Five of Los Angeles top chefs gather together each year and hold five dinners at five restaurants, each of them, along with a guest chef, would prepare their own dish. This 5x5 Chefs Collaborative not only give us foodies a wonderful dining opportunity, it also promotes camaraderie among chefs and also benefit the Southern California Chapter of Special Olympics.
Come on, what more do you want?
This year's participating chefs are: Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Josiah Citrin (Melisse), David Lefevre (Water Grill), Gino Angelini (Angelini Osteria), and Neal Fraser (Grace) -- Fraser a new addition this year, replacing Walter Manzke.
This year's 5x5 dates have also been announced! And it will start with a dinner at Providence featuring Alex Stratta (from Alex, at the Wynn in Las Vegas). Here's the full lineup:
Tuesday, April 28, 2009: PROVIDENCE with Alessandro Stratta of Alex
Sunday, May 17, 2009: MELISSE with Gabriel Kreuther of The Modern
Monday, June 15, 2009: GRACE with Sean McClain of Spring
Sunday, August 23, 2009: WATER GRILL with Curtis Duffy of The Avenues
Monday, September 21, 2009: ANGELINI OSTERIA Guest Chef to be Announced
Prices for the dinners remain the same from last year at $150/year or $215 with wine pairing.
Here are some reviews from last year's 5x5 from around the blogosphere:
my review on the 5x5 at the Water Grill.
From Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul: Providence, Water Grill
From KevinEats: Providence, Water Grill
From Food Destination: La Terza
I'm surprised you didn't mention your bad experience at La Terza. Are you planning on hitting up any of these this year?
ReplyDeleteYeah I wasn't sure if I should mention it, since I actually really enjoyed the food ... just the service was really bad :(
ReplyDeleteI got this email today too. I think I should be able to make all of them except Grace, since I may be dining in Las Vegas that night (perhaps going back to Robuchon!). Which ones are you planning on?
ReplyDeleteDo you just call the restaurant and make a reservation for that night? Is there a web site for the 5x5 dinners?
ReplyDeleteAaron&Kevin: I haven't decided which I will hit up yet ... altho my schedule so far for those dates are clear. Maybe Providence and Melisse?
ReplyDeleteI'll let you guys know :P
Matt: Yep! Just call the restaurants! I don't think there's a 5x5 website, but each restaurant may have info on it.
this year's 5x5 features 2 heavy hitting Chicago chefs.
ReplyDeleteShawn McClain's custom house remains 1 of my fave brunch places in all of Chicago. It was the first (and last) time I had a dessert tasting AND a cheese board all during brunch.
That said, at $150... I'm out.
Btw Aaron, I think La Terza just shuttered.
La Terza has been transformed into Minestraio. It's still the same ownership and staff, but the menu's gone down market into a more trattoria style
ReplyDeleteAye, not sure if that was really a wise decision. I thought La Terza's problem was never the price, but the service ... I guess worse service = lower price? Although I do think he does pastas best and so the pasta-focused menu of Minestraio may be a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThis is not going to help my pocketbooks, but I'm going to try to make it to 1-2 of the 5x5.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to try to make it to the Providence one :)
ReplyDeletedude you are going to make me POOOOOR haha but I think I will hit up one with you this time. Do you think the Providence one will be better than Melisse? e-mail me to let me know.
ReplyDeleteFiona & Kat: How about let's do Providence AND Melisse???
ReplyDeleteScratch out Melisse...my butt is on a flight to Toronto that morning.
ReplyDeleteI actually made it to all 4 5x5 dinners last year
ReplyDeleteMelisse: http://tangbro1.blogspot.com/2008/07/melisse-07072008.html
La Terza: http://tangbro1.blogspot.com/2008/10/la-terza-09222008.html