# Alinea’s Coronavirus-Inspired Canapé



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Recently top 50 restaurant Alinea introduced a Corona virus inspired canape to their menu. Seems like it took things a bit too far what are the Professional chefs thoughts?



> Alinea's been serving the COVID-19-inspired canapé as an amuse bouche since it opened a West Loop rooftop patio on July 1. The rooftop allows Alinea to serve customers in a safer outdoor environment. Chef Grant Achatz developed the tasting menus for these dinners in about 10 days, bringing Alinea's gastronomical experience outdoors. The dinners have sold out through August, and Achatz says they'll likely keep going through October. Since Alinea went alfresco, carryout operations have slowed, but staff continues to sell food to go from the Lincoln Park restaurant. Achatz and Kokonas are Alinea's faces, with Kokonas handling operations and Achatz the menus.


https://chicago.eater.com/2020/7/10/21318452/alineas-coronavirus-inspired-bite-labeled-as-tone-deaf


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Witty. Culturally significant. Innovative. Amusing... both the dish and the criticism.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

Pretty tasteless...

Some things are better left alone.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

@halb that was my feeling as well. Tasteless and no class.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Ahhh, art... only good if it inspires thought and emotion.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Canapes only look good when presented in arrangement anyway.


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

I'd say it's funny in that gallow's humor sort of way that chef's generally appreciate.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

I would not have put those two things together on my own by just seeing the item itself. On a side note that color is not appetizing at all.


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## justacook415 (Aug 21, 2014)

Pretty tasteless. Their response to the whole thing comes across as dishonest. Co-Owner: Nick, if you've noticed, has to have the last word on everything and never admits a fault.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

Well you know what they say, there is no such thing as bad publicity.


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## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

It looks like they colored the ends of a sprouted potato


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

I think it's in pretty poor taste, and Nick Kokonas comes off as an even more massive douche than I thought (I read Achatz's "Life on the Line" book and found Nick pretty insufferable). 

I read on twitter someone asking how Achatz would respond if he went out for dinner and someone served him a "tongue cancer" app...something tells me he wouldn't think it was clever or funny.


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