On The Line

On The Line, written by Eric Ripert is by far one of the best books on the market. Anyone in the restaurant business should spend some time and read this book. It explains in details, everything from the history, to the kitchen, to the business.

In January 1986 Gilbert and Maguy Le Coze opened Le Bernadin at its present location. By April of that year they had four stars in the New York Times, a restaurant first. During January 1994 Gilbert unexpectedly died leaving Maguy leaning on the young executive chef, Eric Ripert, who had worked there for three years.

The restaurant today is very different then it was fifteen years ago. Few people after the first course remember that they are in a fifty story building.

Every minute from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. is precise in the kitchen. Every dish that goes out is inspected by the sous-chef or the chef at the pass. Every plate is tasted and the temperature is checked with a metal skewer.

The one true star at Le Bernadin is the fish. Justo Thomas the fish butcher transforms eight hundred to a thousand pounds of fresh fish into perfect filets daily. Alone it takes him six hours but whenever he goes on vacation it takes two guys twice as long.

The porter Fernando Uruchima spends eleven hours a day making sure all the deliveries have been received and counted. Once done he puts everything away, from locking up the truffles to checking every light bulb in the dining room. Without this special thirty-four year old man the restaurant could not and would not operate properly.

Le Bernadin wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for Michael Laiskonis. He is the executive pastry chef and works in a ten by fourteen foot patch in the bustling kitchen. Everything in his pastry kitchen is precisely organized, even the squeeze bottles of sauces and syrups. Laiskonis is constantly trying to push the boundaries of his predecessors. Everyday around three o’clock, he begins experimenting with new ingredients and techniques.

If you have been a recipient of the “egg” than consider yourself special. After creation, it quickly became Laiskonis’s special. Only making around ninety a day, the “egg” is comprised of: milk chocolate crème brûlée, liquid caramel, caramel foam, two drops of maple syrup and a few flakes of Maldon sea salt.

The maître d’ Ben Chekroun has welcomed diners since 1993. He is responsible for the front of the house, as well as for who staffs it. A meal at Le Bernadin is usually so relaxed and gracious; it’s hard to imagine the military precision with which the dining room is run. With one hundred and thirty eight people they are promoting that experience.

Many don’t know, but Le Bernadin has a second location, Les Salons. Les Salons is directly above Le Bernadin. Everything is exactly the same from the uniforms to the kitchen, just downsized. It’s used mainly for business-get-togethers but not always.

On The Line without a doubt shows what it takes to run a restaurant of this caliber. The book highlights all positions because everyone is equally vital in their operation.

Le Bernadin

Le Bernadin is easily one of the best restaurants in Manhattan, New York. It is run by Chef Eric Ripert and his strong staff of chefs. Eric Ripert has been the chef since 1994.

Eric Ripert was born in Antibes, France in 1965. At a young age Ripert learned to cook from his grandmother. As a young boy his family moved to Andorra but Chef Eric Ripert returned to France to attend culinary school at Perpignan. In 1982 Ripert moved to Paris where he worked at La Tour d’ Argent, a famous restaurant more the four hundred years old. In 1985 Eric Ripert left to fulfill his service in the military.

After serving in the military Ripert moved to the United States in 1989 and was hired as a sous chef in the Watergate Hotel’s Jean Louis Restaurant. In 1995, one year after Ripert was named executive chef at Le Bernadin, the restaurant received a four star rating from the New York Times. Le Bernadin was awarded three Michelin stars in 2006 for excellence in cuisine. They were one of three New York City restaurants to be awarded three Michelin stars in 2008.

The restaurant was well deserving of the three Michelin stars it received. While on a kitchen tour the Matrie’d said they get all the fish flown in every morning. This makes sense though because Le Bernadin is strictly a seafood concept. Also all sauces are poured tableside and every dish they present is well explained before you eat.

The service was phenomenal. All the servers knew exactly how every dish had been prepared and the instant you needed something they were at your side. The bread service was exceptional, with six different varieties for everyone’s taste.

While on the kitchen tour I noticed blue tape on a huge white board. The Matrie’d explained that this is how they kept every table on track. Basically there were numbers all over the board with four boxes next to them. Each box represented what course that specific table was on. So let’s say table one finished their first course then the first box next to table one gets scribbled out.

All the food was stupendous. Everything was so fresh with excellent simplicity. We chose to do the four course menu. I really liked the way this menu was set up. For dinner you got to choose three courses and one dessert. The three courses were Almost Raw, Barely Touched and Lightly Cooked. Within these three sections there were thirty five choices. I enjoy this so much more than your classic eight course set menus because there’s something for everyone on this menu.

Honestly I’ve never eaten better fish than what I had at Le Bernadin. Every course the fish was cooked to the perfect temperature. The Amuse-Bouche was Sweet Maine Shrimp with black truffle oil and celery foam. The shrimp was very tender and almost melted in your mouth. I really enjoyed the tuna with the Foie Gras in the middle. The tuna also had baby chives and extra virgin olive oil which gave it a sweet sensation. For my third course I ordered the codfish. Currently I’m reading, Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, so this seemed appropriate. The cod was baked and just flaked apart and the sauces had rich flavors.

The desserts were absolutely delicious, each with their own flavors. All the desserts were so light and innovative. In too many restaurants desserts are like a final bomb going into your stomach but these were light with strong flavors. I really enjoyed the Chocolate-Sweet Potato. I have never had the chocolate and sweet potato flavors combined but if was very interesting. Though my favorite dessert was the Panna Cotta, it seemed so refreshing and the strong lemon flavor was a definite turn on.

Instead of getting three desserts like we ordered, six came out to the table. Michael Laiskonis, The Executive Pastry Chef, was so kind to send an extra three to the table. Michael Laiskonis is known for his exquisite dessert performances. As a child Laiskonis lived in Michigan and went to Wayne State University to train in the visual arts. While in college Laiskonis started baking at a friend’s bakery with no culinary degree. After working at Emily’s in Northville, Michigan and Tribune Restaurant he was appointed Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernadin in 2004.

Laiskonis also has two wonderful blogs, workbook and Michael Laiskonis Notes From The Kitchen. I follow both these blogs everyday and I’m always in aw while looking at them. I especially like Workbook because he includes recipes and formulas to everything.

Everyone at Le Bernadin appeared to love what they do. This is very important while working anywhere because then you put your all into it. Hopefully I can one day work in a restaurant of this caliber with just great people, like Michael Laiskonis and Eric Ripert.


Pastry Kitchen
















Executive Pastry Chef- Michael Laiskonis

Amuse-Bouche
















Sweet Maine Shrimp, Black Truffle Oil, Celery Foam

Salmon
















Organic Scottish and Smoked Salmon; Apple, Celery and Baby Watercress; Jalapeño Emulsion

Kampachi
















Kampachi Tartare; Cucumber; Pineapple - Citrus Vinaigrette

Tuna
















Layers of Thinly Pounded Yellowfish, Foie Gras and Toasted Baguette, Shaved Chives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Crab
















Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Peekytoe Crab; Black Truffle Sauce

Escolar
















White Tuna Poached in Extra Virgin Olive Oil; Sea Beans and Potato Crips; Light Red Wine Béarnaise

Mackerel
















Seared Spanish Macherel; Parmesan Crisp and Sun-Dried Tomato; Black Olive Oil

Codfish
















Baked Codfish; Green Mango Salad; Red Lentil Stew; Yogurt Sauce

Surf and Turf
















Escolar and Seared Kobe Beef; Sea Bean Salad and Eggplant Fries; Mr. Kaufman's Pesto and Anchovy Sauce

Red Snapper
















Bread Crusted Red Snapper; Zucchini - Mint and Coriander Compote in a rich Citrus Broth

"The Egg"
















Milk Chocolate Pot de Crème, Caramel Foam, Maple Syrup, A Pinch of Maldon Sea Salt

Hazelnut
















Gianduja Cream, Oregon Hazelnuts, Honey, Banana, Brown Butter Ice Cream

Chocolate-Sweet Potato
















Dark Amedei Chocolate Ganache, Sweet Potato Pearls and Sorbet, Pistachio, Palm Sugar, Vanilla Salt

Chestnut
















Frozen Chestnut Parfait, Biscuit & Wafer; Mandarin Coulis, Coconut Sorbet

Panna Cotta
















Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta, Pomegranate Pearls and Sorbet, Lemon Cream Orange Peel, Mint

Carrot
















Rum Scented Carrot Cake, Golden Raisins, Sicillian Pistachio, Condensed Milk Ice Cream

Sorbet
















Pineapple Buttermilk, Coconut, Mandarin

Petit Fours