Below are the menus from the first two Studio Kitchen / Ideas in Food collaborations between Shola Olunloyo and Alex Talbott, held earlier this year in Philadelphia, at undisclosed locations. IDSK3 will be held October 2 & 3 (we’ll be back).
Time fades memory and I never take good enough notes at something like this, but both meals were superb (preferred the former, slightly). Both chefs are serious practitioners of molecular gastronomy. The meals were very interactive - diners all at one table, a lot of chat with the chefs, and the freedom to roam around and watch what was going on in the kitchen. Everyone brought great wine, too.
Brief recollections from IDSK1 – the first four were served together – especially loved the watercress ice cream. The gnocchi was fab. The chicken marsala was great – because the textures were nothing that you expect, but the flavors were. The steak was great – cooked sous vide and finished on the grill – the compressed melon had a great, substantial texture and deeper flavors.
IDSK1 - May 2009
Liquid Lovage
crabmeat
Cream of Watercress Ice Cream
sake cured steelhead trout roe, croissant croustillant
Wild King Salmon
pecorino, fava beans, pimenton
Mozzarella Pudding
frozen rhubarb, olive oil
Russet Potato Gnocchi
ramp leaves, country ham, shaved l’etivaz
Wild King Salmon
grilled zucchini puree, lemongrass sabayon, rye bread
Chicken Marsala
egg yolk, morels, nasturtium
Skirt Steak
honeydew melon, rosemary, fermented vadouvan
Langres
strawberry-lychee mostarda, red ribbon sorrel
Aero Chocolate
blood orange infusion, crispy cashews
Brief recollections from IDSK2 – corn pudding and urchin was divine and reminiscent of Robuchon. The egg yolk – cooked at a low temp for two hours – was beautiful and delicious. The foie marble was grown-up PB&J. The cavatelli was amazing – with the geoduck ground to a texture that the sauce felt like a traditional meat sauce, but flavors hinted to the sea. The pig cheek was (to my Southern roots) a BBQ on a very tiny modern plate (as the goose egg had been breakfast on a tiny, modern plate).
IDSK2 – July 2009
Mango-Yogurt Sorbet
wild char roe, arugula
Corn Pudding
smoked sea urchin
Goose Egg Yolk
chorizo-chanterelle hash, garden herbs
Foie Gras Marble
blueberry, pistachio, cantaloupe
Softshell Crab Tempura
old bay, honeydew raita
Ramp Top Cavatelli
geoduck clam sauce
Sweetbreads
lemon verbena, pickled watermelon rind
Pig Cheek
cornbread, collard greens, red cola sauce
Sangria Squab
berbere potsticker, kohlrabi
Delice de Bourgogne Burrata
fennel, green olive oil
Carrot-Bacon Cake
blood orange marmalade ice cream, maple vinegar
http://studiokitchen.typepad.com/" onclick=“window.open(this.href);return false;
http://blog.ideasinfood.com/” onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;