Next Announces 2013 Menus; Expands Service

Earlier this month at the Chicago Humanities Fest, Grant Achatz revealed that the next menu at Next would be called The Hunt, a menu focused on Midwestern game food. Now, the team at Next has shared with the Chicago Tribune the next three menus for 2013. First up will be "The Hunt", followed by an all vegan menu in the spring, and then a Bocuse d'Or cooking competition menu in the fall.

The menus are a departure from the time period or conceptual menus of 2012. Dave Beran tells the Tribune, "...it has to be unpredictable moving into next year, It has to be a complete opposite of what we've been doing."

Although not too many details were given about each menu, Beran did provide a few details. Expect "The Hunt" to focus on ideas around "outdoors, survival and foraging" with menu items like bear jerky and venison heart tartare. The vegan menu will focus on seasonality and actual vegetables, rather than a vegan take on everyday food.

The Bocuse d'Or menu is a little trickier given the stringent rules of the international competition. The rules are very precise and require all teams to cook with the same protein in five hours and 35 minutes. The end result is to present 14 plates and three garnishes. However, Achatz is a coach of the 2013 U.S.A. team and will be able to provide the necessary guidance.

Next will also expand service to seven days a week. It's likely that Alinea and Aviary will do the same according to co-owner, Nick Kokonas.

·Next announces 2013 menus: "The Hunt," vegan and Bocuse d'Or competition [Trib]
·Grant Achatz Talks Next: The Hunt, Alinea Elsewhere [-EChi-]