Things a Chef Can Do ( That I Can ’ t )
BY LUANNE MATTSON
IN MY BOOK , the difference between brilliant chefs and decent cooks are deliciously apparent . Maybe one of these days I ’ ll become a chef , but I ’ m happy to enjoy the chefs ’ culinary skills at my favorites Southern Indiana ( SoIN ) restaurants .
What makes chefs rock stars ? Their ability to elevate humble ingredients into magical dishes is a start . This month ’ s Taste of SoIN is dedicated to their mad skills . Here are just a few of them .
THE MAGIC BEHIND THE KITCHEN DOOR
You walk into a restaurant , and the dining room is beautiful . You order your food , and your server disappears through the kitchen doors . Minutes later , they re-emerge with beautifully made dishes . How does that magic happen ?
At Mesa Collaborative Kitchen , you feel like you ’ re being let in on a delectable secret . Grab a seat at Mesa ’ s counter , and you can watch as simple ingredients transform into lovely dishes . Mesa is a new concept that allows you to join 20 others for dinner while you watch the chef and team work .
If you love the Food Network but wish you could be the one asking the questions , you ’ ll love Mesa . The chefs and their staffs will plate a 3- to 5-course meal where you ’ ll get a front row . Chefs talk as they cook , and you can ask questions along the way .
Grab a friend , a seat and a libation . This sport is a meal where you are a fan , interviewer , student , and dinner guest !
MESA COLLABORATIVE KITCHEN
2 Pearl Street New Albany 812.725.7691 MesaChefs . com
FLAMING DESSERTS
If you ’ re a cooking show fan , you watch masterful chefs set something aflame and cook it perfectly . I ’ m adventurous with flavors , but I ’ ll keep the flames on the burner , thank you very much . I leave the flaming desserts thing to the professionals . The staff at Olive Leaf Bistro can give you a show with Bananas Foster . Though bananas foster isn ’ t on the restaurant ’ s printed menu , you can order it as a special request for dessert . They ’ ll roll a cart near your table and expertly light it so you can watch as your flaming bananas foster is prepared tableside .
OLIVE LEAF BISTRO
130 W . Riverside Drive Jeffersonville 812.913.1252 OliveLeafBistro . com
16 EXTOL SPORTS / SEPTEMBER 2017