How One of the Country’s Best Chefs Runs Two-Michelin-Starred Ever in Chicago - Mise En Place
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
- At Chicago’s Michelin-starred Ever, chef Curtis Duffy delivers creative twists on traditional dishes like corn balls dipped in white chocolate, rabbit with capers and cardamom, black truffle risotto with maitake and Parmesan, and more.
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Credits:
Producer: Daniel Geneen
Directors: Daniel Geneen, Murilo Ferreira
Camera: Carla Francescutti, Murilo Ferreira
Editor: Charlotte Carpenter, Daniel Geneen
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Development Producer: Ian Stroud
Supervising Producer: Stefania Orrù
Associate Producer: Julia Hess
Audience Development: Terri Ciccone, Frances Dumlao, Avery Dalal
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Eater has been killing it with all of the Mise En Place series. It has been amazing and keeps getting better.
eater has me hooked on restaurant and cooking videos now! my entire youtube feed is nothing but yummy food lol
You were cought stirring your piepie in the soup😕
@@caciliadrachen I iiiii8i8uuuujjjjuuuuhhuhuuuuujuuuuhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuiuuiiiuiiuuiuiu
I agree 10,000%. I love the content that Eater has produced via the Mise En Place series. I have a newfound respect for the purist chefs out there!
if you pay more than $10 for a meal than you are a deuschebag
This place has such an eerie vibe. Especially the kitchen
It’s like the menu 🤣
American Psycho vibes? lol
@@greenkyokitty I guess yeah. The extremely clean setting couple with how serious and somber everyone is. Lacks the sort of heat and raw intensity that other kitchens seem to have.
@@socialswine3656yeah funny how sophistication, order and calm means eerie lol I guess that’s good thing
Imagine they start doing the knife fight till the last man standing. oh I meant movie script lol
'We try to let it take an organic shape, we're not trying to force anything' Whilst slicing fish with a meat slicer and dunking it in liquid nitro. Yes.
Totally organic and natural
He's initiating a type of reaction with certain tools, and letting the laws of physics a.k.a. nature do the rest.
Was just about to say this lol.
completely organic...nitogen is used in fertilizer after all. and i cringed when he said...sashimi wouldn't be challenging enough. I'm guessing preparing fresh, high end sashimi for every table is more challenging from a skill perspective. but you do you
@@tuurio2511Michelin restaurants get evaluated on price as well. Idk what your expenses are like but you should leave ANY Michelin restaurant feeling fed. Broke.. maybe, but not still hungry. Even still, I’m sure if you tell them, respectfully, that your dining experience.. while unsurpassed in quality left you wanting a bit in quantity… I’m sure they would rectify that for you.
His restaurant is the one in “The Bear”… This is The Bear restaurant where Richie gets his love for the service industry!!!!
that is what i just taught that's why i went to the comments to check haha
I was thinking the same thing.
Yeah you can also really see the whole layout in final episode this is awesome to see in real life..
oohhh!! 😼🩵
i had to check the comments to see if anyone confirmed this
I am completely amazed at how complex the logistics can be for top restaurants, as a head Chef you really have to be on top of your game, and the staff has to be top notch as well in order to create such great experience. I love these videos Eater! keep them comming.
Seeing that guy on expo was something else.
Normally where I work, we have a manager (but sometimes it'll literally be a 16 year old runner) with a pen, and a rack + spike for the tickets rather than a full lectern.
It's also mad seeing a kitchen working in near silence so that even in such a huge place with so many people, the expo barely needs to talk louder than a conversation volume to be heard and understood.
If I've learned anything from watching The Bear it's that you can be no louder than a whisper in a kitchen and still destroy a person's psyche 🤣
EDIT: Binge-watching the Bear makes me wonder what kind of politicking/gossiping goes on in all of these kitchens featured on Eater. And why I'm now getting asshole joel mchale vibes from the executive chef
@@GeorgiaPeche13 I had to google what you meant by "the bear" turns out it was only released here in the UK six days ago. Also it's on Disney+ which I don't have.
Actually, I really only have Netflix and even then, I use my sister-in-law's account.
@@magnusbruce4051 ua-cam.com/video/QFKe3o_yCE0/v-deo.html The scene I'm referencing. Worth signing up for a free trial and then canceling as it's quite a short binge watch
@@GeorgiaPeche13 Yeah this one does not give me good vibes at all. A silent kitchen seems like a nightmare. The best places I've worked in have been ones where you joke around with your other chefs, especially at higher levels.
@@fuuuuuuuuuuug you can still joke around and enjoy working in an environment like this
My wife and I have followed Chef Duffy from Avenues to Grace to Ever. Every meal has been special and, not surprisingly, the creativity has grown over the years. This type of dining is not for everyone, but if it's your jam, Ever is a bucket list destination.
He serves what he likes and what he wants. He runs the kitchen how he sees fit. I don't agree with how he runs the kitchen as it's not my way, but that's the beautiful thing about culinary arts. You way is different, and I respect that. Well done chefs
Absolutely right - doesn't jump out as the first place I'd like to eat at the price but I'm sure it's exceptionally well done, and huge amount of skill and work to put your vision out into the world.
"Arts" This guy wishes he had a clue what art is.
@@natedavis4588 please explain to us plebs what art is
"Don't take it too seriously" - proceeds to have his chefs work in silence, and call out orders like weird robots. Nice.
Quiet is necessary for communication. Thats all.
You cut out extra noise and you can focus in on what matters. Chaos won't help them achieve what they want. Being the best in the US.
Silence is golden
Facts.
Without a question the best meal I've ever had and may ever have was at Ever the last week of May. The entire experience is amazing. When Curtis Duffy talks about people not liking certain foods, that's my favorite thing about these types of menus. Trust the chef and remove the previous experiences and let the dinner guide you. I can't wait to go again.
How much was the bill?
@@ceptember. with wine pairing and because the person who went with me canceled, roughly 380 after tip.
@@atx0025 I'm sorry to hear that
On another note, when I watch this type of dining, it's hard to not think that all the meat you're getting served is cold. Is that what it was like? Everything was room temperature because it takes them so long to plate?
@@ceptember. Me when I don't know what art is
@@ceptember. it's warm, I'm a chef, and the idea of eating hot food is kind of wrong. your pallet and senses are not suitable for hot temperatures above 65 degrees Celsius, the right temp is always around 55 to 60 degrees Celsius ( you do the conversion), that food is definitely being served at the right temp.
I respect the complexity it takes to run restaurants like this. I live in the Sonoma/Napa area and we have quite a few. But this is privileged eating. Two weeks worth of groceries in one sitting
Lol try 6 weeks worth. Went to Ever earlier this year. Once a year type affair
Most people never experience this level of dining experience. Bucket list for me.
@@scotthull3358 my bad I was basing it off of California prices lol
@@NotJustALineCook nothing wrong with that
"Privileged eating." 😂😂😂
years ago we met Richie Farina and expressed a little genuine interest... He pulled us in and gave us a tour of his micro green garden.... So gracious, that guy is the salt of the earth! Glad to see him still at the top of the game.
He was also on top chef a while ago before working for chef Duffy
job interview: what was your greatest accomplish?
Chef: I had 3 people UNDER my guidance that I taught to make frozen corn balls.
lmao for real.
Well people were always burning themselves on the cornballer.
10:55 dude on the right is nodding at every angle possible
The creativity and food ideas/techniques are on a whole other level!
One of the most egocentric chefs ive seen in this channel, but one of the most artistry management of a restaurant as well
they way they deseeded the core blew my mind and as a chef never thought of using a mandilin to do it... amazing
All I can say... precision, professionalism, fun, and creativity in the kitchen. I dunno what else to say really
This is where Ritchie went to stage.
It is amazing to see a leader laying out the guidelines on how he wants to run his show, has a team of people who are at the top of their game and they are so good at working together that they don't need to yell out instructions to achieve common goals. Lessons in management, leadership, communication right in the Kitchen! Bravo to the Chef and his team. Each of the dishes is a work of art and craftsmanship.
Was sad to hear that Curtis Duffys 3 Michelin started restaurant Grace has closed. But it sounds like it was not the fault of Curtis (or Michael Muser). Very glad to see “Ever” doing well. Curtis Duffy and his team deserve very success! Loved this video.
Who's fault was it then..??
Curtis Duffy has an awesome story and has overcome some huge struggles to get where he is today.
Cool, but did he have to go Mr. Freeze and dunk half his menu in liquid nitrogen?
@@eyespliced you wouldn't understand
There's a documentary on him. Very moving..
@@eyespliced try having your father murder your family and turning to cooking to release his pain and feelings.
Is that why he serves frozen food with his fingernail painted. So brave.
Curtis Duffy has got to be my favorite chef I have ever had the pleasure of watching and working. A true joy.
Gotta respect chefs view point on everything, known about Duffy for a long time and it’s cool to see him be happy!
Wow this really was interesting I've never heard of a "silent kitchen" before, from what I've seen in these Mise En Place videos it always seems like quite the opposite . Also, the only experience I have with Michelin Starred restaurants is these videos and now I'm convinced that serving truffles and caviar is crucial to getting a star.
I agree but at this point truffle and caviar just seem like a massive cop out to me
@@chrisrose4769 they are beautiful natural ingredients, why not use them?
@@luisescalante14 I agree they are I'm a chef and I just think it's over used
@@chrisrose4769 I used to feel the same way but after working wit quality truffles I think they're worth it, theres really not a flavor or sensation like it in the world. But they definitely are over utilized and its a major turn off to me seeing something shrouded in truffles because of how powerful they are in flavor
@@luisescalante14 Because they'l don't taste good. They're just expensive. That's all it is.
The baby corn chef is one step away from telling elderly customers, "we're extending arts and crafts time by 4hrs today"
Coming here was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. They literally had me in tears when I left. I will absolutely be back. Thank you to the entire team for being insanely perfect.
Love fine dining!! Been to quite a few 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants, but just only making it to Ever. Can’t wait to treat my sis for her birthday🎉🎉
Give me just a plain good cut of sashimi any day 😂
I came here after The Menu and appreciate the movie even more.
the silicone mats to enforce a silent kitchen is next level psychotic.
It's actually better for their backs.
LMAO the chef at 5:00 looks like Ben Stiller when he is the caretaker in the old folks home in Happy Gilmour. Too funny!!!
It is really amazing to see just how much effort they put in to make one of these videos.
I knew I recognized that restaurant on The Bear! It felt TOO familiar 😅 good time to rewatch the whole Mise en Place series.
Amazing. I love the discipline. A level above. It would be a privilege to experience their inspiring work.
Yeah he is pretty dope in person. Definitely likes silence.
It's not discipline, it's an obsession without purpose. Demanding silence all the time (even when there are no guests) is just over-bearing and ridiculous.
@MAUT KA SAUDAGAR Not at all . They work like professionals . And get paid like professionals. All fine dining has the no talking during service,it's part of the experience for the guest. You don't have the cliche server flirting with the hostesses or servers chatting about their dates the night before. Everyone is there to make money 500 a night for servers,bussers make like 150 in tips . Usually you know how many covers you have for the evening. Theirs limited lobsters limited red snapper etc. Everyone is focused. Service is usually only 3 or 4 hours longs only person that needs to speak is the main chef and expo . Also he impressed me with his cleaning skills. I was probably the only one there to see. But after borrowing our kitchen they scrubbed everything down with a foam that made the whole place look like willy Wonka bubbles scene. Cleaned it better than our cleaners. Plus the food was unique and delicious. Takes a day in advance to prepare. They don't talk much during prep either but that's just to keep up with appearances because they are performing the entire visit. He's a normal dude likes food ball and parties.
@@jisezer this kitchen is ran like North Korea
This place really is an experience that cannot be explained, it's really worth it
I love this video, and everyone has their own feelings and perspectives on how they want to challenge themselves and what it means to succeed, but at the beginning when he says cutting sashimi slices would be too easy for him... I feel like the art of cooking even simple food can be endlessly deep. Like sushi masters never stop improving their sashimi etc. so I don't think it's true it would be too easy for him, he just wants a different kind of challenge and evolution of his products rather than delving endlessly deeply into achieving the highest version of sashimi. Just my two cents. 🤷♂ 🐠
Always a pleasure to be in his company I assure you, he makes the best dishes too!
From what I’m seeing here, best dishes sounds like the overstatement of the year
@@Giewsaregen0cidalh0res You gotta taste it to believe it.
I love the idea of a silent kitchen. A well organized kitchen and staff doesn’t have to be chaos 24/7. This proved it to me.
Such an amazing fan of Curtis Duffy. The guy is a class act, has been through a lot, and has become one of the most respected chefs in the world. I feel like when people say it’s pretentious, they’re really just saying “fine dining really isn’t my thing.” That’s fine, but the amount of work these people put into their craft is deserving of the utmost respect.
There's only several ways to DESCRIBE IT ALL ☺️ PASSION & DEDICATION & HEARD WORK !!!
Just realized this restaurant was used in the show The Bear!
the wall gives it away.. lol.. every second counts, wish the season was better... very drama but like fake drama, like they got a Porsche and wanted to show people they got a Porsche
but still good, just needs less then 4-5 storylines, can't go sopranos+
Thankyou sir for sharing your opinion your knowledge you have very great full team who is your backbone.thankyou for sharing
Mise en place, love this series
This gotta be the most clean and beautiful kitchen I’ve seen
The documentary "For Grace" with chef Curtis was great.
I love the fact that "Ever" doesn't have any heat lamps. Too many fine dining places use heat lamps as a crutch so they can take 10 minutes to plate up under there
Is there anywhere you can watch it , I haven’t been able to find it
@@ethancote8806 honestly not sure these days, it came out in 2016 I think. Amazon prime video might have it.
Chef Ritchie..."you will go to sleep or i will put you to sleep." 😂😂
We went here in July, an amazing restaurant with absolutely impeccable plating.
With whatever price you paid, it's more for the art rather than the taste right? Food for the soul but not the stomach.
@@edwardkay3193 Curtis Duffy’s food also tastes good
@@chicagodeterrence
In no way, shape, form or fashion is it worth what this pretentious douchebag is charging.
How were the flavors?
@@chicagodeterrence I doubt any of these established eateries will serve bad food. I meant, at the end of the day, a corn is still a corn no matter the extra 50x you pay for it. Perhaps I can't taste food that well.
Plot twist: The Rabbit's are actually local stray cat's.
Every truffle sale I see in these vids looks like a high school weed deal.
As soon as he said “eating something hanging from the ceiling” I was out
U wouldnt even afford an meal eitherway 😂
When you freeze something with liquid nitrogen you are literally destroying the cell membranes of it, IE freezer burnt fish.
that is an interesting way to prepare and I cannot imagine it’s actually better than if wouldn’t have been frozen.
It freezes so quickly the water doesn't crystallize. So, no, it doesn't destroy the membranes. You tried.
The total concept just seems overly pretentious
True
Completely agree..cringey
I must agree
Have you eaten here?
I think that's a bit too much even if it's for the sake of "experience"
"The first time it could be right on, or it could be not. Most of the time, it's not." Now I know this guy is a chef! Lol
Love his confidence and his affirmation that if he does not like what he is cooking, he will not serve it.
how is that any different than a food truck vendor, etc
@@JogBird Food trucks don't have the luxury of choosing to serve or not to serve. Many food trucks serve quickly, pay not much attention to food design or presentation, and that's honestly fine because they're not intended to be the same thing. This doesn't even just apply to food trucks, just fast food in general. When was the last time you went to McDonalds and they were worried about how the food looks or even tastes?
@@JogBird didn’t imply there was a difference, just affirmed his confidence and attention to his craft
Love this! Great content!!
I met Chef Duffy when Grace was still opened. Super nice guy and amazing talented. I need to try Ever restaurant one day.
The Expeditor is set up like a symphony conductor, and that's a wonderful concept.
Wow that restaurant is really impressive, it is litterally one of the most "modern" I've ever seen ; and I'm not talking about liquid nitrogen...
The atmosphere, the research, the attitude make me feel at home ; like a great balance between creativity, pragmatism, community, perfectionism, and contemplation.
Damn...
A peaceful kitchen, what a concept.
Curtis is a legend, thanks for the MiseEnPlace-vid!
Military kitchen vibes. This guy is the real goat.
Food looks great. I’d be scared af to sneeze in here tho. Might get kicked out for being too loud
Right , the food and experience would be awesome but the fact that there is no noise allowed in a kitchen is a little much !
I am convinced most chefs aren’t happy working in this library kitchen
“For Grace” is a documentary on him. VERY interesting and insightful to him.
i love when pretentious people say they don't have to be doing something pretentious and have no ego -- and then demonstrate they have a massive ego that MUST be doing something so pretentious
I really appreciate seeing Chicago on here! Hopefully you guys got film of a bunch of different Chicago restaurants on this trip. If not, come back soon, NYC to Chicago flights are relatively cheap...
All I'm thinking of while watching this was Gordon Ramsey asking, "Was this frozen?"
That corn dish was like make random fancy shi t and charge a high price to make it seem cool
11:57 What a lovely approach to action.
Was this restaurant used in 'The Bear' ?
I appreciate all the work that’s put into each dish. But till this day I can never justify paying such high prices for portions like those
I'm so impressed by the chef I had to comment twice he deserves five Michelin stars in my opinion food looks delicious it's Unique and I love his attitude and the way he approaches the process of being quiet and disciplined
This guy has serial killer personality in the kitchen lol.
Everything must be clean and quiet.
I would literally die of social deprivation working in that silent kitchen like a programmed robot.
The fact that you have to go to the back to use the vitamix is absolutely ridiculous
the fact that you do this comment is absolutely unnecessary
You have clearly never worked in a respectable kitchen before
@@brettcollier4874 I’ve worked in one stars and two Michelin stars both in Europe and North America. This never happened anywhere. So I think Mr collier you don’t know what the f*ck you’re talking about.
@@andreapiersanti2610 Andrea fammi il piacere è scrivi in italiano che è meglio.
@@tommasoc7246 least pretentious Italian
best team work everrrrr
0:55 “Sashimi is easy”
1:17 But- “I use a machine to slice my sashimi”
😮
Do you know. WHAT IS like , Pro kitcen to work?? No...its like that when its good..
Sashimi is easy.
Frozen sashimi is nearly impossible without a machine.
This is not the gotcha you are looking for.
I would happily work in such a quiet kitchen environment.
I wonder what family life is like for Chefs on this level
most likely divorced they barely have free time is all about work and perfection
What Family?
This level of skill is a combination of almost complete devotion and sacrifice to the craft and science of cooking. He may have some level of personal life, but you can't take your foot off the gas often. For example Thomas Keller has had multiple surgeries for knee's and back etc...most chefs that operate in this world don't live to a ripe old age, unfortunately. But IMHO the passion outweighs the cost for this type of gentleman.
you can try your hardest. but it's almost impossible.
watch his documentary Grace. he is just one example of this
Hope you have an understanding family and if you have a significant other you hope and pray they are fully supportive of your career, you, and everything that comes home with being a professional chef of this caliber. I am one. I choose balance in my life as just turning 30. I’ve worked under Michelin star chefs in my early 20s and missed out on countless birthdays for my brother and family. What’s even sadder is my brother has been gone for 4 years now. You work so hard for something and get good at it to honestly not have a good sense of home life or financial freedom. You hope to gain that one day by leveling up.
I was waiting for cousin to come out
No hate but this just makes me miss Val Cantù from Californios. I feel like his approach is just so much more human.
Miss? Where'd he go?
I understand the idea behind these dishes, but man, when I’m going to a restaurant, I want to eat more than one slice of rabbit sausage 💀
The “Quiet Kitchen” is impressive and efficient.
These are not dishes, not hearty nutritious meals. This is just edible art that you'd pay 3-4 figures for
I will absolutely never in my life understand restaurants like this. I don’t want this crazy extravagant over the top crazy presentation. I want my food to look good and taste good as much as the next guy. But I prefer my dishes to speak for themselves, and not the display created for them. Simple plating, tasty food, and a good side or two. Simplicity can far outweigh extravagance in my experience. Neat to watch though.
Looks like a rockstar crew. Didn't realize Richard Farina is the sous chef at this place now! I had to double-take when I saw his name card pop up. Definitely going to visit next time we're in Chicago!
That dude that was butchering the rabbits was smiley and cuddly, I'd let him butcher me alright!!
The culture in this kitchen is uncomfortably close to the nightmare kitchen in "The Bear" lmao
All the cooks in the back with genuinely dead looking eyes yo wtf
I love the mentality of the chef
the making of the food as disciplined and artistic human animated art is on fire here.
symphony conductor and chefs playing it perfectly.
that a person can have a vision for that kind of scene and then make it happen and improve upon it beyond the original dream scope is amazing.
would love to be a fly on the wall in that kitchen
great video eater, spectacular
@9:20 you can see he’s got Mice en place tattooed ,he probably loves the series as much as his Job. :)
fun fact, 05:06 Chef Richie competed on Top Chef. Texas i think it was.
Wasn't he on "the Bear" show? 🤣
@@dittagecoeco2738no. He wasn’t
Wow just wow, I'm Is thoroughly impressed
I always wanted to eat at Grace. The documentary about this chef is so good.
Holy cow, if I went here and got served popcorn with corn kernels, I'd send it back and ubereats a burger right to my table.
Loving the Mis En Place series, but this seems to be the briefest video in the series. Also, the kitchen seems to be keeping a lot of secrets e.g. the garnishes on the kingfish dish. These two things don't seem to be coincidental.
a quick search shows that a good amount of these mise en place videos are 12-14 min long. I didn't get the vibe that they were being secretive.
Is this the kitchen where The Bear shot the breakthrough episode of Richie？its really really beautiful
yes it is
The food looks amazing, but that kitchen would drive me insane. No noise? No walk-in? No heat lamps? It's like the designed it to be difficult on purpose.
Gotta imagine chef is your stereotypical psycho, he certainly comes across as one. I bet he's a big fan of Huey Lewis and the News.
i kind of agree, i respect the work they put in. But this kitchen looks so sterile, no warmth, no soul. I wouldn't like working there.
The employees were likely told to be quiet during filming.
Right? Yup. 🤣
I agree. I am sure the restaurant and food is stunning. The staff and Chef Curtis are impeccably skilled. But just hearing the way they spoke was a bit off-putting.
Lmaooo i love how saying I bet hes a Huey Lewis fan nowadays is code word for dudes a psychopath
@@E4Sierra I was about to type something but what you said was pretty close to what I was thinking.
Gordon wouldn’t need to even ask if the hamachi is frozen or not 😅
the nitrogen fish is kinda weird. doesnt it lose the freshness.?? someone please explain. slicing sashimi style easy but it doesn't lose the freshness.
all fish that is eaten raw should be frozen to kill parasites, etc.. this isnt anything different
I believe "freshness" in fish is lost through poor freezing technique (creating large ice crystals) over a long period of time. Actually, flash freezing in a similar way is a commonly used method to preserve fish while minimizing the damage. Also, any fish to be served raw has to be frozen first according to the FDA to kill parasites.
TL;DR: it probably doesn't reduce freshness but it's a dumb gimmick. I don't want to eat frozen sashimi...
Because he wants to slice it with a meat slicer to make it thin, like paper thin, if the fish isnt frozen before hand, the flesh would just become mush, so it wouldnt be like those ribbons that he wants
I’ve had the dish,it’s delicious,hits your mouth cold and then just melts like a piece of great sashimi.
flash-freezing with liquid nitrogen is different to putting something in the freezer. even so, the freshness lost from freezing comes from 2 factors - the duration that the meat spends frozen, and how quickly it reaches the frozen stage. you can very easily flash-freeze a piece of fish, thaw it 12 hours later, and it will 1000% taste like you just plucked it out of the ocean this morning. flash-freezing with liquid nitrogen is much more shock-y, and almost revitalizes the fish when it's left to thaw at room temp afterwards. that's the whole intention of this dish. it tricks you because you're sitting there questioning everything you know about freezing; and so you should. celebrity chefs like gordon ramsay know a lot, but they certainly don't know everything.