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Jennifer Carroll says goodbye to 10 Arts
"From Eric, I definitely learned patience, how to have refinement in my food and how to edit myself," Carroll says. "But now I have to go. If I don't get out now I won't have the opportunity to see what's out there for me."
Jennifer Carroll says goodbye to 10 Arts
When Eric Ripert brought Jennifer Carroll to his 10 Arts at the Ritz-Carlton in 2008, she became a favored chef — of mine, of the city and of viewers of Bravo's Top Chef, where audiences got two looks at the blonde Philadelphian, in both a regular season and its All-Stars session. "From Eric, I definitely learned patience, how to have refinement in my food and how to edit myself," Carroll told me the other day. "But now I have to go. If I don't get out now I won't have the opportunity to see what's out there for me."
With that, Carroll left her post at 10 Arts, but not with a quiet goodbye or even a singularly Carroll-centric meal. Instead, she invited a rogue's gallery of friends, chefs and mixologists to join her in her farewell to Broad and Chestnut, as well as for the Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner that benefits the James Beard Foundation.
While the likes of Michael Solomonov (Zahav, Percy Street, Federal Donuts), John Collabelli (Philly Style) Sarah Van Aken (Sa Va) and Shola Olunloyo (hmm, nowhere really right now) showed up for giggles and good eats, Kevin Sbraga (his eponymous spot is a little over two weeks away) helped out in the kitchen, from which an array of big-name chefs sent out their finest for a seven-course feast preceded by a cocktail hour. (Thanks to Farmers' Cabinet barkeep Christian Gaal for some strong drinks.)
After Carroll and Jeff Black, president of Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner Series, toasted each other, greeted guests and announced again that Carroll wouldn't say where she'll open her new Philly restaurant, the night's host brought out the evening's first dish, her last at 10 Arts — pressed yellowfin with orange, ginger and white miso, paired with a Marquis de Lafayette cocktail of Plymouth gin, Prosecco and cilantro shrub that truly brought out the ginger flavors of the tuna.
The second course was chef Victor Albisu's Fermin Iberico pork with California caviar and Greek yogurt, while chef Eli Kirshtein, another former Top Chef contestant, offered up the third, Harvesta shrimp dish with whipped cauliflower and piment d'espelette served with a 2009 Domaine Serene, Clos du Soleil Chardonnay. Round four (and this is where things got heady): chef Adam Sobel's sturgeon, poached in duck fat with apples, baby turnips and chanterelles and served with a rich Pinot Noir. If you thought duck fat was good, then chef Michael Ginor’s duck breast, Hudson Valley foie gras, duck confit crepinette, rhubarb and parsnip mousseline with a deep red Domaine Serene Pinot Noir was sick decadent. The only thing I wish was that Ginor's course had come after chef Scott Drewno's course six, a very good Szechuan-style filet with kabocha squash purée and caramelized shallot sauce. The mistress of desserts, 10 Arts pastry chef Monica Glass, finished everything beautifully with an autumnal delight — pillowy pumpkin budino with brown butter, bourbon, apple, hazelnut and sour cream sorbet.
After Carroll, whose mom was there, said her goodbyes, she made us all feel like Scarecrows to her Dorothy, even though a) the afterparty was around the corner at Chris' Jazz Café; and b) we'll see her very, very soon.
Real quick though, we hear that Ripert is doing a national search for a new 10 Arts chef (probably isn't lifting sous Steve Delorean to the post), and will introduce him/her with a dinner between Nov. 3 and 5. Word has it that someone who smacks of Top Chef and/or is from Laurent Tourondel's orbit is in the running — could it be Victor Albisu of BLT Steak, who cooked for Jen last night? Or could it be Ed Cotton from Top Chef Season 7, once chef de cuisine at BLT Market? Stay tuned.
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