PLATING and FLATWARE

[scmods]

I recently dined at Alinea in Chicago. Though the food was amazing, the plating of the food is what caught my eye. I understand that chefs friend who is an architect designed the flattware for him to go with each dish exclusively. My question is: How do you get into this line of work? I find it emmensly interesting to design the plate for a specific dish, but dont know how i would get started?

[Suzanne]

Ooh, lucky you!!

I can't really help on your "how do I break in?" question, other than to suppose that design training (and the contacts you'd make) would probably be a start. But for a pretty fascinating story about how Alinea was developed -- the food, the space, the serviceware, EVERY part of the experience -- have a look at The Alinea Project on eGullet. It's no longer possible to post to the discussion, but it still makes great reading!


BTW: since this isn't so much a cooking question as an equipment one (well, it's a little closer to that, anyway ), I'm moving it to the Cooking Equipment board. Maybe some smallware fanatics will have some ideas for you.

[chrose]

I have to kind of echo Suzannes sentiments as far as design work. Remember that he had an Architect friend design it. It brings to my mind Jean Louis Palladins "Cooking with the seasons" where his friend Jeff Bigelow, an artist designed the plates for the book. Not the same plates he used in his restaurants mind you, but the theory is the same. Here are a couple of links that may shed some light I hope.
http://www.fredmaroon.com/jl.htm

http://www.jeffreybigelow.com/Dining/Mic/Clyde.htm