So... the follwing is the list of 2nd half of 100 stages I did plus 6 latest stages during CJWDT'10!! Left to right, the name of the restaurant, style of cuisine (I think), the location. The restaurant with bold lines are the restaurants I worked full time more than 1 month. Damn.. I came through a long way....
2003
51.Jean Georges / French Contemporary / New York,NY,U.S.A.
52.Le Cirque / Classical French / New York,NY,U.S.A.
53.Alain Ducasse at Essex House / French Contemporary / New York,NY,U.S.A.54.Nob Hill / New French / Las Vegas,NV,U.S.A.
55.Renoir / French Contemporary / Las Vegas,NV,U.S.A.
2004
56.West / Pacific Northwest / Vancouver,BC,Canada
57.Diva at the Mets / Pacific Northwest / Vacncouver,BC, Canada
58.Bishop's / Pacific Northwest / Vancouver,BC,Canada
59.Lumiere / French Contemporary / Vancouver,BC,Canada
60.Bucchus / Modern French / Vancouver,BC,Canada
61.Alto / Modern Italian / New York,NY,U.S.A.
62.Gramercy Tavern / New American / New York,NY,U.S.A.
63.Kai / Kaiseki / New York,NY,U.S.A.
64.Ono / Japanese Fusion / New York,NY,U.S.A.
65.Bistro du Vent / French Bistro / New York,NY,U.S.A.
2005
66.Tru / French Contemporary / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
67.Alinea / Molecular Gastronomy / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
68.Les Normade / Classical French / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
69.Charlie Trotters / New American / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
70.Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace / French Contemporary / Las Vegas,NV,U.S.A.
71.Alex / French Contemporary / Las Vegas,NV,U.S.A.
* Hawthorne Lane / New American / San Francisco,CA,U.S.A.
* Spago / California Pan-Asian / Beverly Hills,CA,U.S.A.
72.Melisse / Classical French / Santa Monica,CA,U.S.A.
73.Mako / Japanese Contemporary / Beverly Hills,CA,U.S.A.
2006
74.Robuchon / French Contemporary / Las Vegas,NV,U.S.A.
75.Guy Savoy / French Contemporary / Paris, France
76.Le Relais louis XIII / Classical French / Paris, France
77.Senderens / French Contemporary / Paris, France
78.Les Magnolias / French Innovative / Paris, France
79.Le Relais d'Auteuil / Classical French / Paris, France
80.L'Ousteau de Baumaniere / French Contemporary / Les Baux-de-Provence, France
81.Gordon Ramsay at London / Modern British / New York,NY,U.S.A.
82.Del Posto / Italian Contemporary / New York,NY,U.S.A.
83.Morimoto / Japanese Contemporary / New York,NY,U.S.A.
84.Per Se / French Contemporary / New York,NY,U.S.A.
*Alinea / Molecular Gastronomy / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
2007
85.L2o / Japanese French Innovative / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
86.Graham Elliot / Progressive American / Chicago,IL,U.S.A.
2008
87.Becasse / Modern Australian / Sydney,NSW,Australia
88.Rockpool / Modern Australian / Sydney,NSW,Australia
89.Forveaux / Modern European / Sydney,NSW,Australia
90.Pier / Australain Innovative / Sydney,NSW,Austalia
91.Tetsuya / Japanese Australian / Sydney,NSW,Australia
92.Vue de Monde / Austalian Innovative / Melbourne,VIC,Australia
93.Attica / Australian Innovative / Melbourne,VIC,Australia
94.Royal Mail Hotel / Australian Innovative / Dunkeld,VIC,Australia
2009
95.Corton / French Innovative / New York,NY,U.S.A.
96.Oceana / Seafood / New York,NY,U.S.A.
97.Harbour / Sustainable Seafood / New York,NY,U.S.A.
98.RM seafood / Sustainable Seafood / Las Vegas,NV,U.S.A.
2010
99.Vau Restaurant / European Contemporary / Berlin, Germany
100.Bruneau / Belgian French / Brussels, Belgium
101.Sea Grill / Seafood / Brussels, Belgium
102.Celeste / French Contemporary / Prague, Czech Republic
103.Noma / Nordic Innovative / Copenhagen, Denmark
104.Geranium / Nordic Innovative / Copenhagen, Denmark
105.AOC / Nordic Innovatitive / Copenhagen, Denmark
106.Chez Dominique / Nordic Innovative / Helsinki, Finland
All the restaurants and chefs, thank you for giving me the opportunies to stage!!
Most of stages, I got the copy of the menus and made some notes of the inspirations. But actually since I'm a homeless backpacker, everything is in Japan now!! I hope I can dig the treasure box one day... probably take least 2 days to look through everything!!
To start this column, I'll not write anything negatvie about any restaurants offered me the opportunities to stage. The reason is simple, the internet is powerful tool and media monster, just one person's negative twitter can be a huge deal. Say one restaurant I worked was so dirty, could be something, never know! That is actually also the reason why I don't do any dining experience columns.
My opinion about these online dining reviews.. My view is great to read, see pics, great sources to know the restaurants, BUT there is one thing I wanna say. Simply I beleive there're NO single dish everybody love in this world!! I'm dead serious. If I say one famous restaurant is horrible, is it apply to everyone, the answer is "NO".
I always say I make my dishes with my heart and be honest I don't care people like or hate it!! Why? Simple, I love it, that's why I made! Should I change it if one person doesn't like it? Say 100 people hate my dish, what about other 100 millions people? I think that's chef's mentality, beleive ownself, have self pride. Just like hardcore metal musicians who play the music they wan to play..... not being pop singer to be the panda on TV or make billions... ....... Nnn? not sure what I'm talking bout now...
So.. I'll start this column with "5.Bistro Kaminokura" where I worked as an apprentice cook, first full time culinary job I did. The chef Takumi Shiga showed me the way of WHO WE ARE, I mean culinary professional what "CHEF" is. He is not Paul Bocuse or Ferran Adria, but to me he is one of the chefs I truley admire from the bottom of my heart...