Slideshow: A Night at Curtis Duffy’s Grace, the Country’s Most
In our video series Finding Grace, we showed you the creation of former Alinea chef de cuisine Curtis Duffy’s new restaurant, Grace, in Chicago, and the intense dedication of Duffy and his team to creating a truly graceful experience for guests. The irony, of course, is that all that was taking place in the midst of construction — far from an atmosphere of grace in practice. Now the restaurant is open, and our man Huge Galdones followed service one night last week to capture it in full swing as the realization of Duffy and GM Michael Muser’s aspirations. We’ll show you how Duffy’s light, vegetable-flavor-driven dishes come together on the plate, but you’ll also see the intensity and precision that goes into creating the total guest experience at perhaps the most exacting and inspiring restaurant opening of the past year. Here is Curtis Duffy’s vision — in practice five nights a week, at 652 West Randolph in Chicago.


Table for two.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
Every detail is carefully addressed before service starts.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
Menu.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
Stemware as far as the eye can see (but tucked out of view of the diners).
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Re...Stemware as far as the eye can see (but tucked out of view of the diners).
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
Window into the kitchen.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
Chef Curtis Duffy with chef de cuisine Nicholas Romero (right).
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
A pantry for all to see.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved
Consistency is a recurring theme, along with the goal (mentioned many times during the pre-service meeting) of "honoring the guest's experience.&...
Consistency is a recurring theme, along with the goal (mentioned many times during the pre-service meeting) of "honoring the guest's experience."
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedDipping liquid popcorn in chocolate.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedPicking the seeds out of finger lime cells.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedPlenty of liquid nitrogen used in this kitchen, for sweet and savory menu items alike.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // A...Plenty of liquid nitrogen used in this kitchen, for sweet and savory menu items alike.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedTonight's family meal: tacos.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedCaramelizing the brioche French toast for the anise hissop dish containing Queensland Blue Water Squash and crabapple.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/...Caramelizing the brioche French toast for the anise hissop dish containing Queensland Blue Water Squash and crabapple.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedSpraying staves with Elmer T. Lee bourbon.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedAmuse gueules: The staves eventually get charred to point of smoking.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserve...Amuse gueules: The staves eventually get charred to point of smoking.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedSaffron and black lime cracker before it hits the fryer.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedPre-service front of house meeting.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedChef Duffy's ink.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedEvery station's mise is always impeccably "en place."
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedOssetra caviar, meyer lemon, kumquat jam, chive.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedKampachi, golden trout roe, pomelo, Thai basil.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedParsnip, dried pineapple, tarragon ice, fennel.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedChef Nick plating the carrot course, consisting of carrot, Iranian pistachio, whipped mascarpone, carrot top.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Ga...Chef Nick plating the carrot course, consisting of carrot, Iranian pistachio, whipped mascarpone, carrot top.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedBitter chocolate, raw chesnut, persimmon, lemon mint.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedDouble-dipping in nitro.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedPlating the Chilled scallop course with hibiscus tea, five licorice-flavored herbs.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All ...Plating the Chilled scallop course with hibiscus tea, five licorice-flavored herbs.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedThe completed chilled scallop course.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedSunchoke, braised mustard seeds, freekeh, cippolini onion, lovage.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedChef Duffy in action.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights ReservedNight's end.
Photo: Eugene (Huge) Galdones/? 2013 Galdones Photography // All Rights Reserved