Sure there are plenty of one-dimensional chefs, those masters who stay within a context, who are known for one type of food and continue to produce that particular style. Then there are the expanders, the chefs who have succeeded at one type of cooking and expand to another type, whether a cousin of the first or a complete new branch of cooking genealogy.
Sometimes the latter shift is one of economics as when a top-tier, aka, multi-course, high-end specialist, decides there is another opportunity in the marketplace. Everyone gains as the second outreach may mean less expensive food but one that still maintains the high culinary standards of the top tier, dollar-sized experience.
The two-tiered chef has become commonplace as in having established himself in a high-end restaurant which customers view as a destination for special occasions and then a less expensive dining spot, more of a bistro, that regulars enjoy for weekly or multi-month visits. That pattern has helped chefs such as Michel Richard and Thomas Keller, (to name a few) establish themselves at multiple price points, never ignoring their ability and talent to cook at all levels. Or there’s a master like Jose Andres who introduced small plates (Jaleo) to Washington, DC and expanded his empire upward to multiple concepts at multiple price points, think Bazaar in LA or MiniBar in DC.
Occasionally, you run into a chef like Andrew Evans who ran a successful high-end creative, gourmet restaurant. Circumstances dictated the end of that enterprise so he emerged as the master of Thai cuisine, and he again proved himself successful with a completely different worldview. The concept proved too limiting for the community so an about-face reinvention occurred.
Nothing could be more American than the new enterprise: BBQ. Before you scoff and think this to be a step down from someone as talented as Evans, remember that good BBQ does not just magically appear on the plate. It is a product of time and concentration. The sauces tell the story (he has the full range from sweet to killer). Anyway, how can you argue with hot out of the oven cornbread and wonderfully lean, slow-cooked brisket! His new concept demonstrates talent.
Yes, you can be a multi-tiered master as long as you can cook. If you know what you are doing, it can work. Not everyone can switch concepts so seamlessly and create a business that spells success. For Evans, they’ve all been winners; this one’s a keeper!
