So with an offhanded comment in a local New York publication inviting me to come and stage (intern in French pronounced with an AHGEE like mirage) at his restaurant, I found myself just a few days later speaking with Grant Achatz confirming the details for the few shorts days I would be spending in the kitchen at Alinea. The timing wasn’t the best as he was going to be presenting at Madrid Fusion the same week we were planning our Chicago dinner, so I came out the week prior for a few days of abuse and learning.
After hearing that her conversation had sparked my impending collision with the kitchen at Alinea, Jordana, TONY journalist, asked me if I would be kind enough to write about my experiences and take some photos from the short time I was going to be staging at Alinea. Owing her at least this much I did my best at capitulating all of the details and information I could.
These words were broken into a three part story that was posted on TimeOut NY in early February, 2009.
Inside Alinea: Inside Alinea – The Slideshow
As are most things in this world, the slide show for TimeOut NY has been edited and subsequently contains only a select number of the photos that were captured during my short time in the kitchen at Alinea. Therefore, for you enjoyment, please fine below the entire collection.
Please click on the little I in the upper right hand corner of the photo to provide you with a brief (or sometime lengthy) description of each photograph and its context.
Stage At Alinea
[img title="Potatoes to be peeled" alt="Peeling Potatoes - It was this menial task that I waited for until the beginning of my second shift. It was with great pride that I peeled these potatoes for Dave Beran and made some tasty chips. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000111.jpg"][img title="Black Truffles" alt="Here is a collection of black truffles that will easily surpass your rent. These were thinly sliced and then pressure cooked to be reduced into a juice." src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000112.jpg"][img title="Fish Prep" alt="Sous Chef John breaking down fish for the evening's service while I prepared these trays for making a cauliflower custard with carrageenan " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000114.jpg"][img title="The Hot Pass" alt="Here is a quick glimpse at the hot pass during prep. The huge piece of beef was systematically broken down over the course of about an hour by Chef Achatz while a hundred other things went on around him in a flurry. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000116.jpg"][img title="The Hot Line" alt="Here is a little peek at the hot line during prep. One of the amazing things about the kitchen at Alinea is that it is very flexible. Here you can see an induction burner working, which was moved across the room right after this was finished. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000117.jpg"][img title="Rum Spheres" alt="These are rum spheres that are made with sodium alginate and calcium lactate. They are part of the "Spice Cake" dessert and are being rinsed here in fresh water after being formed. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000119.jpg"][img title="The Cold Pass" alt="Here is a group of other stages working furiously at the cold pass line getting ready for service. Bob is the older gentleman in the middle there. He is from Perth and he had the hugest knife ever and was really rad but felt out of place with the science. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000123.jpg"][img title="Hot line during service" alt="This was easily the busiest part of the kitchen. Putting out all of the hot entrees and most of the hot starting courses as well. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000124.jpg"][img title="Lobster Powder" alt="This is Lobster Powder. It was tasty and delicious and seems to be easy to make. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000127.jpg"][img title="Achatz and Nick Kokonas owner of Alinea" alt="Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas the owner of Alinea speaking before service. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000129.jpg"][img title="Waygu beef" alt="Here chef Dave Beran is preparing a Japanese charcoal grilled or waygu beef" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000130.jpg"][img title="The Hot Pass - Service" alt="Here you can see the hot pass in full swing in the middle of dinner service. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000132.jpg"][img title="Coffee Air" alt="These little bowls in the front of the frame are designed to be super heated and then filled with spices and then that black river rock is also super heated and placed on top of the spices and covered. The heat releases an amazing aroma as the dinner eats the dish. (paired with the lamb)" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000134.jpg"][img title="Verical plating " alt="Here is the beginning of the vertical chestnut plating" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000147.jpg"][img title="Chestnut Finished" alt="Here the chestnut dish is finished being plated and is ready for service where the waiter will lift the glass tube and let the dish fall on the plate. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000151.jpg"][img title="The Start of turbot" alt="Here is the beginning of the very complicated Turbot Plating. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000136.jpg"][img title="Seafood Pudding" alt="A bit of seafood pudding is added which is made from a seafood fume and agar" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000138.jpg"][img title="Potatoes" alt="Whipped potatoes added" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000139.jpg"][img title="Turbot" alt="here the turbot is added and covered in a butter sauce" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000141.jpg"][img title="Finished Turbot" alt="Covered with chamomile gel, shellfish, celery, celery leaves, and saffron puffs. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000143.jpg"][img title="Delicate Fingers" alt="Here chef Andrew Graves delicate fingers place the incredibly thin sauce gel on top of the turbot. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000149.jpg"][img title="Little tweezer" alt="A little last minute tweezer action on some turbot getting ready to go out the dinning room. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000145.jpg"][img title="The formidible Lamb" alt="This long dish was the Lamb dish that we fought over blindly. Once i saw its proper composition it became clear what we needed to do to create it. it was a marvel to watch it come together. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000153.jpg"][img title="More lamb" alt="Lamb Neck, Sous Vide Fennel, Lamb Tongue" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000154.jpg"][img title="Coffee Air" alt="The hot stone is covered in the spice and coffee blend right before the Lamb dish is served. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000155.jpg"][img title="An Amazing chocolate dessert" alt="this was plated about 30 minutes before it was needed so that the pastry chefs could help on the hot line and once it was called for it was finished in a few quick moves. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000148.jpg"][img title="Spice cake" alt="This is the infamous spice cake awaiting service. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000146.jpg"][img title="The Hot pass and bob" alt="Hi bob" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000150.jpg"][img title="Finishing touches" alt="With a hyssop glass that was incredibly difficult to make and added little in the way of flavoring but was out of this world beautiful. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000156.jpg"][img title="Hot pass at the end of service" alt="Right before the team meeting began here was the " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000157.jpg"][img title="Team meeting one" alt="Chef Achatz with a group of senior chefs" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000158.jpg"][img title="Craig" alt="Craig, our man on the inside. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000163.jpg"]
![[img title="Potatoes to be peeled" alt="Peeling Potatoes - It was this menial task that I waited for until the beginning of my second shift. It was with great pride that I peeled these potatoes for Dave Beran and made some tasty chips. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000111.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000111.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Black Truffles" alt="Here is a collection of black truffles that will easily surpass your rent. These were thinly sliced and then pressure cooked to be reduced into a juice." src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000112.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000112.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Fish Prep" alt="Sous Chef John breaking down fish for the evening's service while I prepared these trays for making a cauliflower custard with carrageenan " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000114.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000114.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The Hot Pass" alt="Here is a quick glimpse at the hot pass during prep. The huge piece of beef was systematically broken down over the course of about an hour by Chef Achatz while a hundred other things went on around him in a flurry. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000116.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000116.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The Hot Line" alt="Here is a little peek at the hot line during prep. One of the amazing things about the kitchen at Alinea is that it is very flexible. Here you can see an induction burner working, which was moved across the room right after this was finished. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000117.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000117.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Rum Spheres" alt="These are rum spheres that are made with sodium alginate and calcium lactate. They are part of the "Spice Cake" dessert and are being rinsed here in fresh water after being formed. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000119.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000119.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The Cold Pass" alt="Here is a group of other stages working furiously at the cold pass line getting ready for service. Bob is the older gentleman in the middle there. He is from Perth and he had the hugest knife ever and was really rad but felt out of place with the science. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000123.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000123.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Hot line during service" alt="This was easily the busiest part of the kitchen. Putting out all of the hot entrees and most of the hot starting courses as well. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000124.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000124.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Lobster Powder" alt="This is Lobster Powder. It was tasty and delicious and seems to be easy to make. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000127.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000127.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Achatz and Nick Kokonas owner of Alinea" alt="Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas the owner of Alinea speaking before service. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000129.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000129.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Waygu beef" alt="Here chef Dave Beran is preparing a Japanese charcoal grilled or waygu beef" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000130.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000130.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The Hot Pass - Service" alt="Here you can see the hot pass in full swing in the middle of dinner service. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000132.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000132.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Coffee Air" alt="These little bowls in the front of the frame are designed to be super heated and then filled with spices and then that black river rock is also super heated and placed on top of the spices and covered. The heat releases an amazing aroma as the dinner eats the dish. (paired with the lamb)" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000134.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000134.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Verical plating " alt="Here is the beginning of the vertical chestnut plating" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000147.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000147.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Chestnut Finished" alt="Here the chestnut dish is finished being plated and is ready for service where the waiter will lift the glass tube and let the dish fall on the plate. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000151.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000151.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The Start of turbot" alt="Here is the beginning of the very complicated Turbot Plating. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000136.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000136.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Seafood Pudding" alt="A bit of seafood pudding is added which is made from a seafood fume and agar" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000138.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000138.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Potatoes" alt="Whipped potatoes added" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000139.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000139.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Turbot" alt="here the turbot is added and covered in a butter sauce" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000141.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000141.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Finished Turbot" alt="Covered with chamomile gel, shellfish, celery, celery leaves, and saffron puffs. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000143.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000143.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Delicate Fingers" alt="Here chef Andrew Graves delicate fingers place the incredibly thin sauce gel on top of the turbot. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000149.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000149.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Little tweezer" alt="A little last minute tweezer action on some turbot getting ready to go out the dinning room. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000145.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000145.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The formidible Lamb" alt="This long dish was the Lamb dish that we fought over blindly. Once i saw its proper composition it became clear what we needed to do to create it. it was a marvel to watch it come together. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000153.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000153.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="More lamb" alt="Lamb Neck, Sous Vide Fennel, Lamb Tongue" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000154.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000154.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Coffee Air" alt="The hot stone is covered in the spice and coffee blend right before the Lamb dish is served. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000155.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000155.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="An Amazing chocolate dessert" alt="this was plated about 30 minutes before it was needed so that the pastry chefs could help on the hot line and once it was called for it was finished in a few quick moves. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000148.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000148.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Spice cake" alt="This is the infamous spice cake awaiting service. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000146.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000146.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="The Hot pass and bob" alt="Hi bob" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000150.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000150.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Finishing touches" alt="With a hyssop glass that was incredibly difficult to make and added little in the way of flavoring but was out of this world beautiful. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000156.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000156.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Hot pass at the end of service" alt="Right before the team meeting began here was the " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000157.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000157.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Team meeting one" alt="Chef Achatz with a group of senior chefs" src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000158.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000158.jpg){kind=link}
![[img title="Craig" alt="Craig, our man on the inside. " src="http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/thumbs/thumbs_p1000163.jpg"]](http://www.arazorashinyknife.com/wp-content/gallery/stageatalinea/p1000163.jpg){kind=link}
So_n_so
on Feb 4th, 2010
@ 19:22:
Of course, I am totally jealous. Grant is a funny dude…I asked him about how much a role OCD played in his work. He said that you have to have it to go to the extent that they do. My dinner at Alinea was such an eye-opener. Can’t wait to cook with youze guyz.