Why One Chef Wants a 40-Seat Restaurant
Fewer diners mean 10 perfect plates instead of 100 that have to be made at volume.
Freakonomics Radio Network · Why Great Cooking Can't Be Measured | Better in PersonChef Dan Kluger was answering an interviewer who said Kluger cooked for 400 people the way the interviewer likes his artists to think. The interviewer said he sensed that care was not the norm in restaurants, but admitted he might be wrong about that. Kluger laughed.
Kluger said, "every chef just wants a 40-seat restaurant."
He was half joking. He went on to explain why 40 is the right number.
Kluger joked, "No one wakes up and says, 'Man, I want to cook for this many people today.'"
Asked why 40 is the right number, he said it is an easier number. In a tiny dining room, he argued, a cook can make something beautiful, and small, and perfect, because the kitchen only has to make 10 of them in a night. He contrasted that with cooking at volume, saying, "I have to cook 100 of something."
Kluger said he does not mind volume. He has cooked at Michelin-starred level, the ratings run by the French tire company, in high-volume kitchens, and in rustic food. He also worked at a beachside cafe.
The food he cooks now, Kluger said, is probably the best he has ever cooked, because he lets what he calls rusticity come into play.
By that, he meant stripping away decoration. There is no need, he said, for a hat for a gnocchi, meaning no fancy garnish or trick on top of the small potato dumplings. He put it simply: "Let's just make the best gnocchi we can make."
Questions people ask
Why don't all chefs just open 40-seat restaurants then?
Many would like to, but small rooms are hard to make profitable. Rent, labor, and food costs do not fall much with size, so a 40-seat restaurant must charge higher prices, turn tables quickly, or run very lean to survive.
What does Michelin star cooking involve?
It means cooking at the level recognized by the Michelin Guide, the French tire company's restaurant ratings. One to three stars signal exceptional precision, consistency, and creativity, and kitchens that earn them tend to use strict technique and exacting presentation.
What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi are small, soft dumplings, often made from potato, flour, and egg. They are boiled and served much like pasta, and Kluger's point was that a well made gnocchi needs no decoration.