Back in April, I was lucky enough to make it to the second evening of Chef Tom Sellers‘ two night event at Creative Edge NYC in the West Village. When my boyfriend asked me to go, it was a question that didn’t really require any consideration. Chef Sellars has a restaurant by the name of Story opening shortly in London. One of his staff members explained that he’d always known he wanted to name his restaurant Story since he was a small child.
The venue was decorated simply yet elegantly. Basic tables with center pieces with white candles. Flowers. Even simple wooden cutouts of kitchen utensils. Wine was present yet basic. It wasn’t paired with each course – just a solid red or white present throughout the meal. The dinner was comprised of seven courses in total, one being fish, one meat, and two dessert.
Course 1: Burnt pink onions with grape, gin & lemon thyme
Aside from onion rings, I can’t say I’ve ever had onions as a course on their own. I was pleasantly surprised just how good this dish was. The burnt onions were extremely burnt with a smoky charred quality go them. The lightness of the grapes, gin, and lemon lightened it up perfectly to balance to a perfect spring dish.
Course 2: Beetroot, sorrel, & horseradish
I was surprised how much I liked this dish. I’m not a fan of horseradish in the slightest, but the horseradish snow made for a fun, playful addition – adding a sharp contrast to the beetroot and sorrel.
Course 3: Pumpkin with goats butter and smoked honey & lovage
This course was a sweet deviation from its predecessors. The smoked honey was an actual honeycomb which I liked – both for the visual and for the flavor. Skip it though and the dish has a significantly less sweet taste to it. I really liked the combo of the goats milk and the pumpkin. Both were of a softer consistency but had distinctly different flavors – the pumpkin slightly sweet and the goats milk slightly salty.
Course 4: Scallops, cucumber, dill & cream
I can’t say I’ve ever had scallops sliced like this. The slices were not even half an inch in thickness. Very unique. The cucumber and dill were a nice pairing although I found the horseradish in this dish to be a bit overpowering, perhaps just based on enjoying it in conjunction with the second course.
Course 5: Lamb loin with rhubarb, lettuce & turnip
The lamb slices in the dish were very tender. The flavor was nicely accented by the strong flavors of the turnips and rhubarb. The sauce from the meat itself was so good I used it to accompany the bread, which says something.
Toasted wheat, milk and pomegranate
Course 6: Toasted wheat, milk & pomegranate
I really liked this one. It was light and not overly sweet. The toasted wheat made our table think of Frosted Mini-Wheats, albeit a less structured form. The base was almost mousse-like and I really liked the crunch of the wheat and the bursts of fruit flavor the pomegranate seeds provided in contrast to the base.
Course 7: Chocolate, yogurt & thyme
I didn’t love the addition of the thyme, but I wasn’t surprised as I’m not usually a fan of floral elements. The rest of the dish was great though. I liked the crispy texture of the yogurt which contrasted to the slightly bitter chocolate.
Here we are with Chef Sellars!
The meal overall was excellent. Pity that Chef Sellars is opening his restaurant instead in London! I’ll have to make a point to check it out on my next visit or hope that he’ll come back over to our side of the pond for another event.
grits in the city 