What Chefs Know
■ In a town obsessed with Michelin stars and tasting menus, chefs have achieved the kind of cachet we used to associate around here with pro athletes. But our fantasies of the cool chef life are not their everyday realities. To pull back the curtain, Chicago spoke, on condition of anonymity, to 16 of the city’s top chefs. A few are from high-end restaurants down-town; others preside over critically acclaimed indie spots; still others run hip neighborhood cafés. They talked about burnout, drunk customers, the tyranny of Yelp, and why people need to learn the difference between an allergy and an aversion. Here, in their own words, is what they know—and what they wish we knew before walking through their doors.
I. “What We Do Is Entertainment”
I think a lot of times chefs put things on the menu to confuse diners. Not maliciously, but they want you to ask a question so the server can go into an explanation of how much work and preparation went into a dish.
We want so much to be creative and cutting edge, but over time you realize you really can’t go too far. Did I think I’d have Brussels sprouts on my menu nine years after I thought they were done and over with? I can’t take them off.
I think Michelin made this town insane. You’re not cooking for your customers anymore, you’re cooking for a tire guide.
It’s very hard to have a menu without a chocolate dessert. If I don’t have one, people will just ask me for pieces of chocolate. I’m like, Are you serious? You need chocolate that badly?
