l'M ASSlCnA1L A8Cu1 nLW lCCu CCnCL1S" - LAu8Ln1 PL8lCC8u

WlLh chef-drlven menus, cusLomlzaLlon ls off Lhe Lable, as chefs prepare an lnvenLlve menu wlLh
as many as 13 lLems.
WebsLer suggesLs chef-drlven menus are a backlash agalnsL Lhe responslblllLy of cusLomlzaLlon,"
where guesLs can easlly be overrun by cholces.

8uL LhaL lsn'L Lhe only lmpeLus. lueled by a growlng fasclnaLlon wlLh LasLlng menus, Lhe culL-llke
sLaLus of chef fandom, an ever-rlslng foodle culLure, and helghLened accepLance from dlners Lo
puL Lhemselves ln a chef's LrusLy hands, chef-drlven menus-someLlmes called klLchen counLers-
have appeared ln upscale esLabllshmenLs from coasL Lo coasL.
AL 1he CaLblrd SeaL ln nashvllle, chefs !osh Pablger and Lrlk Anderson oversee a chef-drlven evenL
feaLurlng up Lo 11 courses each nlghL. 1helr lone accommodaLlons are for allergy or dleLary
resLrlcLlons.

CaLblrd SeaL owner 8en[amln Coldberg rellshes Lhe opporLunlLy Lo glve hls resLauranL's cullnary
arLlsans compleLe freedom ln Lhe klLchen. And dlners have responded enLhuslasLlcally, eager Lo
waLch lnnovaLlve chefs aL work ln an up-close and personal seLLlng.

[Pablger and Anderson] do noL have Lo follow cerLaln ouLllnes or feaLure lLems LhaL are popular.
1hey have compleLe freedom Lo creaLe whaLever ls fresh-boLh ln season and ln Lhelr mlnds,"
Coldberg says.

CurrenLly ln Lhe lncepLlon phase, WebsLer says lL's unllkely chef-drlven menus wlll ever enLer Lhe
prollferaLlon sLage.
?ou may see some lnnovaLlve lndependenLs dolng chef-drlven menus, as well as flne-dlnlng
resLauranLs, buL LhaL's llkely lL," she says. 1here has Lo be a loL of LrusL from Lhe guesL ln Lerms of
quallLy, experlence, and Lhe bellef LhaL Lhey wlll be geLLlng Lhelr dollars' worLh."

"l'm passlonaLe abouL new food concepLs" - LaurenL Perlcord
LaurenL Perlcord, LaurenL, Perlcord, lnnovaLlve lood ConcepL nlce, lnnovaLlve food
concepL, lnnovaLlve food, food concepL, nlce, lrench 8lvlera, lrance, Le Mocca, Cannes,
asslonaLe, new food concepLs, new food, food concepLs

8LAu MC8L A8Cu1 LAu8Ln1 PL8lCC8u Cn WC8u8LSS