I Got the Almighty Tongue - Chapter 139



Only Noblemtl

Episode 139: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

European cuisine tends to focus on bringing out the flavors of ingredients to the fullest. So, among Koreans who enjoy complex flavors, there are quite a few who find Western cuisine somewhat boring.

While the West consumes pork as ham or barbecue, Korea makes and eats Jeyukbokkeum. Salty, sweet, and spicy seasonings are mixed with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce to create a complex and mysterious flavor. This meets pork to create the unique flavor that Koreans enjoy.

Of course, there are Western dishes that contain many ingredients, such as beef bourguignon. However, strictly speaking, it is also true that even Western stews with complex flavors do not stray far from the base of béchamel, tomatoes, and wine.

I want to make Italian food with complex flavors. The concept of Western cuisine full of secrets that cannot be fully understood in one bite captivates me. I started testing various dishes to flesh out the concept.

The reason Western cuisine is monotonous is largely because it does not actively use soup. Soup is the best form of cooking for mixing flavors. Among them, bisque sauce suited my taste well. I decided to make this first.

I put the langoustine whole in the oven and raised the temperature. In order to extract all the concentrated flavor of the crustacean, not only the flesh but also the shell must be broken. When you put it in the oven and bake it, not only does the shell break easily, but the aroma and flavor are also activated.

While the oven is running, prepare the vegetables. Chop celeriac (a root vegetable native to the Mediterranean), carrots, onion, and garlic into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Ding.

The timer rings.

When I opened the oven, the strong scent of properly baked langoustines wafted through the oven. I took out the langoustines, cut them into appropriate sizes, and crushed them with a mortar. After crushing them for a while, I put them in a pot and stir-fried them until all the moisture evaporated.

Heat the oil in a large pot, add the langoustines and chopped vegetables, and stir-fry until all ingredients are cooked through.

Profit.

Vegetables and crustaceans meet and cook deliciously. Now it’s time for tomatoes and spices. Add tomato paste that chefs have carefully prepared and stir well, then pour in white wine and cognac. Cognac removes the off-flavor of langoustine and adds depth and sweetness to the sauce. For the herbs that will be in charge of the flavor, we chose coriander grains, pepper, and bay leaves.

After boiling for a while, strain through a fine sieve and you have a beautiful brown glaze. Season with salt, add double cream and lime juice, and blend with a hand blender to complete.

I brought the sauce I had made to my nose and smelled it. It was a typical well-made bisque sauce. The golden sauce sparkled in the light, as if gold was flowing.

“Chef!”

As I was about to taste it, Eric suddenly opened the kitchen door and came in, apparently in a hurry.

“what’s the matter?”

“I think you should check it out. I think we made it to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”

The chefs are buzzing at Eric’s words. Come to think of it, it’s already that time of year. The Restaurant rankings are released before summer, and the Michelin Guide is published in the fall. But how could our restaurant have already made it to the rankings?

“Where have you seen it?”

“It’s on the homepage.”

Eric brings his laptop and turns the screen towards us. Looking at the page, we see an article from the Guardian, one of the most influential daily newspapers in the world.

[The Restaurant magazine has released its annual ranking of the world’s 50 best restaurants for 2011. El Bulli, which had been at the top of the list for a long time until last year, will be removed from the list as it will close at the end of this summer.

Ferran Adria, El Bulli’s head chef and co-owner, said, “El Bulli is not closing, it is transforming into something new,” and asked people to look forward to the new El Bulli opening as a gastronomic laboratory. It is known that El Bulli’s closure was not due to financial difficulties, but rather his desire to focus solely on culinary research.

With this, El Bulli, which held the distinction of being the world’s best restaurant despite only being open for dinner for six months a year, has disappeared into history.

‘Ah! It seems that El Bulli was going out of business around this time. I quickly read the article.

[The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2011 rankings published by The Restaurant are as follows:

1. Noma

Copenhagen, Denmark

Noma is well known for its obsession with ingredients. But there is more to this unique restaurant than just the anticipation of the new ingredients that Mother Nature gives us. From its groundbreaking approach to food, to its reckless confidence and execution, to its excellence in completing it with high-quality dishes, Noma is a perfect restaurant that has all the virtues of a top restaurant.

2. The Can Roca Cellar

Girona, Spain

Some may be upset that this restaurant came in second place. However, if you visit this place in person, your opinion will change. The emotional dishes they serve ask us the fundamental question, ‘What does food mean to humans?’

3. Mugaritz

San Sebastián, Spain

4. Osteria Francescana

Modena, Italy

5. The Fat Duck

Bray, UK

6. Alinea

Chicago, USA

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9. Luce Del Sole

New York, USA.

The chef of this restaurant, which was the first Italian restaurant to receive three stars from the Michelin Guide and appeared in New York, is showing the essence of authentic European fine dining in New York. The dishes he serves are strictly Italian, but everything else except the ingredients and approach is new. If you want to taste classic Italian reinterpreted in a modern way, this is a must-visit restaurant.

10. Per Se

New York, USA

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12. Les Creations de Narisawa

Tokyo, Japan

13. The Astride

Paris, France

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18. Le Bernardin

New York, USA

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20. Nihonryori RyuGin

Tokyo, Japan

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24. Eleven Madison Park

New York, USA

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27. Iggy’s

Singapore

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50. Asador Etxebarri

Atxondo, Spain]

The fine dining scene of the 2010s is the beginning of Spain’s rise. With the best ingredients from land and sea readily available, including a variety of seafood from the Mediterranean and delicious pork and beef including Iberico, Spain’s potential is in full bloom.

Japanese propaganda is also notable. Narisawa is a French restaurant, Nihonryori Ryujin serves authentic Japanese cuisine based on kaiseki, and Iggy’s in Singapore is characterized by European courses whose nationality is difficult to specify.

It is heartbreaking to see the fine dining restaurants representing Asia on the list. Korean fine dining has only just taken its first steps, but its competitors are already running ahead of it.

But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find Segreto’s name. What did Eric see?

“We don’t have a restaurant.”

When I say this while glaring at Eric, he flinches.

“It’s strange. I saw the name….”

He mutters and scrolls down.

“Here you go, Chef!”

[The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 51 to 100

91. Secret

New York, USA

This restaurant, which appeared like a comet in New York City when it opened last year, deserves to be on this list for its freshness. Its unique interpretation of ingredients and bold application of sauces that cross continents make diners look forward to what kind of dish will be served today.

When you taste his dishes, which make even guests who are not in favor of molecular gastronomy nod their heads, you will understand why Segreto received a Michelin star and was added to the list of restaurants in less than a year.

match.

As Eric reads the article featuring Segreto, the chefs high-five each other.

“yes!”

“Oh my God! Jenny! We’re the best restaurant in the world!”

The staff at the restaurant also came rushing in, and the restaurant was instantly filled with a festive atmosphere.

“You’re ranked 91st, what’s the best?”

Jenny also had the corners of her mouth raised as she said that.

The Michelin Guide is published by city. This means that Americans living in LA or people from other countries rarely see the Michelin Guide New York. However, this ranking does not divide the continents. Only restaurants that have passed a strict evaluation by a panel of judges from all over the world are listed.

Although it did not make it into the top 50, the ranking was meaningful enough. Worldwide, there are about 100 restaurants that have received three Michelin stars, and about 400 that have two stars. The number of one-star restaurants is probably over a thousand. Among these, although it is close to the bottom, it is no exaggeration to say that it is a great achievement to be included in the list of the top 100.

“Jehee! You’re really amazing.”

Jenny steps back from the cheering staff and whispers to me.

“I can’t believe it either. I didn’t think I could get there this quickly.”

“Isn’t that what they were waiting for?”

“what?”

“The birth of a genius who can change the paradigm.”

“Your flattery is excessive.”

“No. I really think so. When I was learning cooking at the CIA, I wondered if modern cooking could really develop further. There are already so many recipes out there, and there are almost no ingredients that aren’t covered. I couldn’t imagine what else could come out of this.”

Jenny looks straight at me and continues speaking.

“But there was. I was particularly impressed by Snowy Hill. You’re the only chef on the planet who can use scents in cooking in that way.”

Professor Robert’s lecture was a hot topic among the public at the time, but it also gave me significant inspiration and stimulation. And I thought that the theme of the process by which humans perceive taste would be a lifelong task for me to explore.

“Thank you. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

“Me too. Now my dream is to become a sommelier and maid of honor at the world’s most famous restaurant.”

“For that to happen, wouldn’t you need to become an MS (Master Sommelier)?”

“I’m already preparing. I plan to get the level 3 qualification by next year. The environment here is good. I think I can do it.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

After a brief moment of excitement, we regained our composure and began preparing dinner again as usual.