In a culinary convoy resembling a rock band's coast-to-coast tour, Chicago's Alinea, celebrated for its avant-garde fare and three Michelin stars, has sold out its upcoming pop-up at Brooklyn’s Olmsted. Commemorating its 20th year, Alinea's tasting-menu dinner series will feature famed dishes like the edible balloon, potentially complemented by sibling bars the Aviary and the Office's cocktails, as reported by Eater. The sought-after seats, priced between $375 and $445, vanished quickly, but hope remains for fans as additional dates might be tacked onto the current March 20 to April 13 stint in partnership with Alinea alum and Olmsted chef, Greg Baxtrom.
Alinea is not just pausing its gastronomic expedition in New York, the group's CEO, Jason Weingarten, indicated the Eater team that enthusiasts can anticipate a familiar gustatory journey with some signature dishes, the Alinea experience will perpetuate through Miami's Faena hotel from April 30 to May 25, and will conclude in Beverly Hills at the Maybourne hotel from July 23 to August 20 as part of the tour's first leg, as the Robb Report details. Celebrating regional flavors at each stop, Alinea's tour promises a menu mirroring its Chicago-based modernist cuisine while collaborating closely with local chefs and suppliers to infuse native tastes into its dishes.
Helmed by pioneering chef Grant Achatz, whose culinary repertoire spans from influences of the legendary El Bulli to avant-garde presentations in his Chicago establishment, Alinea's tour is also a reunion and a thanksgiving, as mentioned by Achatz himself in the Robb Report, “We are grateful for the journey, and what better way to celebrate than by bringing the Alinea experience to new cities and sharing it with our loyal guests." It’s a nod to the past and a venture into new territories, with Achatz noting the tour as “a love letter to the entire restaurant and hospitality industry.”
For foodies who missed the Brooklyn booking blitz, there’s still a silver lining, Alinea's next pop-ups assure a similar level of culinary craft, with Miami coinciding with the F1 Miami Grand Prix and in Los Angeles, leveraging southern California's rich produce, beginning on April 28 in Miami and July 17 in Beverly Hills respectively. Echoing what Lettuce Entertain You's president R.J. Melman shared with Robb Report regarding Achatz, “He not only ignited the molecular gastronomy trend in Chicago years ago, but he continues to deliver an almost magical experience every time guests step foot into one of his restaurants," the upcoming events signal unmissable feasts for enthusiasts of Alinea’s theatrical dining experience, and while the Brooklyn phase may be a no-go, the tour's extension plans suggest there are more servings of this coveted culinary performance yet to come.
