Posts Tagged ‘Wylie Dufresne’

Molecular Gastronomy Goes Mainstream in Manhattan

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Stock PhotoWylie Dufresne has been playing with his food à la Dr. Frankenstein for years, and while not all restaurants embrace his methods, many elements of his brand of molecular gastronomy have seeped into mainstream dining in the Big Apple. The New York Post reports on Dufresne, chef-owner of wd-50, Dave Arnold, resident mad scientist at the French Culinary Institute and its restaurant L’Ecole (who regularly  blogs about his “experiments” at the FCI), Michael Laiskonis, pastry chef at Le Bernardin, and George Mendes, chef-owner at Aldea, on their use of “meat glue” and other ingredients more likely found in a laboratory than your kitchen cupboard.

Are you a fan of molecular gastronomy’s transformative powers? Or do you prefer more traditional ingredients and techniques?

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Thanksgiving: What Would Wylie Do (and Daniel, Too)?

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Thanksgiving What Would Wylie Do Thanksgiving: What Would Wylie Do (and Daniel, Too)?Curious how some of today’s most well-known chefs would prepare Thanksgiving dinner? New York magazine reached out to a few, including wd-50’s Wylie Dufresne and Daniel Boulud (Bar Boulud, Café Boulud, Daniel, db Bistro Moderne, and DGBG Kitchen and Bar), to learn what they would do to a turkey and some of American diners’ favorite holiday sides. Find out what Daniel decided upon and what wiley molecular gastronomic spin Wylie put on his dinner. Which would you prefer to dine on?

On a related note, Bar Boulud, Café Boulud, Daniel, db Bistro Moderne, and DGBG Kitchen and Bar are all serving Thanksgiving dinner in New York this year. While wd-50 is not, we’re sure you’ll find similar seasonal fare on his menu throughout the fall (if you’re not adventurous enough to whip up his suggested dishes at in your own kitchen).

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Last Supper: What’s Your Ideal Final Meal?

Friday, October 30th, 2009

When world-renowned chef Thomas Keller (Ad Hoc, Bouchon, The French Laundry, Per Se) lost his beloved father in 2008, he was able to find a bit of comfort in the fact that he’d prepared, carefully and lovingly, his father’s final meal. Keller didn’t know it at the time, but the simple dish of barbecued chicken, mashed potatoes, and collard greens — followed by a seasonal strawberry shortcake — would be his dad’s last.

While Chef Keller doesn’t reveal what his last meal might be in this article, he did so in the entertaining and appetite-inspiring My Last Meal, along with other famous chefs, including Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Wylie Dufresne, and Daniel Boulud (who wants his last meal prepared by Alain Ducasse).

Last supper Last Supper: Whats Your Ideal Final Meal?My last meal would probably be cobbled together from a number of different restaurants. I might start with an ice-cold vodka Martini with Michael Mina’s truffled popcorn. Next, the oyster foie gras from Morimoto. Also, crispy poached eggs with caviar from Perry Street. It would take me a bit more time to narrow down my entree selection as it’s so hard to pick just one protein, but I would certainly want whatever it is with a side of craftsteak’s highly addictive Parker House rolls (I crave them fortnightly). Dessert is easy: anything from pastry chef Dominique Ansel at Daniel.

Which chef or restaurant would you want to prepare your last meal (many, many years from now, naturally!) and why? Share your thoughts on Facebook or right here!

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American Cuisine: What Does It Really Mean?

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

america American Cuisine: What Does It Really Mean?OpenTable diners recently selected their 50 favorite restaurants for American cuisine. But the Chicago Tribune’s Bill Daley wonders if anyone can even agree on what American cuisine specifically refers to. The James Beard Foundation posits that the U.S. is a nation of regional cuisines rather than one with a unifying national style of cooking. However, the wise Wylie Dufresne, the American master of molecular gastronomy, tells Daley, “What I like about the term ‘American cuisine’ is that it can encompass ingredients and techniques from around the world because that’s what it is.”

While the winners of the OpenTable 2009 Diners’ Choice awards for Best American Cuisine may vary in both method and menus, all do precisely what Mr. Dufresne, chef-owner of wd-50,  asserts — and, according to you, they do it very well.

Reserve a table to celebrate our country’s birthday in style this weekend.

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