[EID Features] Young Guns I at the Root recap

I'm not actually doing a "recap" in which I describe every single thing I ate course by course in excruciating detail and how it made me feel about myself. My official recap is that I went to this dinner in White Lake where there was so much talent in one room, it was unfair to all other rooms. There were the six chefs - James Rigato, Nick Janutol, Andy Hollyday Michael Barrera, Brennan Calnin, and Nikita Santches - but there were also some serious wine and cocktail gurus: Joe Robinson of Bailout Productions, Antoine Przekop of Great Lakes Wine and Spirits, and Sommelier Evan Barrett from the Plum Market wine team led by Master Sommelier and HBIC Madeline Triffon. Plus many more area chefs, booze hounds, food and wine writers, and restaurant owners who either came to help out the six stars of the evening or just came to eat. And a wonderful time was had by all.

There were a lot of intentions with this dinner, which you can read about in more detail in my interview with Chef James Rigato here, but one of the major highlights was the emphasis on collaboration. After the dinner, as the boys all kicked back with some beers and shot the shit with each other basking in a job well done, Jessi Patuano, Rigato's right-hand woman in the kitchen at the Root, came out and chatted with me for a bit. What really struck her was that strong sense of collaboration in the kitchen: here there were six hotshot young chefs and every last one of them checked his ego at the door. As soon as each one was done with their own course, they were right there on the line asking the next guy how they could help him - no ego, no showmanship, no solitary lone wolves, just total solidarity. And that was the whole point.

Here is the full menu from this event, including wine and cocktail pairings. To keep the element of surprise throughout the meal, the menus weren't presented until the end of the dinner, given to guests as a parting gift.

Tickets to the next event on February 23 go on sale at noon today. Get on it. This is an experience unlike any other in Michigan. [UPDATE: This event sold out in 21 minutes.]

And once again, below is the complete series of interviews I conducted with each participating chef leading up to this event. Give them a good read. These guys really put their hearts and souls into these answers and put so much more thought and effort into them than I ever could have asked for or expected. Afterwards, talking with chefs individually or with their girlfriends privately, I found out just how much of themselves they put into this and, you know, at the risk of sounding insincerely sentimental, it was touching. Many of these guys stayed up until 3a.m. after working 12+ hours, taking hours to make sure their answers were just right. This is all them, 100%. Metro Detroit's Young Guns. Nikki's Boys.

James Rigato, The Root
Nick Janutol, Forest Grill
Andy Hollyday, Selden Standard and Roast
Brennan Calnin, Imperial
Nikita Santches, Rock City Eatery
Michael Barrera, Streetside Seafood

[HOT LIST] Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving is one week from today, and whether you're the type who loves nothing more than to spend hours in the kitchen cooking the holiday meal or the type who loves nothing more than to spend hours on the couch watching movies and waiting to eat the holiday meal, there are plenty of local options for everyone. Stay at home and cook a locally-raised turkey yourself, have someone else do it for you but reap all the compliments all the same, or just ditch the whole dinner at home thing altogether and have your Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant. No matter what you fancy, here are some great local options.

See also: this great round-up from MLive for those of you out Ann Arbor way (including the Produce Station, Zingerman's Roadhouse, Eat Catering and Carry-out, Weber's Inn, and more). 

Thanksgiving Dinner Package from Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Detroit
For $79.99 you get a whole turkey (feeds 8-10 people) plus stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, orange and cranberry relish, a dozen rolls from On the Rise Bakery, two pies, and real whipped cream. Free range turkey is also available for an additional charge. But hurry, the deadline for orders is noon today!

Butcher Boy Food Products, Warren
Order a whole wild turkey from Butcher Boy Food Products in Warren, a meat processing facility and retail store that specializes in wild game.

Eastern Market Thanksgiving Market, Detroit
Get everything you need for your Thanksgiving dinner at the brand-new Thanksgiving Market next Tuesday, an extension of their popular Tuesday markets. From turkeys to local artisan food products to Christmas trees and gifts, they'll have everything you could want or need for the holidays.

C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse Grill, Wolverine Lake
Order your entire Thanksgiving meal to go from C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse, the new concept from accomplished Executive Chef Jeff Rose, with options for 8-10, 12-15, or 18-20 people. Includes everything you need for your Thanksgiving meal including turkey, sides, and pies for dessert.

Thanksgiving dinner at the Whitney, Midtown
From noon to 6 p.m. $49 adults, $29 for kids. You could do all the cooking yourself, or you can just let them do it for you.

Detroit BBQ Co., Detroit
Going to the Lions game on Thanksgiving Day? Stop by to visit Detroit BBQ Company at Pride Plaza beforehand. Though they're not taking Thanksgiving orders this year, they will have pulled turkey for you to enjoy while you tailgate.

Rock City Eatery, Hamtramck
He may have opened his own restaurant earlier this fall, but to many loyal fans Nikita Santches is and always will be the Pie Guy. Stop by Rock City for your Thanksgiving pie this year. Pick-up is on a first-come, first-serve basis next Tuesday and Wednesday from noon until close. Available flavors are:
-Chocolate Pumpkin
-Cranberry+White Chocolate+Pistachio
-Butterscotch+Bourbon+Pecan
-Salted Caramel+Apple
-Sweet Potato+Whiskey

Whole Foods Market, various locations
Order your turkey, pies, even your whole meal (including wine) online and pick up at your nearest Whole Foods Market location.

Wolfgang Puck Steak, MGM Grand, Detroit
They'll serve their regular menu as well as a special Thanksgiving menu with the following items:
-Roasted Turkey with Cornbread Stuffing
-Potato Puree and Giblet Gravy
-Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake with Cranberry Coulis. The restaurant is open 5-10 p.m.

TAP, MGM Grand, Detroit
Special $22 menu served 11 a.m. to close.
-Roasted Fall vegetable salad with mixed greens, beets, parsnips, citrus vinaigrette
-Roasted turkey, white and dark meat with sage-onion gravy
-Housemade cornbread stuffing
-Creamy garlic mashed potatoes
-Roasted Acorn Squash, brown sugar, butter
-Cranberry – orange sauce
-Parker house roll
-Pumpkin cheesecake

Palette Dining Studio, MGM Grand, Detroit 
Served 11 a.m. to 11 pm. $22 for lunch and $28 for dinner. The weekly Prime Rib and Shrimp Night will start at 4 p.m. for $32.
Soup
Corn Chowder
Salad
Beet and Mandarin Orange Salad
Arugula and Pear Salad
Carving
Roasted Turkey Breast with Giblet Gravy
Entree
Turkey Thigh Meat
Seafood Fusilli Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce
Stuffing
Candied Yams
Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Desserts
Praline Pecan Cream Tarts
Pumpkin Rum Raisin Bread Pudding w/ Vanilla Anglaise

[Model D] (revolver), a new table d'hôte restaurant, will open during the first-ever Hamtramck Food Week

Hamtramck has long been known for its diversity of ethnic culinary offerings, but new concepts opening this fall promise to elevate this neighborhood to a new level of gastronomic savviness. First there is 2012 Hatch Detroit finalist Rock City Eatery, a new American restaurant serving locally-sourced items made from scratch with a Anthony Bourdain-like culinary sensibility (think: offal, and items like bone marrow fritters). It will be open this fall, pending final inspections.

But one concept you haven't heard much about yet, as the partners haven't said much about it yet, is the new (revolver) in Hamtramck.

Read more.