BEHIND THE MENU
PHOTOS BY SIMON TCHOUKRIEL FOR DELMONICO'S
D elmonico’s opened its doors in 1837 in lower Manhattan and is often cited as America’s “first fine-dining restau- rant.” Prime beef and seafood have long defined the menu, including the iconic Delmonico Steak. Another Delmonico’s classic is Chicken a La Keene, a creamy chicken dish said to be invented in the 1880s by Charles Ranhofer, one of the restaurant’s former notable chefs. It was frequently a “carte du jour” special at the restaurant in the 1940s and appeared on and off the menu until Delmonico’s closed in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. When the restaurant reopened last September under the direction of Dennis Turcinovic, the entrée returned to the menu. Although it’s still popular, current owner Turcinovic is aiming for a menu mix of classics with more for- ward-looking dishes. So he partnered with consulting chef Natalie Prhat to recast Chicken a La Keene with plant- based ingredients, offering guests the option of a vegan version of the favorite. NYC'S FAMED DELMONICO'S ADDS ITS FIRST PLANT-BASED ENTRÉE BEHIND THE MENU: THE LANDMARK RESTAURANT AND BIRTHPLACE OF THE DELMONICO STEAK TRANSFORMS A CLASSIC DISH FOR VEGAN PALATES. BY PATRICIA COBE
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS OCTOBER 2024
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