Last year, when chef César Ramirez shocked the world, or at least the city’s foodies, by winning two stars from the impossible Michelin reviewers, The Observer joked that the restaurant was especially great because it is located inside of a glorified bodega. In an email at the time, Mr. Ramirez shot back with a joke of his own. “THE BODEGA YOU CALL BROOKLYN FARE, I NEVER WALKED INTO A BODEGA AND SAW A MILLION DOLLAR KITCHEN,” he wrote in an email.
Self-conscious or not, the celebrated chef has nothing to worry about we’re sure, as he has now attained arguably the greatest honor in cooking: a third star from Michelin. Well, great except for everyone hoping to get a reservation at the restaurant, which will now be an even more impossible task than ever. So much for neighborhood joint.
Mr. Ramirez spoke with The Journal yesterday about his win, and took a moment to hype his new(ish) home:
“We really put all our hearts and souls into it and to do it right, to cook the best things with the best ingredients and the best techniques and really to do it very simply and very minimalist with a lot of care and love,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams would I believe that this would happen. I think it’s a great thing for Brooklyn.”
New York added two restaurants to the three-star echelon this year, putting us in a tie with the much-hyped Spanish dining scene (Hi, Fernan!), so any complaints that the city’s, or at least Brooklyn’s, food scene is over, well, let them eat artisanal cake.
