Feld - 'Relationship to Table' dining - Chef Jake Potashnick

Intimate, warm and welcoming. From the moment we arrived at Feld, it felt different than most other places I've been. A wave of relief washed over me, and it turned out to be an auspicious start. And I think it also really says something because going into our meal, I was not super enthusiastic about any aspect of it. Having read a bit about it, I was curious and the family wanted to check it out, so I jumped on board. But I'm a lapsed/burnt out fine-diner and in my mind, this was almost sure to be another Tropefest. However, from the get-go, it was already veering in a better direction.

We've all endured the familiar recitations over and over again: local, seasonal, farm-to-table, chef-driven, yada, yada, yada. I'm very much a fan of all these things but when we hear them incessantly, not only is it fatiguing but they lose their meaning, and it becomes increasingly harder to discern the actual differences between the places that tout these practices. On paper (or in pixels) there's a frustrating homogeneity.

And yet, Feld really does manage to distinguish itself in both style and substance, which Chef/Owner Jake Potashnick and his team weave together with seemingly effortless grace. As for the actual mission, Feld puts it better than I ever could. Here's a clip of text from their website . . .

Feld is a relationship-to-table restaurant based in the heart of Chicago’s West Town. At Feld we create a tasting menu that highlights the produce that we have carefully sourced from our network of growers, ranchers, fishermen, and dairy farmers.

Feld is an experiment in true seasonality, where the menu for each evening is created that morning in response to the produce available on that day.

A meal at Feld is not driven by a specific culture or cuisine, but by the produce of the moment and all the possibilities it allows us. The meal is prepared and plated directly in front of the guests, in the center of our dining room, with no separation except the table between guest and cooks.

We invite you to come dine with us, to let us welcome you into our home, and to experience the season through your plate as it can only be experienced on the night you dine.

It's far more than empty rhetoric. The dining experience is a unique and harmonious synthesis of the space, the service style and the food. What ends up on the plates is a creative, resourceful, well-curated and clever mix of local, seasonal ingredients, as well as some items from further afield. Feld's philosophy, the common thread that ties it all together, is built on Chef Potashnick's personal journey and his passion, and leveraged by the relationships he's forged over the years.

I don't think I've ever eaten in a space quite like this one. Its intimacy aligns perfectly with the deeply personal nature of the menu. In fact, this may be the most personal fine-dining experience I've ever had. No, it didn't feel like dining in someone's home. It felt like a tiny, interactive theater where imaginations communicated with each other via the language of food.


Feld - 2018 W Chicago Avenue, Chicago


Pulling Back The Curtain
Inside the entrance, a curtain separates the foyer from the dining room/kitchen. In the way back is the prep kitchen.


The Room
Other than two corner 4-tops left and right of the camera, this is the entire dining room. 20 seats. It's cozy to say the least. I think the aisles on a plane may be wider than these!


Chef/Owner Jake Potashnick
Center of the room and center stage. Every seat in the room faces the center, so each diner has a clear view of the food prep. The only place I've been that comes close to this style of layout was L'atelier De Joël Robuchon but even there, guests are separated from the cooks by the counters at which they're seated.

We were served dozens of dishes. I'm not going to post pictures of all of them here (the full menu appears at the end of this post). What follows are images of -- and comments on -- some of the highlights for us but there was so much more than what I'm going to post here.

The first round was a series of small, rapid-fire bites (in fact, the entire meal was relatively rapid-fire). From Round 1, here were a few of our favorites . . .


Squash | Basil


The Entire Carrot


Artichoke | Shallot


Shiitake x 3
This is actually 2 servings of the Shiitake x 3. Being a 3-top, a few of our dishes were served as one solo portion and one dual portion.


Corn Silk | Baby Corn
For G Wiv

For the most part, Round 2 was comprised of dishes that incorporated more ingredients and featured combinations that showcased more than one of those ingredients . . .


Potato Tart | Peach


Benton's Hams
In this interesting vertical tasting (the first of two during our meal), we were served portions of 12, 18 and 24 month aged Benton's Ham (top to bottom). Even the 12-month brought some funk but it increased, pleasantly, as we went up the ladder.


Custom Plate
I love the plate on which the ham was served and turned it over to see that it had been custom-made for Feld. We found touches like these throughout our meal; custom pieces at every turn. To me, they indicated three main things:
1) No detail hadn't been considered
2) Little expense had been spared
3) Feld is connected to some very talented artisans, producers and farmers


Cured Anchovy | Savory 'Donut'
The 'donut' had a pleasantly chewy texture somewhere between a bialy and an English muffin. We loved this one and joked that the only thing missing was the schmear.

Round 3 included even more 'complex' compositions and contained a few dishes that were among our overall favorites . . .


Corn | Chicken Liver


Snap Peas | Horseradish
Here, the horseradish took the form of an potently aromatic, crystal clear gelee.


Squid | Parsley

While the size of the dishes didn't increase as the meal continued (thankfully!), their complexity and heartiness did as we hit Round 4 . . .


Inoki | Chicken Skin


Turnip | Eggplant Shoyu


Cured Yolk | Crab
This one doesn't look like much but it was an intensely flavored emulsion; almost a cross between a tangy hollandaise and a chawanmushi.

Round 5, the last of the savory courses, actually required a sharp knife for the first time in our meal. It was another custom job . . .


Custom Steak Knife
I could not read the signature on the blade and forgot to ask about the knifemaker but it was a beautiful piece, well-balanced in the hand and properly sharp.


Bok Choy | Cream
Kind of like a salad but not really.


Ikejime Black Cod


Shishito | Quince | 78 Day Aged Lamb

Next up was a series of bridge courses and desserts . . .


July 11, 12, 13
This was another enlightening vertical tasting of Pleasant Ridge Reserve, one of my very favorite cheeses, from cheesemaker Andy Hatch at Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville, WI. Here, we were served Pleasant Ridge Reserve made on 3 consecutive days last July. Considering that Uplands makes the cheese the same way every day with milk from their own cows, it really was amazing to how different these cheeses looked and tasted in a side by side comparison. All delicious, though.


Unknown Dessert
I didn't take notes and tried my best to pay attention and remember details but the description of this one slipped by me and I don't think it appeared on the printed menu we were given after our meal. I'm pretty sure those are shards of nougat standing up in a complex caramel-type sauce. We all really loved this one.


Svenska Kakao | Rosemary
In a tip of the cap to the time he spent cooking in Sweden, Chef Potashnick selected a 70% chocolate from Sweden as the foundation of this dish. We were told that Svenska is the only chocolate producer in Sweden.


Hoshigaki | Fresh Fruit On Ice
Iirc, the white strips accompanying the traditionally dried/cured persimmon were a dusted meringue.

All in all, it was a great meal and an enjoyable journey. In a game of free association we played on the way home, we came up with a bunch of descriptors: clever, creative, skillful, resourceful, playful, respectful, deferential, mindful, intelligent, thoughtful, customized, tasteful and meticulously detailed on every level.

Not hesitant to occasionally defer some culinary flexing in exchange for enthusiastic curation that showcases the work of others, Feld informs diners and presents them with an holistic experience that seeks to provide a bit more context and insight than we would typically experience elsewhere. For example, of course we all know what well-grown local berries taste like but having them frozen was a useful experience. And tasting the assortments of Benton's Hams and Pleasant Ridge Reserve samples was not only delicious but highly informative. In some (most?) restaurant settings, it seems like it's one mode or the other but between the manageable portion sizes and the rapidity of service, both missions are accomplished successfully at Feld.

I have no idea how the financial side of things lines up at Feld but if that planning is as on-target as it was for the dining experience, I think this place is going to be a huge hit, and chef Potashnick, a big star. What it needs now is longevity. I sincerely hope that comes for them because with a menu that changes daily, the larger, seasonal changes will be practically irresistible.

=R=

Feld Restaurant (website)
2018 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622

Sounds wonderful! The young man has one helluva resume.

Ronnie,

I was so enjoying your wonderful post. And then boom! B#by c*orn I ran from the room, screaming, tears flowing from my eyes demons swirling around my brain.

I locked myself in the closet, curled up in the fetal position and stayed there, and stayed there, and stayed there. I’m actually writing this post from the closet. Eventually I’ll come out of the closet. (No subtext intended)

Seems a meaningful experience, I’ll put Feld in my pocket for the future.

#nobabycorn.
Gary

Thanks, Ron, for making a vicarious visit to Feld possible! A question: How much of the cooking takes place in that visible space vs. the prep kitchen mentioned in the photo caption? And are activities in the prep kitchen readily visible to diners, too?

And a comment: I was especially interested in the dishes in Round 1. I'm convinced that the hardest feat for a chef is making a very simple straightforward dish perfectly, both in terms of conquering the technical issues and in mustering the willingness to do so. From what Ron describes, it seems that Potashnick has accomplished that enthusiastically and masterfully.

tjr wrote:Thanks, Ron, for making a vicarious visit to Feld possible! A question: How much of the cooking takes place in that visible space vs. the prep kitchen mentioned in the photo caption? And are activities in the prep kitchen readily visible to diners, too?

And a comment: I was especially interested in the dishes in Round 1. I'm convinced that the hardest feat for a chef is making a very simple straightforward dish perfectly, both in terms of conquering the technical issues and in mustering the willingness to do so. From what Ron describes, it seems that Potashnick has accomplished that enthusiastically and masterfully.

The prep kitchen is fairly visible from the seats but it's hard to see exactly what's going on back there because a lot of it happens below counter height. One visible element above the counter was an open flame/grill that was in use for a good portion of the service. I may have a pic of that. If I do, I'll post it asap.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:The prep kitchen is fairly visible from the seats but it's hard to see exactly what's going on back there because a lot of it happens below counter height. One visible element above the counter was an open flame/grill that was in use for a good portion of the service. I may have a pic of that. If I do, I'll post it asap.

Here 'tis . . .


Feld Prep Kitchen - 24.0711

=R=

Intimate, warm and welcoming. From the moment we arrived at Feld, it felt different than most other places I've been. A wave of relief washed over me, and it turned out to be an auspicious start. And I think it also really says something because going into our meal, I was not super enthusiastic about any aspect of it. Having read a bit about it, I was curious and the family wanted to check it out, so I jumped on board. But I'm a lapsed/burnt out fine-diner and in my mind, this was almost sure to be another Tropefest. However, from the get-go, it was already veering in a better direction.

Glad to hear you had a good experience. Someone who did not have a good experience posted a thread on Reddit that has gotten a lot of comments:
https://new.reddit.com/r/chicagofood/co ... or_asking/

We have a reservation for Feld in a couple weeks. I was a little nervous based on the Reddit thread, but that is just one persons opinion, maybe it was just an off night or something. Thank you for posting your take, as you have a pretty good eye for what works or doesn't work at a restaurant.

JoeChicago wrote:

Intimate, warm and welcoming. From the moment we arrived at Feld, it felt different than most other places I've been. A wave of relief washed over me, and it turned out to be an auspicious start. And I think it also really says something because going into our meal, I was not super enthusiastic about any aspect of it. Having read a bit about it, I was curious and the family wanted to check it out, so I jumped on board. But I'm a lapsed/burnt out fine-diner and in my mind, this was almost sure to be another Tropefest. However, from the get-go, it was already veering in a better direction.

Glad to hear you had a good experience. Someone who did not have a good experience posted a thread on Reddit that has gotten a lot of comments:
https://new.reddit.com/r/chicagofood/co ... or_asking/

We have a reservation for Feld in a couple weeks. I was a little nervous based on the Reddit thread, but that is just one persons opinion, maybe it was just an off night or something. Thank you for posting your take, as you have a pretty good eye for what works or doesn't work at a restaurant.

Yeah, someone told me about that reddit review the other night but I haven't read it. Even though we didn't love every single dish (a vast majority were great), we had a blast and thought it was a unique, fun, creative and refreshing experience. But as you know, these things can be highly subjective. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it because it ain't cheap and it will burn a chunk of your time.

=R=

my reaction to ronnie's wonderful post (and pics) is to wish they would forget about using a different plate for every single dish ! and maybe they could cut the cost of the meal way down so more people (like me) could afford to go. i LOVE beautiful ceramics (and i have a serving size version of the teal bowl the turnip dish is in), but i'd happily eat a meal on 1 size/color/style of plate if it made the experience actually affordable... the world of fine dining can be awfully pretentious....

justjoan wrote:my reaction to ronnie's wonderful post (and pics) is to wish they would forget about using a different plate for every single dish ! and maybe they could cut the cost of the meal way down so more people (like me) could afford to go. i LOVE beautiful ceramics (and i have a serving size version of the teal bowl the turnip dish is in), but i'd happily eat a meal on 1 size/color/style of plate if it made the experience actually affordable... the world of fine dining can be awfully pretentious....

Self-important, too but artists always have something to say, right? So, how they say it is as meaningful as the message. That said, in this paradigm, the number of plates doesn't change, regardless of their variety. So, once you go custom, I'm not sure how much potential savings there'd be by streamlining the variety. For us, seeing the progression of serving pieces and tablewear was an enjoyable, integral part of the experience. It not only provides function but context and pleasure. I'm not sure it'd really be fine-dining without it.

=R=

justjoan wrote:my reaction to ronnie's wonderful post (and pics) is to wish they would forget about using a different plate for every single dish ! and maybe they could cut the cost of the meal way down so more people (like me) could afford to go. i LOVE beautiful ceramics (and i have a serving size version of the teal bowl the turnip dish is in), but i'd happily eat a meal on 1 size/color/style of plate if it made the experience actually affordable... the world of fine dining can be awfully pretentious....

I don’t think they decide on the serving-ware or the ingredients, for that matter, and then decide how much to charge—I think they decide what price point they want to hit and decide what food & experience will justify it /what that will afford them the budget to do.

boudreaulicious wrote:I don’t think they decide on the serving-ware or the ingredients, for that matter, and then decide how much to charge—I think they decide what price point they want to hit and decide what food & experience will justify it /what that will afford them the budget to do.

You choose the type of food you want to be associated with but the costs of ingredients, rent, serviceware and labor have way more to do with it than a pre determined price point. I've rarely started menu development by saying I want a $100 check avg and see what I can do for that. Obviously there's budget to consider but that's backwards for most. It's normally, it costs this much to make the dish, the ancillary costs are this, so I need to sell it for this much. If that puts you in rarified air that you don't want to be in, then you adjust your concept and if not, dine finely.

Jazzfood wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:I don’t think they decide on the serving-ware or the ingredients, for that matter, and then decide how much to charge—I think they decide what price point they want to hit and decide what food & experience will justify it /what that will afford them the budget to do.

You choose the type of food you want to be associated with but the costs of ingredients, rent, serviceware and labor have way more to do with it than a pre determined price point. I've rarely started menu development by saying I want a $100 check avg and see what I can do for that. Obviously there's budget to consider but that's backwards for most. It's normally, it costs this much to make the dish, the ancillary costs are this, so I need to sell it for this much. If that puts you in rarified air that you don't want to be in, then you adjust your concept and if not, dine finely.

Were you working in a prix fixe concept? Because my point is that they are—they’re not varying their price despite the intentional decision to change their menu daily —so I highly doubt that they set that price based on a desire to use a particular plate. Using a cheaper plate would not have “enabled” them to charge less. They’re using the plate because that plate helps make the experience what they want it to be / something that is appropriate for the luxe price point.

Hate to be vulgar but cost?

hoppy2468 wrote:Hate to be vulgar but cost?

Nothing vulgar at all about asking for information like this (they're a business and we're prospective customers). I should have included it in my initial post. Tasting menu is $195/person, plus tax and a 20% service charge. Wine pairings are $125 each. Additional pours, like pre-dinner champagne ($36/pour) and after-dinner spirits ($34/pour for the 2 we ordered) are additional. So, not inexpensive but not quite at the Smyth level, either.

Fwiw -- and for anyone keeping score at home -- they have 6 services per week and each service appears to seat a maximum of 20 diners. So, a minimum baseline gross revenue of $23,400.00 per week (without any alcohol sold or service charges) if they sell every seat.

=R=

The chef has seen the criticism and has a response. The reddit thread was posted earlier wasn't the only negative feedback apparently. Here's a new reddit threadresponding to these instagram posts. It's not going over well. In the comments, someone says Michael Nagrant said "Food-wise this is the worst meal I've experienced in nineteen years as a food writer." (Paywalled full review here).




I've got no skin in this game and I'm fairly certain I'd never make it to Feld regardless of the reviews, but this doesn't look good for its long term prospects.

i think it's great that Feld can pay its staff so well. i hope they have a long run here in chicago.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:The chef has seen the criticism and has a response. The reddit thread was posted earlier wasn't the only negative feedback apparently. Here's a new reddit threadresponding to these instagram posts. It's not going over well. In the comments, someone says Michael Nagrant said "Food-wise this is the worst meal I've experienced in nineteen years as a food writer." (Paywalled full review here).

I hope his luck changes before Uncle Jimmy has to pull the loan.

It seems odd to me that - as reported - they change their menu daily. Surely some dishes work better than others, and the best chefs would want to curate the dishes that they serve, discarding the ones that are not outstanding

I haven't been to Feld, but I do worry tasting a dish before the chef has the opportunity to consider what is being served in his name. Of course, I wish them success. And thank you, Ronnie, for the photos.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:The chef has seen the criticism and has a response. The reddit thread was posted earlier wasn't the only negative feedback apparently. Here's a new reddit threadresponding to these instagram posts. It's not going over well. In the comments, someone says Michael Nagrant said "Food-wise this is the worst meal I've experienced in nineteen years as a food writer." (Paywalled full review here).

I went to Feld this past Friday with my wife. I would be lying if I said the recent press hadn't made me reconsider the decision, but by that time we were past the point of cancellation. We had an absolute great time at dinner. The service was top-notch. It started when we arrived, and they opened the door right as we got close. They sat us right in the middle of the restaurant, so we could see everything. We love how basically ever seat in the place is a chef's table. We quickly decided to do the wine pairing, and the first dish was set down promptly. From that point on I kept trying to figure out why they had gotten so much hate as everything was nearly perfect for us.

We had about 25 courses, the pacing was great, and it was nice to interact with all the different chefs, as well as Jake, the owner/head chef. This is not molecular gastronomy, so anyone expecting that should reset their expectations. I would describe it as high quality & unique ingredients prepared in traditional & non-traditional ways. The only dish I didn't enjoy was a raw halibut, but I'm not a big fan of raw fish. Later on they served the same halibut cooked, which I did enjoy.

I did get the impression they have made tweaks based on some of the early feedback, by eliminating some dishes, improving the plating, and reducing the overall number of courses. The menu we had was particularly corn heavy, which is due to it being in season. As has been covered, the menu will continually adapt to whatever is in season, though to say they are changing the menu completely every day is not accurate. They don't have servers either, so every dish is dropped by a chef, depending on who drops your dish, you might get a better explanation of it.

They do need to get better tables, as the tables have a tendency to slide around if pushed.

Regarding the Nagrant review, I can't read the whole thing, but I don't think it is fair sport to write a review of a restaurant when it has only been open a couple of weeks at that point. Any place needs some time to work out the kinks and make adjustments.

JoeChicago wrote:From that point on I kept trying to figure out why they had gotten so much hate as everything was nearly perfect for us.

Folks often hate or fear what they do not understand. The Feld dining experience benefits from an open mind and fresh thought. Not everyone is capable of that.

JoeChicago wrote:They do need to get better tables, as the tables have a tendency to slide around if pushed.

LOL, yes. It was not an issue for us but it seems to be a big problem for them, as it was mentioned to us pre-emptively (which is probably why we managed it well enough).

=R=

In my news feed this morning. Harsh.

https://www.dailydot.com/news/feld-restaurant-tasting-menu/

I know that Chef Potashnick has cooked at a lot of places, but I wonder if he has stayed long enough to figure out how to run a restaurant and how to create a menu. Has he been Sous Chef anywhere. Has he stayed at a restaurant for two years? Or are all of these adventures staging? If Feld fails, he might consider working for an admired chef for several years and then open his own place that can grow into something impressive. Right now, the plates seem minimalist at maximalist prices. I hope that Feld succeeds, but that is not likely to happen from posts on TikTok, but again I have not been to Feld.

Oh my. This chef needs to get away from the computer. Or hire some PR help. He posted on Instagram again:


And then when someone posted on reddit about it, he posted again:


I have no idea what he hopes to gain here.

In possibly related news, they're only open Wednesday through Saturday and reservations are available most days in August and every day in September.