Lifetime memory

Somethings will only happen once in a lifetime.  When they happen, cherish them as I did last Thursday Night.  I was honored to attend Grant Achatz’s book singing fundraiser for his novel co-authored with his business partner Nick Kokonas, Life on the Line: A Chef’s Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death and Redefining the Way We Eat.

For those of you who don’t know who Grant Achatz is let me tell you, HE IS A CULINARY GENIUS!  Currently his restaurant Alinea, is the best restaurant in North America and hold THREE Michelin stars.  But his story does not end with his cuisine.  In 2007, Grant Achatz was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the mouth, and possible lymph nodes cancer.  A chef mouth cancer, its the equivalent to a piano player having a finger amputated.  He received an aggressive protocol of chemotherapy and radiation therapies.

And, later that year, Grant Achatz announced that he was cancer-free. The treatment regimen administered did not require radical invasive surgery on his tongue.

Since eating at his restaurant in 2006, I have had nothing but respect for him.  My meal (the word meal does not do justice in describing my experince of eating at Aliena) was one of the best (in my top three) meals I have EVER eaten in my life.  The memory of my Kobe beef filet served on pillow with effervescence of rosemary vapor is still a vivid memory.

It was an amazing night.  Laurent Perrier Champagne flow and Avenues’ chef Curtis Duffy provided the food. A presentation was made by his business partner Nick Kokonas.  I thought it was going to be about the book and how they wrote it.  But Boy was I surprised, it was so much more.

During the presentation, Nick Kokonas announced he had found a picture that he wanted to share with everyone.  It turned out to be Grant Achatz sporting an awesome mullet sitting in front of the cherry red 1970 GTO.  He had built the car with his dad. The building of the car is chronicled in the book and, from what from what others are saying (I haven’t read the book yet), sets the groundwork for the drive and determination he had on his climb to owning the #1 restaurant in North America.

And then to everyone’s surprise, Nick Kokonas announced that sitting outside was that same 1970 Cherry Red GTO.  

Apparently last year, Nick Kokonas asked Grant Achatz’s dad about what happened to the car. A cousin had it so he bought the car and had it restored.  He then had it pulled up outside the gallery Thursday night and gave it to Grant Achatz.  NOT A DRY EYE in the GALLERY. 

Click here to view the video and the awesome mullet.

It was and awesome Night!  One, like my meal at Aliena, that I will never forget.