Grant Achatz's Family Tired of Seventeen-Course Meals Every Night

By Ari Loundy

CHICAGO, IL - Grant Achatz, the head chef at the world-famous Alinea restaurant, has been using the quarantine to grow his cooking skills, although his family has been less than impressed.

“I just want a grilled cheese.” said Oliver Achatz, Grant’s youngest son. “I mean, I liked the Swedish prawn consomme with dehydrated oysters from Alinea’s menu, but sometimes I just want something more normal.” As quarantine and Alinea’s closure extends into a third month, Grant has been able to use his children as guinea pigs for his new recipes. It is noted however, that Grant’s Peruvian-inspired guinea pig tacos were not well received by his children.

When told about his children’s complaints, Grant was nonplussed. “All children complain about what’s for dinner. When they’re older, they’ll realize that they’re lucky to be complaining about food fit for a Michelin-starred restaurant, instead of reheated hamburger helper for the third week in a row.”

Grant told The Machine he spends most of his free time, when not caring for his sons and helping them with their online classes, in the kitchen to prepare the experimental, multi-course meals. “On school nights, sometimes, we’ll start dinner at 5, eat courses 1-12 together as a family, and then I’ll put them to bed and finish the last 5 courses by myself.”

“It’s not all bad. We’ve found some ways of feeling normal.” Caleb Achatz, Grant’s older son told The Machine, before revealing a hot plate and several boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese hidden under his bed. “Even if I once had to use yak’s milk because we were out of 2%.” For Oliver at least, it was hardest when Mayor Lightfoot cancelled school for the rest of the school year. “I never knew how much I’d miss tater tots or Bosco sticks until they were gone.”

In a few cases however, they’ve even found new favorite foods in their father’s culinary experiments. “I swear, they both ask for Atomized swordfish tongue suspended in a savory ginger gelatin almost every day,” Grant said, beaming.