The final segment of writer & cook Robin Dutt’s journey across Northern United States to try over fifty different restaurants in order to gain a new perspective.
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Street Food is Culture and Culture Keeps Customers
While tasting menus and awards make the press, it’s the street food that makes the culture. It builds a community that can bond over food and feel pride in it. In each of the cities I visited, there was an iconic dish that every industry person and customer I befriended spoke of in high praise. In Detroit, there was the Lafayette Coney Island chili dog. In Pittsburgh, the Primanti Brothers sandwich is mentioned with pride. And in Philadelphia, there is the classic Philly cheesesteak with cheez whiz and sauteed onions, which I happily ordered at 7am from the iconic Geno’s. The biggest thing I realized is that this food was just simple food using cost-effective ingredients.
It’s About The Experience
And finally made it to Alinea. To top it off, my father was able to fly down to Chicago to join me for this meal. It was three hours long and 15 courses deep. There was a table-side fire and full table plating. They cleared everything off the table and plated the dessert right on the table to eat off of. It was an amazing experience.
Watching my father experience such a spectacle of culinary indulgence was magical. It was a combination of elements that provided an unforgettable experience. Beyond just the food, there was the service, polite and welcoming, and the streamlined decor. The speed and efficiency of the meal made three hours feel like a blink.
Going to a restaurant is about the experience of it all, not just about the food. Bad service can sabotage great food while amazing service can make awful food good. Just think of that sassy waitress at the truck stop calling you honey and making sure your coffee is topped off while you chew on cardboard burgers. A good restaurant covers all of its bases.
So now I have returned from the road. My dad had his chest ripped open and tubes reconnected. The time has come for me to get back into the kitchen and I can’t wait. Taking time out to go on the other side of the pass, become a civilian, and recharge was the smartest thing that I’ve ever done.
So the next time you’ve lost your mojo, perhaps a vacation isolating yourself from your work is not the best thing. Maybe you should indulge in what got you into it in the first place. If you are a video game programmer, play games. If you are a florist, visit the botanical gardens. If you are a fireman, set some fires.
Ok. Maybe not the last one.
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Read about Part One of Robin’s journey here.
The final segment of writer & cook Robin Dutt’s journey across Northern United States to try over fifty different restaurants in order to gain a new perspective.
---
Street Food is Culture and Culture Keeps Customers
While tasting menus and awards make the press, it's the street food that makes the culture. It builds a community that can bond over food and feel pride in it. In each of the cities I visited, there was an iconic dish that every industry person and customer I befriended spoke of in high praise. In Detroit, there was the Lafayette Coney Island chili dog. In Pittsburgh, the Primanti Brothers sandwich is mentioned with pride. And in Philadelphia, there is the classic Philly cheesesteak with cheez whiz and sauteed onions, which I happily ordered at 7am from the iconic Geno’s. The biggest thing I realized is that this food was just simple food using cost-effective ingredients.
It's About The Experience
And finally made it to Alinea. To top it off, my father was able to fly down to Chicago to join me for this meal. It was three hours long and 15 courses deep. There was a table-side fire and full table plating. They cleared everything off the table and plated the dessert right on the table to eat off of. It was an amazing experience.
Watching my father experience such a spectacle of culinary indulgence was magical. It was a combination of elements that provided an unforgettable experience. Beyond just the food, there was the service, polite and welcoming, and the streamlined decor. The speed and efficiency of the meal made three hours feel like a blink.
Going to a restaurant is about the experience of it all, not just about the food. Bad service can sabotage great food while amazing service can make awful food good. Just think of that sassy waitress at the truck stop calling you honey and making sure your coffee is topped off while you chew on cardboard burgers. A good restaurant covers all of its bases.
So now I have returned from the road. My dad had his chest ripped open and tubes reconnected. The time has come for me to get back into the kitchen and I can't wait. Taking time out to go on the other side of the pass, become a civilian, and recharge was the smartest thing that I’ve ever done.
So the next time you've lost your mojo, perhaps a vacation isolating yourself from your work is not the best thing. Maybe you should indulge in what got you into it in the first place. If you are a video game programmer, play games. If you are a florist, visit the botanical gardens. If you are a fireman, set some fires.
Ok. Maybe not the last one.
----
Read about Part One of Robin’s journey here.
