When Chef Haidon Came to Visit - The Palace Reviewed

A few months ago, Donna Covrett, the food editor of The Cincinnati Magazine wrote a very fine piece about the Palace Restaurant and our stand-out Chefs Jose Salazar and Summer Genetti. For her superior effort in recounting some of the storied history of The Palace Restaurant’s former Chefs, especially that of Anita Cunningham, we are particularly grateful. We agree with Ms. Covrett wholeheartedly, of course, that our new Chef is every bit the culinary maverick for his respective day in the Queen City that Anita Cunningham was in hers. We are also very proud that Donna saw fit to mention her alumnus status as a former Cincinnatian Hotel and Palace Restraunt Pastry Chef herself, so her recognition of both her old boss (Chef Cunningham) as well as the rising stars of the Palace (Jose and Summer) we think garners her one of the top honors in this summation of 2009’s favorite accolades.

Then there is, of course, the proudest moment of all, the night 5-Star Maisonette Chef George Haidon came to visit the Palace. Since then the Chef has been back several times; but it was this very first visit – when we all held our breath – in anticipation of the Chef’s smile or smirk that has come to pay the greatest reputational dividends. It’s one thing to get the thumbs-up from a food critic; it’s quite another to get the culinary plaudits of a such a legendary Master Chef. Chef Haidon made his mark in the culinary world by offering refined French cuisine to the people of Cincinnati for over 20 years, longer than anybody, and all at the helm of his world-famous Maisonette Kitchen. Belgian born but now a proud citizen of Cincinnati, Chef Haidon kept Cincinnati on the culinary map longer than anybody else has either before or since. Therefore, says Salazar, to receive an honor from “such a great Chef…to have him dine in my Restaurant and to say such generous things about my food is just about the greatest honor any Chef could possibly have.” In fact, Chef Haidon’s rapturous approval of Jose Salazar’s dishes and the ambience surrounding their presentation tops the list of our yearly honors. Never one for fads or culinary gimmicks himself, it was clear that Chef Haidon found a lot to appreciate in both the style and cuisine of Jose Salazar. So uplifting to everyone in the dining room was Chef Haidon’s hearty and passionate appraisal of his Palace experience that we simply had to mark the occasion with a photo. Smile Chefs! As for Maitre'd John Mclean, also featured in the photograph, it is a personal capstone for what he's always felt honored to do, that is, "work side by side with in my opinion the two best Chefs I've ever worked with - one from each generation!" Thanks John. That sums it up rather nicely.

But the accolades did not stop there. A quick glance of our press page will enlighten you to many fine reviewers saying many fine things about the palace Restaurant across the media spectrum, in both the traditional press as well as the blogosphere. Thank you, in particular, Gayot.com for choosing our Pastry Chef Summer Genetti as one of the top 5 rising Chefs in the United States. Thanks equally so to the girls at wine-girl.net and www.winemedinemecincinncati.com for their own personal takes on their worthwhile experiences at the Cincinnatian Hotel. Both blogs are regular stopping points in our internet treasure hunt and we recommend each very highly.

Certainly the most memorable and educational assessment of any of the reviewers is that of Restaurant Reporter, Bob Wilhelmy, of the American Israelite, who sought to get to the heart of Chef Salazar’s philosophy as well as his cuisine. For the intellectual diner, Bob's column is certainly a must read for any avid diner before heading out for the night. Not only does Mr. Wilhelmy equip you with some of the best tag-lines in the critic’s arsenal; but he tries to familiarize you with what a chef does and why he does it. In the case of Chef Salazar, he reminds us of the Chef’s “mantra of approachability,” that is, the effort Salazar expends each and every day in making his dishes as affordable as they are tasty. Everyone should be able to enjoy fine cuisine; and this can only be done if the ingredients chosen are as accessible to the wallet as they are to the palate. In not so many words, I think this last sentence articulates the essence of one of our favorite reviews of 2009 as well as the simple culinary philosophy of our Chef.


And who can forget Polly Campbell’s 5 star Cincinnati Enquirer review, which we’ve posted and discussed in an earlier blog. Contrary to what many might say, Polly’s review is always the highlight of any self-respecting Cincinnati restaurant’s annual self-appraisal and we’re only too glad to reap the benefits of Ms. Campbell’s article. When Polly Campbell speaks, diners in Cincinnati listen; and The Palace Restaurant has been feeling the positive reverberations of Polly’s popular column ever since.

Last but not least it’s certainly worth mentioning that quite often tried-and-true fine-dining establishments, complete with their time-tested culinary graces and traditions, are often overshadowed in an industry which, for better or worse, is rife with ephemeral success. Too often the same restaurant which is the buzz of the whole town one day, or month, or year, has quietly closed its doors the next. The factors leading to such cursory influence are many; but perhaps the most significant is that culinary fads, desirable in the instant it might take to pick up your fork, don’t necessarily "fare" well over time. Who can forget the trendy fly-by-night establishments, the short-lived bistros basking in the glow of their new-fangled eminence, or the latest nightclub buzzing with electric excitement just before their filament begins to flicker as their standing room only crowds begin to fade? Without mentioning names, we nevertheless know the places.

There's always the fear that your favorite restaurant or night spot will close. It is a rough and tumble business, afterall. But every now and again, even us old diehards of the fine-dining establishment perk up and cheer when we discover that we've been "hip" again. To be "hip" isn't everything; but it certainly does help in introducing those who may not be aware of what we do at The Palace Restaurant year in and year out to what a gourmand meal really is all about - The Food!!! That is why we choose to close out this review of accolades with a "forks-up" to the good people at Cincy Magazine who recently garnered us with the Silver Spoon Award in several different categories. When so much we do around here is explicity and intentionally anti-hip (I say this with a chuckle); it's good to know that even an establishment which still has the semblance of a dress code is still hailed and buzzzzed about as all the rage. Hey we're not for everyone perhaps but we are for everyone who desires fantastic gourmet food in a fantastic gourmet setting. Thanks for noticing. And here's to another year of great culinary success!!