Last spring, I introduced you to Top Chef alum Chris Crary, the chef who will lead the kitchen at the new 1 Kitchen restaurant in the 1 Hotel downtown at 710 Demonbreun. In a unique sort of soft opening, Crary has been feeding hotel guests since early July, but he’s finally ready to introduce his brand of ingredient-driven sustainably created cuisine to the public.
Starting Thursday, July 28, 1 Kitchen will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 until 10 p.m. with plans to add brunch soon. Sustainability is the overarching theme of the entire hotel, with an emphasis on reducing waste, using renewable materials in construction and decor, and sourcing local products whenever possible. At the three dining outlets that Crary is responsible for, he will keep these concepts front-of-mind.
At Neighbors Café, the menu will feature seasonal local produce served at a rough-hewn wooden counter decorated with woven baskets that evokes a stop at a farmers market stall. The rooftop bar Harriet’s will serve cocktails flavored with honey sourced from onsite beehives, and the 18th floor aerie will offer sweeping views of the Lower Broad insanity below, but from a peaceful perspective. (At least until local musicians and DJs start playing on weekend nights.) The menu of light bites and cocktails will also emphasize seasonal and sustainable ingredients as part of the offering.
1 Kitchen interior
1 Kitchen is where Crary will really concentrate most of his efforts, sharing the hotel’s commitment “that the closer things are to home, the better they taste.” Crary has spent a lot of time during the construction of the property visiting farms and learning about the best sources of ingredients from local chefs. Sourcing great local spirits for the sustainable cocktail list was the easy part. Putting together an interesting list of biodynamic and organic wines probably took a little more work, but that segment of the wine industry continues to grow.
But it’s the cuisine, of course, where Crary can truly show off his commitment to regionality and seasonality. The kitchen is committed to sourcing at least 75 percent of ingredients from within a 200-mile radius and ensuring that meat and seafood are ethically raised and processed. All green waste will be composted, and they have even installed a glass crusher on site to help process that waste. 1 Kitchen has entered into a partnership with ACE Grease Services to recycle the kitchen’s cooking oil, so if you get stuck behind a party tractor and detect a faint hint of a scent of fried chicken, you’ll know who to thank!
A quick preview of the 1 Kitchen menu reveals some really interesting additions to the traditional farm-to-table canon. While it’s probably irresponsible to develop an obsession over an appetizer I haven’t even tried yet, I gotta admit that the idea of hushpuppies with cheddar, labneh, chives and Gifford’s bacon sauce has already begun to haunt my dreams. Allow me to repeat: Gifford’s. Bacon. Sauce.
That dish is doubtlessly the most decadent of the starters, but a plate of Benton’s thin-sliced ham with butternut squash, brown butter, pepitas, arugula and maple vinegar sounds like it could be a treat, too. If you want to aim healthier, opt for the chickpea and hominy hummus with veggies and pita chips for dipping and scooping.
1 Kitchen's Beet Wellington
Among a trio of pastas, Crary takes advantage of that 25 percent of products that aren’t necessarily sourced regionally for a Maine Lobster pasta with squid ink bucatini. I’ll allow it. Vegetables will be stars of the 1 Kitchen show, both as main courses and sides. The idea of a Beet Wellington is so clever, I can’t imagine that no one has come up with that particularly punny plate yet. Serving it with truffles and a red wine sauce only cements its brilliance.
Crary has chosen his local sources wisely, including mushrooms from Henosis roasted with garlic, lime pine nuts and cream, and a rib-eye from Bear Creek that is sure to be a highlight of the main plates. If you want to be one of the first to try out 1 Kitchen, reservations are now open at the restaurant’s website.
