I finally went to the restaurant show in Chicago. I was warned that it made the New York show seem puny. It did. I reacted to it much the same way I do to museums…too much! Overwhelming! You need a curator. Well, I did have curators and it was our own Nils Noren, our VP of Culinary Arts and David Arnold our Director of Culinary Technology. We were on the prowl to find some equipment for our new expansion at The International Culinary Center. In addition Nils and David were in demand to show off some of their latest findings in probing the science of cooking. The object of their attention these days is the humble french fry. They did a fascinating demo. If you want the scoop on making the perfect french fry. Check out their blog, Cooking Issues.
My advice about the Chicago show is, if you know why you’re going and are looking for equipment, it’s a gold mine. If you are just ambling through to get a sense of trends, it’s mind boggling. However Chicago is a great eating town, and so any excuse is worth going there.
I will make one culinary observation. I must admit I was feeling a little under the weather and did not eat in the hot restaurants. I was looking for a good diner. In Chicago there’s a legendary one. It’s called Tempo. I was there one evening just to have a cup of noodle soup. It was good but everyone around me was raving about the omelettes. When I was feeling a bit better I went back to have a taste and it was mind blowing. I had the spinach and feta omelette. It was served in it’s own frying pan over roast potatoes. The omelette itself tasted almost cakey, but without the flour. The texture was light and airy but substantial. I loved it! Does anyone know their secret? I think it is baked. I have to say, I am more and more impressed with Chicago every time I visit.
