A more interactive alternative to dining at a chef's table, renting out a chef's counter lets guests peer into the kitchen and watch their food being prepared. These highly rated restaurants let small groups rent out such spaces and gain access to intimate, chef-led tasting experiences.
Brooklyn Fare
Brooklyn Fare, a neighborhood grocer that's been open since 2009, has a restaurant within it called Chef's Table. The venue—billed as Brooklyn's only restaurant with three Michelin stars—has an 18 seat kitchen counter that can be reserved for private events. Chef Cesar Ramirez prepares market-driven tasting menus that he develops on the day of the event. The prix-fixe dinner offers more than 20 small-plate courses. There's a heavy focus on seafood, with dishes containing both shellfish and raw fish; there's also a wine program.
Photo: Courtesy of Brooklyn Fare
Storefront Company
Storefront Company opened in Chicago's 100-year-old Flat Iron building in March. From the team behind Debonair Social Club, the venue specializes in what owners call "farm cuisine and modern cooking." At a four-seat area known as the Kitchen Counter, which is available by reservation only, chef Bryan Moscatello serves personalized four-course menus that incorporate the day's freshest ingredients or special dishes that aren't available for non-Kitchen Counter patrons. During the meal, the chef interacts with guests and describes his culinary process. Offerings may include quinoa fries with sheep's milk cheese, foie gras with brioche crisps and pickled peaches, or quail with pistachio sausage. Courses come paired with wine. Classic and seasonal cocktails, champagnes, and specialty craft beers are also available.
Photo: Brian Willette
Scarpetta Beverly Hills
Chef Scott Conant helms Scarpetta Beverly Hills, a modern Italian restaurant that opened inside Montage Beverly Hills in 2010. Groups of five can reserve the chef's counter, where the culinary team prepares dishes as guests look on. The chef offers detailed descriptions of each menu item; sample offerings include creamy polenta with truffled mushrooms or tagliatelle with duck ragu. The restaurant offers eight-, 10-, and 12-course tasting menus, and sommeliers can provide wine pairings.
Photo: Courtesy of Scarpetta Beverly Hills
Yusho
Matthais Merges, who was executive chef at Charlie Trotter's for some 14 years, opened Yusho in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood in late 2011; this year, the restaurant was included in Bon Appetit's list of 50 Best New Restaurants. Inspired by a Japanese yakitori, the restaurant has a chef's counter that can hold private groups of four. The entire Cooking Counter can also be reserved to seat 14. All menus are customized "around the guests' likes and dislikes, beverages being consumed, and length of experience a guest would like to have," says Merges. Pairings may include hama hama oysters with English peas and caviar; mackerel with Japanese vinaigrette and sushi rice; and a "Gin Rickey" made with lime and DH Krahn gin.
Photo: Courtesy of Yusho
Stir
In Boston, Stir is a demonstration kitchen and cookbook store owned by prominent chef Barbara Lynch. The venue has a cook-top island with seating for 10 and can host private cooking classes and dinners. Options include a $200-a-head demonstration dinner that lets guests look on as a chef prepares a three-course meal and demonstrates techniques. The menu is customized to reflect clients' tastes and seasonal ingredients, and guests leave with a collection of recipes.
Photo: Courtesy of Stir
