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The Rise of Restaurant Michael Mina
By JULIETTE ROSSANT  Reading a San Francisco Chronicle article, I was transported back to October 2000 -- Aqua San Francisco during a crowded, buzzing lunch, and I am interviewing Michael Mina for my forthcoming book Super Chef. The staff -- I mean the top staff -- pass by to check on us. My baby son has been attracted from the huge window on the street to his first-ever grown-up food: cranberry sorbet, courtesy of Chef Mina. My family and Michael's restaurant family pause in conversation to watch my son's reaction. A small spoon is brought to his lips by PR manager Debi Puccinelli... and his face explodes in delight. More! Another bite. More! Another -- and another and another... Thus a Foodie is born...OK, so I have a soft spot for Michael Mina -- but, once you have been to a Mina restaurant, who doesn't? (See Wine Spectator for sense of shared anticipation.) And who among Mina's peers is better to introduce your child to Fine Dining? Who better to introduce an infant to great food than this enfant terrible? For Super Chef II, I want a whole section on rising stars, and Michael Mina is one of them -- maybe I should do a whole book on "the Next Generation." And now I am so excited at the opening of Restaurant Michael Mina -- and so upset to have to wait before I'm next in San Francisco to try it! For any of you who dine there next week, please share your experience by posting here! |
posted by Juliette Rossant at 7/01/2004 07:58:00 AM
4 Comments:
Ate at Michael Mina last night. It was pre-opening friends and family and the room is still unfinished. Fortunately my kitchen is 95% done, so the hiccups there were few. We needed an immediate plain-buttered-pasta fix for my 9yo son. It happened right like clockwork...tossed in a beurre monte with a slight overtone of thyme if I'm not mistaken. The adult starters were dazzling....three hot preparations of foie gras, with three cold au torchon. Silken and perfect. My wife had the same treatment of day-boat scallops....all right on the money. My wife and I split the whole roasted Amish chicken, carved at table-side, my son the Kobe beef. All this transpired with another 90+ guests...the second day of trials. Amazing organization, all in all. I've only done 60 or so openings and this one takes the cake. It's extraordinary to see ultra-high end quality out the gate like this.
Haven't been there, but there's an excellent long review with pictures from the second public day (Saturday). Just find the "Restaurant Michael Mina" thread.
Gary
Ooops, that was on eGullet.com.
Gary
Individuals in this blog might be able to assist me, and in the process, assist someone you know.
I would like to be able to network with you regarding a search we are conducting. My client operates a fine dining seafood restaurant in California that generates $7MM a year in revenues on an $80 check average. We are searching for a "master of seafood", a coach, a teacher, and an artist. My client offers a base salary in the $130K range and has been consistently rated as the top seafood restaurant in California by Zagat. This is a wonderful opportunity for a celebrated chef with a humble nature to be part of an award winning organization. I would also be interested in speaking with well educated exec sous chefs.
Tucker Herring
LucasGroup
In Partnership with The Wall Street Journal.
Executive Recruiter, Restaurant Specialist
2 Riverway Suite 400
800 878-7060 ext 237
Fax: 713-8647887
therring@lucasgroup.com
www.lucasgroup.com
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