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Modernist Cuisine Restaurant?

David_Quintana_63467

This could be a broad question. But as Chris can tell you after being in Charlotte, NC for a short period of time, but still coming back every now and again. This is something I have been toying with for quite some time now.
I love the idea of modernist cuisine, but our locals do not KNOW what to expect if they ever ate somewhere "coined" with that adjective. Look at places in Spain, New York, Chicago, California in much more diversified and much more adventurous people as we have here in NC. But this is truly the food i want to do. After staging at a place in SC (you guys were at his other restaurant this past weekend) and also the famed Michelin starred place in NY known for their gastronomy, i feel like this is the direction i want to go.
Do you guys think that Modernist Cuisine has to be gimicky? To me its about technique, manipulating textures to make the dish better, wowing people and giving them something they have not had before. its a DIFFERENT experience. its not about eating to fill your belly, its eating to be happy and enjoy yourself.
If you feel like your city has not experienced this before, would you feel very nervous about goin forward with your plan if you wanted to open a small restaurant/ bar or whatever. I know this is all over the place..i'm just trying to find my place in my own town. People know me, they know of me, the press has already coined me the guy that turns food into powder.. i know lame..but that was back in 2007/08 its almost expected of me if i ever did anything. sorry for the personal rant guys...but i like this site!

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David_Quintana_63467

oops correction not "your" city "my" city

Brendan_Lee_56950

Do you have to market the restaurant as a modernist restaurant? I think that at it's core modernist cuisine is there to make your food better in the best way science and technique will allow and I'm not sure people will argue with that idea. I think for me the best way to approach the idea is to just incorporate the techniques into a recipe and explain them on a menu rather than utilize them for gimmicky purposes to just illustrate the capability of something (i.e. powdered olive oil, etc.)

I'll give you an example. I live near DC so I frequent Jose Andres restaurants and he has started migrating some of the modern techniques from his restaurant Minibar to his tapas restaurant Jaleo. When I was there a month or two ago we sat down and the waiter was explaining the new addition to the appetizer menu which was his olive juice ravioli. It's very basic spherification but listening to the waiter fumble with the nomenclature, and watching the face of the two girls my wife and I were dining with (my wife hears me talk about this stuff all the time so at least she got it) it was really disappointing to see how it was received. Nobody wanted to try it, people thought it was gimmicky, and it generally felt out of place but I think it was all due to the presentation by the waiter and how it was labeled on the menu.

David_Quintana_63467

i totally agree. I dont think marketing it as such would be a good idea. I know restaurants that have been "known" for this type of gimmicky cooking but have steered away from it.. But you know when you go to WD50, or MiniBar, or Volt, or Moto, etc.. you know what they are about and their approach to cooking. I think there is a fine line of marketing this type of cuisine.

My personal opinion is to just do FOOD and incorporate great technique without advertising it..for example the salmon dish on the "sous vide" demo could be a course. its not overly over the top...but there's fantastic technique, it makes sense and its a great flavor combo tried and true.. no one wants a gelled cauliflower in the shape of a lego on their plate..

What is the fine line..

Brendan_Lee_56950

Agreed totally. And I very much understand your dilemma being in Charlotte. Unless its fried with ranch a lot of folks don't want it, I get that, but maybe that's how you lure people in. Give them the best damned fried chicken or fried fish ever using sous-vide and quality starches. I view WD50 and MiniBar, Volt, etc as destination restaurants where you make a trip to DC or NY to eat specifically at that restaurant and maybe it's a once in a lifetime thing. I don't see modernist cooking getting mainstream unless we can get a bit further away from that model and start to incorporate it into more local restaurants.

I wish you good luck man, this is something I hope catches like wildfire because nothing hurts me more than seeing an overcooked steak and gummy mashed potatoes at a steakhouse that is really not doing anything other than those two items.

David_Quintana_63467

well that is what my approach is on paper...i'll give you an excerpt from my menu:

“FRIED CHICKEN” BALONTINE Benton’s bacon, aligot potatoes,

artichoke barigoule 21

its just fried chicken and mashed potatoes when its all said and done

but my method is : debone the chicken wrap it back up..light coating..maybe use some batter bind, eggwash and fine panko for a nice even perfect coat.... its different take on it.

Sean brock is doin the south proud right now with Mccrady's and husk..I've spent a little time in that kitchen and the wall has shelving units in there with chemicals and powders out the ass...but its not advertised as such on the menu... BUT in 2007/08 it was very much advertised. I noticed it has definately toned that down after a while. now its just good food/great technique..done right!

Chris_Young_80640

@Dquintana – About to get on a plane to head back to Charlotte, but I'll add that we ate at McCready's the night before we went to Husk. Our meal was fantastic and entirely modernist, without being gimmicky at all. It was just really great cooking, with the techniques used to accomplish the result being entirely transparent.

David_Quintana_63467

Thats exactly my point Chris

David_Quintana_63467

I want Charlotte to be ready for something like that..

and i want to do it

David_Quintana_63467

where have you guys gone out to eat so far that you've been in town for a few days?