Minibar by Jose Andres in Washington DC (2 Michelin Stars; World’s 50 Best Restaurants Discovery Series) has rolled out an exciting new chefs-collaboration series called, “Mini Series, Major Chefs,” in partnership with Michelin USA. Held at least once every quarter, chefs from around the United States (and soon, overseas!) are invited to cook alongside head chef Jorge Hernandez and the Minibar team, fostering a sharing of ideas, techniques, dishes, and of course, camaraderie.
It was an honor for me to have attended the special collaboration with The Catbird Seat in Nashville, headed by Ryan Poli, which is also on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Discovery Series. It was a dining experience that was peppered with both precision and whimsy.
Here are some of my personal highlights:
Within the first bites of our respective crab banh mi’s prepared by the Minibar team, Steve Dolinksy (ABC 7 Food Reporter, Author of “Pizza City, USA” and 50 Best Academy Chair) and I looked at each other and unanimously declared, “So good!” Head chef Jorge Hernandez explains, “Inside you’ll find Dungeness crab and everything you can find in a banh mi– fresh herbs, lime, fish sauce– the only difference here is that our baguette is made from apple and it’s a little delicate; use your hands and take as many bites as you’d like.” A beautiful toasted apple meringue that is– that successfully mimics the crunch of baguette but with an added lightness that completely melts in your mouth.
A signature at The Catbird Seat, Ryan turned sunflower seeds into “risotto” mixing it with truffle butter, shaved Italian summer truffles, and lacto-fermented matsutake water. This was gorgeous and everyone raved about it!
At The Catbird Seat in Nashville, it’s a tradition for them to present their guests with cookie jars at the end of a meal– and that’s exactly what they did; they brought the cookie jars with them to Washington DC for the special collaboration. Inside are two kinds of cookies: brown sugar with freeze dried cherries; and white chocolate with milk chocolate ganache.
Their next event is on August 10, featuring Kyle Connaughton of Single Thread Farm in Sonoma County, and John Shields of Smyth in Chicago. Don’t forget to book quick as seats move fast!
And while you’re there, don’t forget to drop by their amazing cocktail lab/ bar next door, Bar Mini. Their cocktail flights are phenomenal, in terms of both taste and experience. I happily relived my childhood with their recently concluded Nostalgia flight– Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, Lego… wow. Until August 11, they will be rolling their original Barmini technique flight, and come August 30, they will reopen with a new flight focused on sustainability. xx
