Line cooks are the unsung heroes of a restaurant kitchen. They’re the crew that plates your tartare and cleans out the deep fryer each night time. The crew that stays late so you may order half the menu 5 minutes earlier than closing—after which organizes, sanitizes, and prepares each inch of a restaurant earlier than it opens the subsequent day. These often-overlooked culinary professionals will quickly play a starring position, although, in a sequence of Monday night time dinners beginning September 11 known as The Lineup.
The sequence, which returns for 3 nights this month and options cooks from NYC eating places Bonnie’s, Rolo’s and The Four Horsemen, is the brainchild of chef and At present Present Culinary Contributor Elena Besser. She got here up with the idea after working for a yr and a half on the opening crew of Missy Robbins’ famed restaurant, Lilia, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
That have impressed Elena to place collectively a crew that celebrates the behind-the-scenes work that line cooks do by bringing them entrance and heart for diners.
Picture by Ramon Martinez
“It is a platform to realize expertise and the boldness to probably take the subsequent step of their careers, or simply really feel reinvigorated by the restaurant business typically,” stated Elena. It’s additionally an opportunity for head cooks—who will likely be in attendance—to point out assist for his or her employees.
“Nice folks will gravitate towards supportive work environments,” Elena stated. “It may even encourage the collaborating cooks to remain at their restaurant even longer due to their love for the chef and the work tradition the restaurant supplies.”
The Lineup offers every cook dinner the chance to run their very own restaurant for the night time, beginning with concepting and curating the menu. The cooks then work with the Lineup crew to deliver their imaginative and prescient to life by way of desk settings, beverage curation, music, hiring kitchen and back-of-house employees—and offering constructive suggestions. Stated Elena: “They workshop their meals…to make it as nice as it may possibly probably be and execute it efficiently for service.”
Every dinner is held on a Monday night time, historically the designated time without work for a lot of restaurant professionals, with two seatings (at 5:30 pm and eight:30 pm, respectively) at Hudson Desk in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Tickets are $195 and embrace a gap chew and welcome cocktail, adopted by a curated, five-course menu and wine pairing. (Professional tip: On the time of writing, you may discover probably the most availability for the 5:30 seating on September 11 with Angness Kim of the popular Cantonese-American restaurant, Bonnie’s, and the September 25 dinner with Jonathan Vogt of the Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning restaurant, The 4 Horsemen).
For those who go, you’ll discover Food52 on the desk, too—dinnerware pieces from our Shop will likely be used to plate each scrumptious course from the next cooks.
September eleventh: Agness Kim, Sous Chef, Bonnie’s
From The Lineup: “Chef Agness grew up in Flushing, Queens right here in New York, and her delicacies is closely influenced by the healthful meals her mom cooked for her as a toddler. Her menu is whimsical and nostalgic, and pays tribute to each her Korean heritage and American upbringing. Agness has beforehand labored at Zahav in Philadelphia, Upland, Misi, and Win Son.”
September 18th: Nadine Ghantous, Sous Chef, Rolo’s
From The Lineup: “Born and raised in a small city outdoors of Philadelphia, Nadine’s menu is closely impressed by her Lebanese background and household who instilled in her a deep ardour for meals. Served family-style, Nadine’s menu will mix each her heritage and up to date culinary background. Nadine has beforehand labored at Lilia.”
September twenty fifth: Jonathan Vogt, Line Prepare dinner, The 4 Horsemen
From The Lineup: “Chef Jonathan grew up in Virginia Seaside, working in native eating places there earlier than shifting to New York for culinary college. His strategy to meals goals to show that the very best eating experiences make the most of masterful strategies to let easy components shine. Chef Jonathan’s menu celebrates his philosophy that the best meals, fantastically ready, is what makes true positive eating. Jonathan has beforehand labored at Loring Place and Don Angie.”
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Know of any unsung cooks The Lineup ought to characteristic subsequent? Tell us within the feedback.
