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The Best Quotes From Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas’ ‘Ask Me Anything’ Today

Including info on what they’re planning in the former Moto space and that Kokonas thinks Chicago deep-dish pizza is casserole

Tribeca Tune In: Chef's Table
Chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas hosted an AMA on Tuesday.
Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Alinea Group’s chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas hosted a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” earlier today to answer fan questions. The owners of Alinea, Next, Aviary, and Roister teased out some of their future plans — including that they’re planning to incorporate live music into the former Moto space on Fulton Market — as well as shared some personal stories.

Kokonas wrote that they also bought the neighboring space, a former furniture store, in order to combine it with the former Moto at 945 W. Fulton Market:

“For a long time we've wanted to do a venue that combines a few great experiences in one place—primarily food and music. That's our intention in that location... and serving breakfast too. Designing what we have in our heads has been a challenge but we're being patient. The one thing we try to do, regardless of the cost, is not to run too quickly towards a build without fully understanding what we want our guests to experience. I think we're getting close.”

The questions tackled a variety topics including financial inquiries, Tock, and why restaurants close. “The press just tries to make excuses for places closing that they liked,” Kokonas wrote. “Usually it's that the restaurant was not run well as a business.”

Achatz also shared his personal cancer struggles with a fellow survivor who took strength from the chef’s battle.

“I definitely think about it everyday. The medical team told me while going through treatment that I would have a "new normal" and while I am cancer free and have regained my sense of taste, the side effects will be permanent. Things like basic head movement, swallowing, and tolerance for spicy food or things that are cold or hot are difficult. And no matter how good you are at compartmentalising, you always wonder if it will come back.”

Kokonas showed some love for a few Chicago restaurants. When it comes to Italian he goes to Riccardo Trattoria in Lincoln Park and Monteverde in West Loop. When it comes to Japanese it’s Katsu in West Rogers Park and Roka Akor in River North. He also prefers the Chicago-style ribs at Twin Anchors, and thin-crust pizzas from Spacca Napoli in Ravenswood and Coalfire in Lakeview/West Town.

And speaking of pizza, the AMA revealed that Achatz wants to do a wood-fired pizza place. They wouldn’t do Chicago style because Kokonas “consider[s] deep dish to be a casserole.”

Read much more in the full Q&A via the link above.

Coalfire

1321 West Grand Avenue, , IL 60642 (312) 226-2625 Visit Website

Katsu

2651 W Peterson Ave, Chicago, IL 60659 773-784-3383

Twin Anchors

1655 N Sedgwick Street, Chicago, IL 60614 312 266 1616 Visit Website

Alinea

1723 North Halsted Street, , IL 60614 Visit Website

Spacca Napoli

1769 W Sunnyside Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640 773 878 2420 Visit Website

Riccardo Trattoria

2119 North Clark Street, , IL 60614 (773) 549-0038 Visit Website

Monteverde

1020 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60607 (312) 888-3041

Roister

951 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607 (312) 789-4896

Roka Akor

4999 Old Orchard Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077 (847) 329-7650 Visit Website