or seated outside a dive of a place, eating bunny chow wrapped in newspaper, please respect one others’ traditions. We all have them, and (I hope) we can all appreciate their differences.
You say "sub," I say "hoagie." Let's look past the fact that these are actually steaks - cheesesteaks - and get into the background of these regionally-specific terms:
The acclaimed Chicago restaurant prepares to reopen with a fresh face and a theatrical outlook.
A common and tragic misstep in any field driven by consumers is to make something for which there is no demand; no audience. So, in reading this article, one of the first questions that came to mind was: “who is this for?” Who is Achatz’s target audience, and will the re-imagined and redesigned Alinea align with their expectations and desires?
I think to state that Achatz is only doing this for himself is actually to give him an easy out. The greater criticism, and perhaps the more accurate one, would be that Achatz has not successfully identified his audience; and, that in prioritizing his vision for such a precisely curated experience, he has lost track of a fundamental value of hospitality: to ensure enjoyment for one’s guests.
Would it be enjoyable to eat the described meal of marcona almonds, clamshell mushrooms and white asparagus in a white velouté, whilst sitting in silence? Perhaps. Where you lose me is with the instruction (“shut up, please”), the white coveralls worn by the waiters, and the harsh lighting. What exactly is the concept here? How is it supposed to make me, the diner, feel? Why? To enhance/compliment the food? Is theatrics the new wine pairing? Has Achatz asked himself any of these questions?
My guess is that he has. But, I will also go so far as to say that he may not have asked too many people beyond his immediate circle those questions. If he had, he might have a more informed approach to his redesign.
Though there are those diners seeking one-of-a-kind experiences, for whom exclusivity and dramatic flare might be an attraction, I question whether this is Achatz’s sole target audience. What about those diners who care deeply about food, and the dining experience?
I’m sure that Achatz food will still be exceptional. But, from this article, it is unclear to me whether it is the food that is central to the Alinea experience. And, if not the food, then what? I, for one, don’t think that foraging for my next course will (in the setting of an urban restaurant) actually enhance my enjoyment of the thing I am about to consume. And, is this to say that a truffle, mushroom, etc., cannot be evocative of that foraging experience? Doesn’t food itself have the power to transport us, conjure memories, spark emotion?
It may be unfair to say that Achatz’s target audience wouldn’t want the things he is offering. Some may. But, what about those that care simply for the food? Or those who are splurging on a nice meal for a special occasion, and who (perhaps, absurdly) want to simply enjoy themselves? Are these folks not part of the target audience?
Perhaps they should just go elsewhere. Alinea may not be for them. No place or experience can be designed for everyone. But, if not for everyone, for whom and why was this new Alinea experience designed? I think that is still the question.
DIY Happy Hour: Jeff Bell at Manhattan’s PDT (one of the best bars in the world) freezes coconut water and a mix of fruit juices, then blends them with rum to make a terrific, superfresh version of the classic cocktail.
Keepin’ it simple and classy with a Rhône white. Apples, lemon, candlewax, vanilla, ginger, and fennel on the nose. Ripe apple flesh - some fresh, some browning - underripe stone fruit, a touch of cashews, lemon, and a hint of tarte tatin on the palate.
Five years ago, I traveled to Mumbai. Having a list like this would have been extremely useful and productive. I traveled with a school group, and we were pressured into eating the hotel food - it was included with the price of our travel. Subsequently, many of my fellow-travelers got sick - like, sick as dogs.
The common misconception is that it is street food that will get you sick. Let me set the record straight. Get out and get hungry, because that hotel food made for tourists aint gonna help you! Eat what the locals are eating, and avoid terrible stomachs. Also, enjoy yourself along the way! Afterall,you’re in Mumbai!
dailybridgerton
tangentwithtanner
titsay
prguitarman
blakekathryn
