How did Per Se get 2 stars from the NYT?

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
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I think the quality of food in the South is less dependent on class or race, and more on population density. Rural southerners tended to eat better than urban and suburban southerners. Thus, I’d change (1) to “a potluck at a Southern church.” You’re going to find largely the same dishes, made with the same care and love, at potluck dinners at both white and black churches. Home-grown fresh produce is also quite common in the poor, rural South, and if you pay attention while driving through those areas (which means that you aren’t on the interstate), you’ll notice how many homes have vegetable gardens and how many roadside produce stands sell local produce to local residents.

102

I shaved off 2 weeks as part of my new “brevity is the soul of wit” campaign, but the 7 1/2 weeks included the “blind tasting”…

103

sad that he needs to be told how his business is performing by a newspaper. Where is the management in this story?

104

Your life was changed in a lobster pound? Ooo-Kaay. I think I’ll leave that one to other’s imaginations… champagne.gif [snort.gif] newhere

105

I haven’t eaten at Per Se, so I can’t and haven’t commented on the food prep or service there. I have eaten at The French Laundry a number of times; both before Keller opened Per Se and after. In my opinion, the nights I ate at The French Laundry when Keller was not in the kitchen, the food wasn’t as good nor was the service. I quit going there because of this. A chef cannot be in two places at one time, especially a continent apart, live video notwithstanding.

Just an fyi: Per Se is owned by the house. Or was when it was originally built (I don’t have current info), just like every big-name-chef restaurant in the big Las Vegas hotels.

106

The man loves slogans, cliches. Apparently it’s time to get back to cooking.

107

owned by the house means what leased space or Keller manages it for a fee?

108

Many varying iterations, but some combination of a management fee, incentives, partnership/equity interest, etc. I imagine that Keller has pretty good leverage and gets as much or more than anyone else. Of course, in these types of arrangements, the house pays all of the costs of construction, FF&E, and the cellar. The Related Companies, which developed Time Warner Center, wanted all of those big name restaurants. And paid for them.

109

Not sure what legs it might have around here, Mark, but a vigorous thread on empire-building chefs, celebrity chefs, whatever we want to call them, some of whom have not spent any real time in the kitchen in years, might be interesting. (When Joe Bastianich becomes a star on Italian television, it could be time to ask hard questions about ownership, management and cooking!) Even a list of conglomerate chefs, those who have become brands rather than artists, could be instructive…Emeril, Ducasse, Keller, Robuchon, Palmer, Puck, Chang off the top of my head. And the phenomenon is global as well. Several top Italian chefs now spend all of their time in front of TV cameras. And then there is Gordon Ramsey, who spouts obscenities in a dozen languages…

110

Just a theory–in order for a chef to run multiple restaurants at a consistently high level, they need to have a network of knowledgeable friends who are willing to tell them when things aren’t tip-top. As a practical matter, a chef can impose high standards when they’re physically in each restaurant, but those standards can and do decline when the chef is elsewhere. Which is why the chefs have to have a network of knowledgeable friends who will tell them the truth, as opposed to having friends who just want to suck up to Chef So-And-So to make an impression with their foodie friends.

Bruce

111

great idea bill. i couldn’t contribute much, but it’s something i’ve wanted to learn about for years.

112

It would be fun just to put together a list of all chefs who have become brands instead of cooks. I will start one…

113

I ate at Per Se when they 1st opened. This was before they received their rating. It was one of the most amazing meals ever. The wait staff truly were like the ballet dancers that train them. Always there but you never saw or noticed them. The service was impeccable and the wine glasses were never empty or full. Dessert was amazing also. However 1 person in our party didnt finish what Per Se called their version of the snickers bar. The waiter asked if anything was wrong and my friend said it was fine but a little chalky. The reaction was equally amazing as the staff insisted on serving us 5 more desserts each concluding with a private tour of the kitchen. They clearly were out to impress.

It it hard to stay on top!

114

Chef connotes a management/executive type position/role. I’ll grant you that it’s only in the past 2-3 decades that “name” chefs have branched into multiple restaurants without the possibility of everyday in-kitchen supervision. However, characterizing Keller, Bouley, etc as cooks is misleading, they started as cooks but rose up the ranks.

Bastianich is a restauranteur and on solid ground managing multiple locations in sofar as typical customer expectations, you’re free to judge him on his product.

115

I am free to judge him on whatever basis I want, including stealing tips from waitstaff. I doubt that he plays any role other than titular in the Batali-Bastianich empire. His mamma and Batali are the chefs, to whom Joe owes everything. Oscar Farinetti no doubt keeps his fingers on the pulse of the Eataly New York franchise. As it turns out, however, Batali and Lidia Bastianich would make my proposed list, but Joe Bastianich would not, absent some showing that he cooks for bucks…

116

Bouley still works the kitchen at Bouley periodically and if you catch it on a day when he’s in there it’s like a different restaurant. I’ve had it happen twice and one time, curiously, was lunch service on New Years Day.

117

You’re right, Bouley is more likely an example of a chef that is actively involved in the day to day restaurant cooking. He has four restaurants each of which is located in downtown Manhattan.

118

i’ve seen jean georges at jean georges more times than not. with places all over the world, i like that he spends a good deal of time at his flagship.
i don’t know what exactly that means for all the other places.

119

Fred: Excellent post and unfortunately, quite true. I have had many exquisite dinners at the French Laundry and although expensive, it was not insane. Our last meal there was very average and we will no longer return. As far as Per Se, this review actually saddens me. We have only been once, relatively soon after it opened, and the experience was sublime. I felt the overall experience to be superior to the French Laundry as the service seemed more “polished.” Again relatively expensive for the time frame, but still affordable for a special dinner. I guess as I have gotten older these 4 digit dinners have lost their appeal. In addition, the thought of arrogant service just turns me off completely. They are not doing me a favor by allowing me to dine there and sometimes I fee that is the prevailing sentiment. I have met Mr. Keller several times and he is an extremely passionate and engaging man. I doubt he will ever lower the prices but I do believe he will get the restaurant back on track.

Cheers!
Marshall [cheers.gif]

120

Jay, bear in mind that there’s a reason the South is called the stroke belt, and it’s not unrelated to diet.