Grant Achatz

• The baby carrot's embarked on a $25 million campaign to become cool again. — Salon
• Gourmet's not-so-lustrous Quick Kitchen isn't too speedy, either. — Eater
• Grant Achatz's new memoir, Life, on the Line, will drop in March. — Grub Street CHI
• The provisions that Icelanders call street food. — Serious Eats
• 19 dishes that commemorate the Jewish High Holidays. — Chow
• Cook more economically with vanilla bean paste. — The Epi-Log
• Get to know the different cuts of pork ribs. — Huffington Post
• Narcotics-laced cocktails: Yes, they exist. — The Atlantic Food

• The right way to use bacon in cocktails. — Libation Lab
• Ben & Jerry's limited-edition Key Lime Pie ice cream is back. — Serious Eats
• Make the most of scallions by using both the greens and whites. — The Epi-Log
• More details on Grant Achatz's Next restaurant. — Feast
• Find out what two foods scare Rachael Ray.— Grub Street NY
• Lebanon has broken the record for the world's largest hummus and falafel. — Eater
• Are popsicles the Summer's biggest trend? — Huffington Post Food
• How to grow herbs indoors. — Chow
• Wedding inspiration: 250 beautiful cakes. — The Knot

Big news came out of the Lincoln Center last night, and not all of it had to do with this year's James Beard winners. Right before the start of the Beard Foundation Awards, Alinea's Grant Achatz, who was in attendance at the ceremony, tweeted about two upcoming projects.

The first, to be called Next Restaurant, will serve four menus per year from what the website calls "great moments in culinary history — or the future." The second, Aviary, is being described as "a cocktail bar, redefined" and will entail chefs, not bartenders, producing cocktails and food pairings in what's being termed a "drink kitchen."

Both Aviary, which will allow walk-ins, and Next, which will require tickets, are currently on target to open this Fall. Get a better sense of both concepts when you watch the restaurant's trailer, after the jump.

• Grant Achatz is sick of food bloggers snapping photos at his restaurant. — Eater
• Budget-friendly ideas for your Easter kids' table. — Hostess With the Mostess
• Scientists have developed a cheese that tastes like bubble gum. — Eat Me Daily
• This Passover, make your own gefilte fish. — Chow
• Confessions of a picky eater. — The Atlantic
• Five kitchen tools that are great multitaskers. — The Epi-Log
• Learn how to make no-knead bread. — Serious Eats
• Bartenders discuss whether vodka deserves their hate. — Grub Street SF
• Everything you need to know about savoy cabbage. — Cooking With Amy

• Super Chef Grant Achatz has plans to open a bar in Chicago. — Eater

• Endless Simmer has launched a recipe database. — Endless Simmer
• On Valentine's Day, make dumplings with your little dumplings. — Chow
• What are your top five favorite food smells? — The Epi-Log
• Are California wines too pricey for recession drinking? — Grub Street SF
• Learn how to make abstract chocolate garnishes. — Hostess With the Mostess
• Find out which national delivery pizza chain's pepperoni pizza tastes the best. — Slice

• Must make: oatmeal cookie milk shake. — Chow
• Is Eric Ripert the most interesting man in the world? — Eat Me Daily
• Padma Lakshmi denies that there is a gender bias on Top Chef. — Grub Street
• Grant Achatz on why wine and food pairings matter.— The Atlantic
• Learn more about Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth. — Gourmet
• Meet the Fojol Brothers, an interesting street food truck that operates out of Washington DC — Serious Eats
• Yesterday President Obama and Bill Clinton enjoyed a healthy lunch at Il Mulino in New York City. — Eater
• What do you consider to be the top 10 food cities in the world? — The Epi-Log

Should a diner expect to find a renowned chef in the kitchen the night he pays a visit to an acclaimed restaurant? That's the question molecular gastronomy superstar Grant Achatz poses in his latest guest post for the Atlantic. Achatz, the mastermind behind Chicago restaurant Alinea, addresses the concern, reassuring diners that they shouldn't be too disappointed when the chef isn't in the kitchen the night they dine. He argues that a star chef's absence from a kitchen can actually be beneficial for the chef, his staff, and even the restaurant's guests. The chef has an obligation to tend to other aspects that will make the business successful, and the ever-present obligation of the kitchen will only hinder creativity. Because the second-in-line chef de cuisine feels excited at the prospect of leading a kitchen, he may execute at a higher level than the chef. Achatz writes:

All these activities pull the chef away from the kitchen and therefore the food, but ideally make the restaurant, the brand, and hopefully the overall guest experience better. The diners gain access, the business is financially rewarded, and the employees benefit from freedom and resources not typical in an average restaurant.

While I agree with these points, I believe that this condition only applies in avant-garde dining, where the kitchen staff are exceptionally trained. What do you think: are you disappointed when a celebrity chef isn't in the kitchen of his own restaurant? If so, can you sense a difference in taste?