It's amazing how a couple of weeks in the Holy Land can truly inspire you. Chef Joshua Linton recently returned from a trip to Israel and came back ready to get to work. "I want to open an Israeli restaurant in Chicago," he tweeted this morning.
A quick follow-up chat with Linton revealed he wants it be Israeli and not "Middle Eastern" because he said it "will allow me to expand the menu to Eastern Europe and North Africa as well," since Israel has so many citizens who immigrated from those areas.
He added that he can include Middle Eastern cooking, but won't be limited to it. Linton said he's been working on the concept for the last four years and is ready to go, but just needs the right partner to kick things off.
If the eclectic and intricate flavors of Linton's Asian-inspired cooking while heading the kitchen at Aja and working with Takashi Yagihashi at Tribute are any indication of his ability to meld different cultures, we think this Israeli spot could be a hit.
· Josh Linton Out at Executive Chef at Aja at the Dana Hotel