Every afternoon I make a point of passing through the kitchen to greet and exchange pleasantries with my colleagues in the restaurant. Typically there is always something cooking both literally and figuratively as the ingeneuity and creative zeal of Chef Jose Salazer is something that has never failed to impress me. But on this particular afternoon, as I scurried on by, the Chef flagged me down with what seemed to be an extra-ordinary flourish as he stood in conference over his kettle with several members of his staff to exclaim, in a boisterous tone of excitement, that he had "an idea."
"An idea?" I responded, with about as much eager anticipation in my voice as he had enthusiasm in his.
"Yes, I was thinking I would take 'Tasting Thursdays' on tour - every 3rd Thursday a new destination. First stop will be Italy, then perhaps Germany, then the South pacific, Japan, and who knows where else from there."
Needless to say I thought it was a great idea and, with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever about the Chef's ability to bring such an idea to fruition, I immediately congratulated him on his globe-trotting exuberance. Scarcely has one heard so much excitement in my voice as I proudly told the Chef that when he travels to Germany I will be the first one off the train. Rest assured that I won't be the only one. This town is full of repressed, palatte-deprived "Krauts" who have never quite gotten over the fact that "Forest View" Gardens shut down. But I digress as I get a little too far ahead of myself. The first stop on the Chef's tour is not the Rhine; but rather the Tiber. Italy here we come.
To plant an American flag upon several of the world's most celebrated cuisines without ever having to leave your city, thereby avoiding the actual expense of travel and research into which of Rome's, which of Paris' or which of Tokyo's restaurants you will have to seek out for the finest dining experience, is truly an estimable culinary endeavor in any foodie's book, mine included.
Such arm-chair, itinerant travel and dining is, of course, the goal of Chef Jose Salazer. And he's off to good start, having been tutored in many of those palattes personally. Everything from Amish cooking to French, Latin-American and Japanese is already part of his culinary repertoire; but now he seeks to do something even more exciting, that is to set apart one night a month for his exclusive interpretation and preparation of a particular ethnic favorite. Bon appetit in absentia! One of the city's finest chefs testing his culinary and cultural chops the world over, without ever leaving his restaurant, and the people of Cincinnati uniquely situated to partake of his around-the-world excursion sharing it with him as they too travel with him aborad direct from the comfort of the Palace Restaurant Cincinnatian's dining room.
As far as I can tell this is unprecedented in the Queen City - one chef attempting to tackle so many different styles of food - effectually transforming his restaurant for an entire evening into an Italian Cafe, a Japanese Sushi Bar or a German Stube - solely for a flight of culinary fancy and all for the enjoyment of the people of Cincinnati.
Gourmands of the Queen City unite! Every Third Thursday is now also a Tasting Traveling Thursday so get your boarding pass now by calling or writing to make your reservations before Chef Jose Salazer's traveling kitchen hits the road en route first to Italy before heading off next month and those thereafter to destinations yet undisclosed.
Accompanying him on this journey will be none other than the "dessert diva" herself, Summer Genetti, as she too brings the taste of Italy's finest confections straight to your table. And, of course, John Mclean, will have done his part in selecting just the right Italian wines for the occassion.
Sure you could spend more than you must by traveling to Italy, or you could even traverse half the tri-state to patronize one of the countless, Italian chain restaurants to enjoy such fare; but why go to the Olive Garden one more time when you can experience first-hand what a superbly creative Chef, freshly inspired and working in what amounts to a homemade juggernaut of imagination and tenacity as he sets out to take your taste buds on a trek across the globe. For just $44.00 per person, you can join the Chef each and every Third Thursday as he takes you on an international journey across 7 continents with to experience his pre-fixe, sensational interpretations of some of the world's most clebrated cuisines.
