The deeper I get into the culinary program at SF Cooking School the more I realize that I am, and always have been, curating a collection of food experiences. Or as guest instructor, Chef Brandon Jew put it, we are creating an encyclopedia of tastes. With each new bite I am enriching and refining my collection. School has solidified food as art to me. And what an artform it is! There will never be a time when I can pack it up and say I've tasted everything that food has to offer and that makes this endeavor even more beautiful and exciting. Recently we were fortunate to procure a coveted seat at Lazy Bear, a San Francisco underground supper-club which takes place several nights a month at a warehouse/art studio. Forty diners are invited to sit along two communal tables and feast on a 10+ course meal created by Chef David Barzelay and his band of intrepid staff and volunteers (many of the kitchen and wait staff are stagiaire).
When we arrived at the abandoned-looking building on a dusty industrial street a sign reading "Institute of Possibilities" greeted us. We weren't quite sure what we were walking into, but like Beauty entering the Beast's castle, it was surprisingly warm once inside. Once we were seated next to our new friends, the wine and conversation began flowing and mini masterpieces streamed forth from the kitchen. As each dish arrived I was continually awed by the subtle use of unique ingredients. The amuse bouche - an airy sabayon infused with bacon, maple syrup and cayenne. The squab with grits, burnt cabbages, persimmon butter and chanterelles was a sweet autumnal plate. Even the homemade brioche and butter were special. Each dish was a highlight, each flavor a revelation and each bite was a welcome addition to my ever-growing encyclopedia of tastes.
