Something Old, Something New

Something borrowed too. 24 hours in Los Angeles. Revisited old favorites and discovered a great new kitchen tool.

Michael’s restaurant celebrated its 45th anniversary on Sunday with a fundraiser for No Kid Hungry. It was a tearfully nostalgic afternoon, with former chefs from all over the country flying in to cook for the occasion.

The restaurant’s opening was a watershed moment in America. This is how I persuaded my editors to send me to Los Angeles (and spend almost a year writing about the event). “The chefs are all young, all American, all college-educated.”

I did not need to say more: it was revolutionary. In those days chefs were typically old, French and had been working in kitchens since they were children.

How much has changed in 45 years!

These were, I believe, Michael’s opening menus. Look at the prices!

This isn’t Michael’s opening menu but it’s interesting to see what the restaurant cooked up ten years later for a special Haut Brion dinner.

“Do you have one of these?”

Nancy Silverton went into her kitchen and pulled out a large, round, flat metal pan.

I don’t. 

“You need to get a Hexclad Pizza Steel,” she insisted, “it really works.”

“When it first came,” she continued, “I didn’t read the instructions, I just did what I always do when making pizza at home. I put the steel into a really hot oven for 45 minutes before putting the pizza on it. When I took it out I was really impressed: the crust was so crisp and light.”

The Hexclad people, however, were appalled.  “You don’t need to heat it up,” they told her, “that’s the point.  You put the pizza right onto the cold pan and put it into the oven.”

Skeptical, Nancy but did as they asked.  “The crust,” she says with a certain amount of awe, “was perfect.”

I haven’t tried it yet, but I trust Nancy. My new pizza steel is in the mail.

Although I was only in town for one day, I made it to Sapp Coffee Shop for a restorative bowl of boat noodles. (Spicy with everything please.)

This always makes me so happy!

Many people have asked about the dinner at Chi Spacca on May 15th. Here is the information; there are still a few reservations here.

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Tickets and more information here.