Guest Chef Collaborations Do More Than Fill Seats For a Night
Photo Caption: The bar at Esters
Skift Take
For some chefs, inviting colleagues from other restaurants is about camaraderie and community building. For others, it’s offering something new to the guests. All agree it’s a great marketing tool to drum up business on slower nights.
When Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo were looking to celebrate 10 years at their groundbreaking Animal restaurant in Los Angeles, they thought about hosting a series of one-off guest chef nights throughout 2018 and 2019. They wanted to make it extra special, and looked to friends, mentors and chefs who’ve inspired them along the way, including idols like Thomas Keller. When they asked Keller, to their surprise, the renowned French Laundry chef said yes.
If it’s like most of the guest chef nights the duo have hosted over the years, reservations for the November 7 event will book within minutes. The evening is sure to be a win-win for all: Animal will get a boost from selling out at least two turns; front-of-house staff gets exposure to The French Laundry menu; the kitchen learns from one of the best chefs in the world; and guests get a chance to eat Keller’s cooking without the hefty TFL price tag.
Keller himself gets to play the mentor role he does so well, and he gets to cook in L.
