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Will the Test Kitchen trend catch on?

Sep 30, 2010

How would you like to visit the same restaurant every week, but each time you get to try never-before-eaten dishes from talented chefs? Think of it as a sort of rotating restaurant. That’s the essence of Test Kitchen in Los Angeles.

The story behind this unanticipated hit concept came from restaurateur Bill Chait, who was initially just temporarily looking to rent out his closed restaurant location to local chefs while he worked on the space. But word soon spread like wildfire as the foodie public of L.A. anxiously awaited to try out food from renowned chefs like Top Chef Michael Voltaggio, Waltern Manzke, formerly of Church & State and John Sedlar of Rivera. Here at Test Kitchen, these chefs get to cook and test recipes from new menu items for their own soon-to-open restaurants.

But not only are foodies flocking to Test Kitchen to discover who the next guest chef will be (seats are sold out 3 weeks in advance), but an ever-growing list of chefs are also lining up for the chance to cook in the Kitchen to showcase their talents and garner buzz for their unveiled concepts. Every few days, a new concept is arranged with a new chef who is paired with his own bartender, serving up fixed-price menu or family-style service to keep things simple.

Also Synergy Consultants has been using a “Test Kitchen facility in Chicago called LSK short for Logan Square Kitchen.  It has been awarded LEED status. Could this become a trend for financially strapped restaurants?