![]() But it's nice to see that where technology or cutting-edge tools can be applied to make the food better, Keller can't have missed many opportunities.įor the next few weeks, Geek Gestalt will be on Road Trip 2010. Daniel Terdiman/CNETĪll in all, though, these are still kitchens, and what really dominates these high-energy-but amazingly orderly spaces-is the flash of cutting knives, the smells of roasting meats, the colors of garden-fresh tomatoes, and the sizzle of a pan. ![]() But I do have a nose, and I can say without question that what these top-notch professionals produce create aromas that themselves are worth serious money.Ī rack of fresh tomatoes in a reach-in refrigerator at Per Se. Keller's establishments bar code their many bottles, and have a computerized inventory system that allows for real-time tracking of what has been ordered, what's still on the shelf and which vintages need to be replenished.Īs of this writing, I haven't eaten at either Per Se or French Laundry, so I can't confirm for you firsthand that the dishes are as sublime as I've heard. Naturally, there's more-things like induction burners that can cook rapidly without the need to apply direct heat geothermal air conditioning (French Laundry) that cools rooms by pulling air from shafts dug twenty feet or more below ground a fantastic machine called a Paco Jet that allows for extremely smooth made-to-order ice cream and the programmable Rational oven, a system that allows for cooking everything from pastries to meat at precise temperatures, for exact amounts of time.Īnd because these are high-end restaurants, there's some technology thrown into the wine cellar too. That's a good thing, but what makes it even better is that the software can issue email alarms to key people if a fridge's temperature rises and stays too high-because, say, someone left a door open. The technology is called Temp Trak, and it's a system of sensors installed in each fridge, and linked wirelessly to a computer system that allows staffers to see near real-time temperature readings of every cooler. And at Per Se, the team can rely on a sophisticated system to ensure that their fridges stay as cold as they're supposed to be. Similarly, Keller might confit a piece of lamb in duck fat and canola oil at 59.5 degrees for 45 minutes and come out with the start of a fantastic dish.Īs you can imagine, keeping fresh food at desired temperatures is key in the rarefied air of a Per Se or French Laundry kitchen. To prepare a lobster, for example, Keller would poach it in butter, and then make an emulsion of water and butter and mix it in with the crustacean, and let it circulate overnight, Orlando said. It's also not always necessary to vacuum seal everything, said Matt Orlando, a sous chef at Per Se. This both extends the shelf life of the item, especially with protein-heavy foods, by stopping the oxygenation process, and also lets the staff cook it in a special tank of water. Starting with an industrial vacuum packer called an Ultravac, the staff at both restaurants-and many others, of course-can bag some sort of food, say a piece of fish that's had some mousse applied to it, or a cepe (a type of mushroom) straight from the garden, and suck all the air out of the bag. ![]() If you've ever used a FoodSaver-a popular vacuum-packing system-you might find another one of Keller's favorite systems, known as sous-vide, quite familiar. They can also taunt each other, as the Yountville staff sometimes does when it brings in some particularly wonderful looking vegetables from the lovely garden The French Laundry maintains across the road from the restaurant building. Daniel Terdiman/CNETīut there's also a practical purpose too: They can see how a dish is being prepared they can see what's being cooked for an evening's menu a fellow at Per Se working garde manager can see how his counterpart in Yountville is doing it and they can consult with each other about any number of things. It's even used to taunt, by showing, as seen here, some of The French Laundry's garden fresh vegetables-Per Se doesn't have a vegetable garden. The French Laundry/Per Se videoconferencing system allows cooks in both kitchens to see what's happening in the other in real time.
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