Results tagged: Paul Liebrandt

As part of its "New York Diet" series New York Magazine recently invited James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef Dan Barber to chronicle his meals for a week. Aside from learning that Dan does most of his eating in the kitchens of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, we also discovered that he consumes a remarkably consistent, and simple, breakfast: a mystery power shake mixed up each morning by his girlfriend, writer Aria Sloss.

By Louise McCready

Esoteric wunderkind Paul Liebrandt has found his voice, so to speak, in the kitchen of Tribeca's Corton where his former Willy Wonka-esque creations are noticeably absent. The boldness of Leibrandt's youthful cuisine has given way to a decidedly more refined style, while still maintaining his playful accents, which are now referred to as "whimsical" and "fun" by discerning critics. Liebrandt's maturity is perhaps heightened by his new partnership with veteran New York restaurateur Drew Nieporent. Corton, housed in the former Montrachet space, opened in the fall of 2008--an inopportune time to open any restaurant, let alone, one with a $79 three-course prix fixe. Nevertheless, despite the downturn, business is still booming at Corton--a testament to star chef Liebrandt.

In the April issue of Food & Wine, Anya von Bremzen mentions Corton in her article defending the need for fine dining, and Colman Andrews, in April's issue of Gourmet, includes your restaurant in his review of New York restaurants that are pricy yet popular in this recession. Why would you say your restaurant is doing so well despite the economic downturn?

We charge $79 for a prix fixe 3-course menu, but what we give for that price is a steal--the petit fours, the canapés, the amuse bouches--that's all included. At a steak house you'll spend more with the sides and a bottle of wine. It's all perception. If we talk about why as a restaurant we--touch wood--seem to have hit it off, people have generally liked what we're doing. People always like quality-driven places, and recession or no recession, cream rises to the top. Fine wine is still fine wine no matter what is going on in the world and will also command a high price.

In Frank Bruni's New York Times review of Corton, he wrote that you've grown up and calmed down. How would you say your cooking has evolved?

I've tried to balance more of what the customer is expecting with my personal style. I try to be right in the middle where it's playful, inventive, and fun, but recognizable, enjoyable, and delicious at the same time. You'd want to come back because it tastes great, rather than the food being just interesting for the sake of interesting. As chefs, sometimes we go a little overboard and that may not be what some customers want.

You've worked with such accomplished chefs as Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc. Who has been your greatest influence?

Pierre Gagnaire. His food philosophy speaks loud and clear to me. He went bankrupt at 47 years old with three Michelin stars, left where he was, came to Paris, reopened, and it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Now, he has six restaurants. It's phenomenal. He's nearly 60, and he's still keeping the menu fresh. He could easily rest on his laurels and reproduce the thousands of dishes he's done, but he's not. He's still passionate, curious, and tries new things. For me, a young man half his age, it's very inspirational. In any profession, it's hard to find people like that. Losing a restaurant--and I've gone through that--is soul destroying because we put so much passion and energy into what we do. This is not just a job; it's a vocation, it's life. It's a testament to him, and his philosophy and ethic that food is risk. Life is risk. It shouldn't be just a business and mundane. That's why I say him--more than just, "I like the food," it's the philosophy for me that's important.

Back to the food, where do you get your inspiration?

Japan, and Asia, in general, because they have a different food mentality and culture. The way they approach food is very interesting, fresh, and creative. New ingredients are always inspirational. I'm not a green market, seasonal chef, but spring is coming so we have first of the season morels and crayfish. After three months of winter fare--root vegetables, hearty things--it's inspirational to see the first Waldmann's lettuces. I look at other chefs' styles of cooking when eating out. It's a multi-layered thing where you take a little bit from each, then influences meld into thinking and creating something here, which hopefully inspires someone else.

New York Magazine gave you the best new fangled desert award for your caramel brioche with Stilton cheese. What was the thought process behind it?

We wanted to do caramel, and salt and caramel go together hand in hand. We wanted to do something that was aromatic, salty, and creamy because that goes well with the crisp brioche. We had a little coffee cream, and coffee and Stilton are a good combination, so we thought a cheese would be the right direction to go in. We tried Roquefort, but that was too creamy. We tried a goat cheese, but there was too much chalkiness to it. We ended up on Stilton and being that I'm British, we experimented until we decided to use Colston Bassett. It's cleansing to the palate to have that salty cheese at the end because brioche is butter-enriched dough. The cheese balances that nicely. 

When we prepare the dish, we bring it out from the kitchen. We sit. We look at it. We taste it. We ask, 'How does it look in the dining room under these lights?' As a customer, am I going to have to go like this [motioning] to eat it because I'm in a confined space? It's very different in the kitchen than out here, which most chefs forget. It could look great in the kitchen on the plate, but when you carry it out to the table, how is it going to get executed on to the table? How, through a customer's eyes, are they going to look at that caramel brioche desert?

We kept it as a brioche shape, but we were changing around with putting the cream over here and Stilton over there on the side, but then we said, 'What happens if they just eat the cheese?' How are we going to compose it so that we get them to eat a little bit of the brioche and the cream with the cheese? We figured why don't we use at the brioche as a palette? We cut a hole out of the brioche, put the cream in the center, put the cheese on the sides, and then a little bit of cream on top. That way the customers get to eat everything all together.

So it's all in the details?

Most customers, to be honest, don't notice because most people aren't foodies. They want a nice meal. They're not out for a mind blowing gastronomic experience.  And that's ok because this is a business. This isn't an exercise in art. There are certain things in life that maybe you don't associate consciously. You realize that's great and it worked, but it's the sum total of little things done well that makes you think that way. When you eat it, it's delicious, but it's because we've thought about it that you as the customer will find it so pleasurable.

---

Corton

239 W Broadway at North Moore Street in TriBeCa
For reservations call 212-219-2777 or try OpenTable.

Get more information about Corton on Savory Cities.

Photo: Michael Harlan Turkell

This spring the DeGustibus Cooking School at Macy's has signed up a massive list of heavyweight chefs to share cooking tips and prepare popular recipes. Learn from boldface names like Paul Liebrandt (Corton), Suvir Saran (Devi), Francois Payard (Payard), Gavin Kaysen (Cafe Boulud), Joey Campanero (The Little Owl) and Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park). There are even a few out of town heavies that shouldn't be missed, including Michelle Bernstein (Michy's in Miami) and Gordon Hammersley (Hammersley's Bistro in Boston). Visit the De Gustibus web site for the complete schedule and additional info.

Corton, named after an area in Burgundy famed for its Grand Crus, is the latest project by famed NYC restaurateur Drew Nieporent. The restaurant occupies the former Montrachet space, which set the standard for elegant yet casual downtown dining when it opened in 1985. The new interior, designed by Stephanie Goto (Morimoto, Buddakan, Monkey Bar), is lighter and more intimate, with vaulted ceilings and leaf and vine embossed walls.

Chef Paul Liebrandt, an avowed French classicist, has prepared a modern French menu which reflects his early training under masters like Marco Pierre White and Pierre Gagnaire and the influence of others, notably Michel Bras. Much like its predecessor, Corton places emphasis on its wine selection and showcases an impressive list of Burgundy wines.

Chef Pedigree:

• Most recently Liebrandt was the opening chef at Gilt in the New York Palace Hotel, where he earned two stars and "Top Pick" status from the New York Times.
• Earned two stars from the Times while at Papillon in Greenwich Village. According to reviewer William Grimes, "Mr. Liebrandt is enormously talented, with a command of classic French technique and an exquisite sensibility that makes even his disasters a show worth attending."
• Awarded three stars from the Times in 2000 for his cooking at Atlas in NYC.
• Worked with David Bouley as chef de cuisine at Bouley Bakery in New York City.
• Worked under Pierre Gagnaire at his eponymous three-star Michelin restaurant in Paris
• Began his career in England working under Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc.             

The opening menus:

Three-course Prix Fixe, $76
Jerusalem Artichoke Velouté with Peekytoe Crab, Parmesan, Smoked Pasta
"From the Garden" with Young Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs of the Season
Foie Gras with Beet Borscht Gelée, Blood Orange
Kampachi with Foie Gras Chantilly, Cucumber Melon, Miso
Scallops with Uni Crème, Radish, Marcona Almond
Veal Sweetbreads with Violet Hill Egg Confit, Carrot, Argan Oil
Cobia with Potato-Eggplant Terrine, Black Olive, Vadouvan Spice
Wild Striped Bass with Razor Clams, Gnudi, 'Chowder'
Maine Lobster with Chanterelles, Toasted Hazelnut-Lobster Jus ($9 supplement)
Filet of Black Angus Beef with Beet, Huckleberry, Fondant Potato
Squab with Chestnut Crème, Smoked Bacon, Pain d'Epices Milk
Label Rouge Chicken with Artichoke Barigoule, Brown Bread-Oyster Jus (for two)

The Tasting Menu, $110
Uni with Konbu Gelée, Cauliflower
Ocean Trout Ballotine with White Sturgeon Caviar, Sake Crème
Amadai with Black Garlic, Serrano Ham, Citrus-Coconut Broth
Elysian Fields Lamb Loin with Braised Neck, Ras el Hanout, Chocolate Mint Jus
Selles-Sur-Cher with Sour Cherry Pâte de Fruit, Chickpea
White Sesame Crème with Lemon, Huckleberry, Salted Toffee
Gianduja Palette with Yuzu, Coconut

Dessert Menu
Gianduja Palette with Yuzu, Coconut
Caramel Brioche with Passion Fruit, Coffee, Banana
White Sesame Crème with Lemon, Huckleberry, Salted Toffee
Bitter Chocolate Fondant with Chestnut, Milk
Pumpkin Genoise with Cassia, Red Wine, Pear
Selection of Artisanal Cheeses

Location: TriBeCa 239 W Broadway, at North Moore Street (map)

Reservations: Mon-Thu, 5:30-10:30pm; Fri-Sat, 5:30-11pm. Call 212-219-2777 or visit OpenTable to book a table.

For more details see the Savory Cities listing for Corton.