In designing the custom kitchen of Tru a decade ago, chef-partner Rick Tramonto and pastry chef-partner Gale Gand took inspiration from Michelin-starred restaurants they experienced in England and France.
Such hallmarks as an island-style cooking suite, a separate pastry shop for Gand and a warm, colorful interior kitchen decor all had their roots in their European sojourns.
The budget for the kitchen alone was about $1.2 million, Tramonto recalled, sheer luxury for a pair of young chefs used to opening restaurants on a shoestring.
“It would probably cost about $2.6 million or $2.8 million if you did it over today,” he said.
Ten years later, the kitchen stands the test of time.
“We have replaced a lot of mixers and smallwares, but the island is still a beautiful piece of equipment,” Tramonto said.
How important to Tru’s future is the scientific gear that executive chef Tim Graham uses at times, such as the thermal circulator and steam distillation unit?
Whatever tool you use—iSi canisters or Anti-Griddles—it’s just another toy in your sandbox. I think that’s where Tim really shines. He knows that it’s all about how great the food tastes.
As I tell him sometimes, I want to embrace the new music, but I don’t want to forget the old classics—ever.
On your recent trip to France and Spain, what caught your eye in restaurant kitchens?
I saw a lot of combi ovens and moisture ovens everywhere, and a lot of induction cooking. There are so many places where you don’t even see flames. Everybody is doing sous vide, and they have these huge water baths, huge immersion circulator finishing stations. In Spain, you’re starting to see that in some of the tapas places and casual restaurants. It will be interesting to see if that becomes mainstream.
Will innovative equipment like that replace standard ranges in the United States?
I don’t think they’ll ever replace them; they’ll enhance them. There are still a lot of chefs who love open flame. There’s still something to be said for old-school braising. Whether you talk about art or music or race-cars, there is great evolution, but there’s still something to be said for an old ’57 Chevy that is souped up.
