Chef John Tesar Impresses At The Chefs Club In New York City

Last Wednesday night, the Chefs Club hosted a special dinner by chef John Tesar. The Parisian-trained chef opened Knife in May 2014 at The Highland Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Tesar made the news recently when his book deal was announced: he will coauthor a cookbook, tentatively titled Knife: Modern Steak and All American Meats, with food writer Josh Ozersky.

About 20 guests tasted a seven-course menu that began with sturgeon chic garron and ended with succulent Korean barbecue-style beef, served on a kimchi pancake.

Tesar's seven courses showed his versatility in the kitchen, commitment to high-quality ingredients, and diverse flavor profiles. Jerusha Frost, the elegant sommelier of the night, provided carefully selected wine pairings for each course.

The live diver scallops, seated in their beautiful shells, were paired with a dry, crisp glass of Champagne. Guests also enjoyed a magnum bottle of Charles Heidsieck brut reserve from chef Tesar's personal collection.  

The dinner ended with a tribute to Le Bernardin, Eric Ripert's iconic New York restaurant. David Collier, executive pastry chef at Knife, prepared a caramel mousse that was presented in an espresso cup with sel de guérande. The flavors evoked my memories of candies from Brittany, France.

Chef Tesar concluded the evening by saying "Life is about experimentation," which, for us, perfectly summed up his cooking philosophy.