In a month or so Salt Lake City will become the destination for a pop up restaurant offering Michelin-caliber cuisine, The Mist Project. This guerilla restaurant comes on the scene here just in time for The 2012 Sundance Film Festival. I had the extreme pleasure of sitting down with the guy who dreamed up this whole concept, Chef Gavin Baker, which I'm delighted to share with you today.
First of all, a guerilla restaurant, or pop-up restaurant is simply a restaurant that is on the move. The Mist Project is a multi-course, multi-sensory experience that will travel around the globe, and it all starts Salt Lake City! They are setting up temporary residence in the tropical plant store, Paradise Palm, on 3rd and 3rd from January 19th to February 19th. Their make-shift kitchen will be producing 15 courses per diner, each of which they've spent the last few months perfecting even down to hiring artists to design plates for each course.
The type of food served intends to connect the diner with their local surroundings. While guests enjoy the flavors of indigenous cuisine, they will also be visually inspired by the food. Baker's specialty is developing edible landscapes. Never heard of those? Well neither had I. The chef will be taking you on a journey of story through the evening, through plates that resemble a view you might see from a plane window to a native landscape.
Baker's past experience includes The Fat Duck (London, England), La CoteBasque and Oceana (New York, New York), Justin Timberlake's Chi (Los Angeles, California), the 2002 Winter Olympics (Park City, Utah), the 2006 World Cup (Frankfurt, Germany), as well as some local favorites of mine: Wahso and Talisker (Park City, Utah). Though his experience is wide, his vision and talent far exceeds it all. I believe this project will be his best venture yet - something you should not miss. When I asked Chef Baker why Salt Lake City, his response was simple; he wanted to give back to to the community where he now lives. Personally, I feel very proud that such a precarious and adventurous experience is being offering right here in Salt Lake!
Now, for the big GIVEAWAY... In order to be eligible to win the dinner for two at Mist you must simply leave a comment below with your idea of an edible landscape. For an extra entry, leave a second comment letting us know you are following The Mist Project on facebook and twitter. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on December 19th, just 1 month prior to The Mist opening!
Tickets for Mist will sell out quickly so I highly recommend that you check your calendars now and making reservations in advance! Dinner includes 15 courses for $150. For your convenience, an 18% gratuity will be added on at purchase, as well as tax. Diners are welcome to bring their own wine without any corkage fee.
January 19th - February 19th
location- Paradise Palm
307 East 300 South
307 East 300 South
That sounds AMAZING! As far as an edible landscape, when I was little I thought of gravy on mashed potatoes as lakes and rivers. :)
ReplyDeleteMy idea of an edible landscape? I'm going to go with snow capped mountains, which could be more dessert like, I guess. I'm excited to check out your place. Mmmmm....looks all so pretty & delicious.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking Arches National Park- with some kind of BBQ - I too have never heard of edible landscapes... what a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteI thought of the Colorado River, in Moab, out of meatloaf. This is why I am not a chef. :) So excited about this restaurant and the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteFollowing them on fb & twitter, too.
ReplyDeleteI think a great edible landscape would be that of Bryce Canyon. Those color are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteI am following The Mist Project on twitter and facebook:)
ReplyDeleteWow, what a fun dining event! I am happy they are coming to SLC! My ultimate edible landscape is Cinque Terre, Italy. Beautiful coast setting with colorful buildings and greenery.
ReplyDeleteI would love to experience by food one of my favorite beaches in Hawaii, something beautiful & light & tasteful & from the ocean. I'd love to attend the Mist project!
ReplyDeleteI think the ski mountains of Utah would be a good edible landscape, maybe with a meringue or something...
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am following The Mist Project on Facebook and Twitter
ReplyDeleteMountains of cream puffs dusted with powdered sugar "snow".
ReplyDeleteI think a landscape of Zions or Bryce would be amazing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun project! So glad they're coming to Utah. I admit the edible landscapes thing is a little over my head. I've sat here for too long trying to think of a suggestion and all I've come up with is maybe a cityscape or a grouping of islands, like the San Juans in Washington or the Hawaiian islands.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm following them on facebook and twitter.
ReplyDeleteHow about a city skyline with a gelatin, gelato, or salad?
ReplyDeleteI'm following them on Facebook (I don't have a T
ReplyDeleteTwitter account)!
I have never heard of edible landscapes either, but it sounds awesome! I would love to see sunrises and sunsets, ideally for an amuse bouche (sunrise) or dessert (sunset). The tranquil colors of the morning and the vibrant colors of the night would be fun to see translated through food!
ReplyDeleteAn edible landscae consisting of sunset reflecting on the waters of the Great Salt Lake with surrounding wetlands, with tastes that get darker and richer as the sun sets.
ReplyDeleteand i like The Mist Project on facebook and twitter!
ReplyDeleteA coral reef would be a cool landscape to do, and you could incorporate sea food. This sounds like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteHow about a swirling edible version of the SLC Spiral Jetty? http://www.sharetrails.org/sites/default/files/legacy_magazine_images/SpiralJetty-1.jpg
ReplyDeleteOr an edible landscape of the Subway in Zion?
http://pixdaus.com/pics/1265494955sDDLNUJ.jpg
Following on FB and Twitter
ReplyDeleteI think the ideal edible landscape is Scotland because it's so, so green! Reminds me of a huge salad, and I love veggies. This is the most incredible giveaway ever.
ReplyDeleteFollowing Mist on FB and Twitter.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool project! I will like on FB =)
ReplyDeletetennismak@yahoo.com
My Idea of an edible landscape would be an exotic jungle plate with nigiri sashimi atop colorful greens and veggies with lots of texture. :)
ReplyDeleteMy idea of an edible landscape would be an exotic jungle plate with nigiri sashimi atop lush, colorful greens and veggies!
ReplyDeleteI am following the mist project on FB and Twitter!
ReplyDeletelund.sierra@gmail.com!
ReplyDeleteAnything near Zion's National Park would be great inspiration for an edible landscape that is Utah themed. Thanks for doing this giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHow about the Great Salt Lake in the form of a delicious briny broth w/ shrimp?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. Hoping I win. Dan Shkapich dan.shkapich.qgf2@statefarm.com Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe mountains would be a beautiful and delicious foodscape. There are so many textures: rock, leaves, snow that could be created from nuts, vegetables and creams.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous way to spend an evening. I bought one of Carl Warner's Foodscapes calendar last year. Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP-I4RN6h_U
ReplyDeleteGingerbread houses are the original edible landscape! There were also very fanciful edible landscapes in medieval banquets- castles and moats made out of pastry, for example
ReplyDeleteI would use the million different colors of m&ms to create a giant mosaic of a beautiful colorful sunset. :)
ReplyDeleteI also follow Mist on twitter
ReplyDeleteI'm also now following the Mist Project. :)
ReplyDeleteHow about a flight across North America with each dish displaying local cuisine as well as representing the landscape.
ReplyDeleteAlso following on facebook and twitter :)
ReplyDeletekaybates2@hotmail.com
Given the timing during the Sundance Film Festival, how about a cinematographic theme? Perhaps a film like substance back illuminated to project a small image onto the plate?
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome! What about the mountains through the different seasons as an edible landscape?
ReplyDeleteOur mountains with a sifting of snow always reminds me of a plum pudding-type cake with sifted powdered sugar.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing to have start in SLC! Hmmm, I think an inspiration for an edible landscape in Utah could be Bryce Canyon and the Hoodoo formations (stacked, towering levels of beauty!)
ReplyDeleteFollowing on facebook and twitter too!
ReplyDeleteWhat about spun sugar tumbleweeds on crushed graham cracker sand? Perhaps some sort of fantastic chocolate concoction underneath that :)
ReplyDeletefollowing on facebook and twitter too!
Already posted one idea but wanted to share another idea - how could we overlook the Salt Flats! Talk about a perfect canvas for some amazing dishes.
ReplyDeleteAlso following on facebook!
ReplyDeleteI think some sort of Mountain landscape in the spring with a green sauce plating but not sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and innovative idea for a restaurant!
ReplyDeleteThe landscape I would love to see made edible is from a small place in India called Coorg. They grow coffee here, and the landscape is rolling, green hills, valleys with rice paddy fields, and thousands of coffee plants, interspersed with tropical fruit plants and trees (think orange, mango, and banana trees and pineapple bushes...so delicious), and amazing sunsets.
Pork is a delicacy in this area, so perhaps the landscape could include a portion of spicy, coffee rubbed pork as the "ground," rice topped with sprouts for the "paddy fields," and mounds of greens speckled with tropical fruits to represent the fruit trees.
It would be cool to mimic park city colors of the fall, with fall food like apples and pumkin.
ReplyDeleteI think a nice flaky salmon steak imitates the layers of Southern Utah's sandstone nicely. Incorporating sage would be truly reminiscent of out deserts.
ReplyDeleteA landscape that can be viewed from an airplane window? Crop Circles come to mind. Who makes them - aliens or highly creative and ambitious terrestrials? Does it matter? This fantastical landscape would have to be made from grain -- checkers of corn cakes perhaps, or spirals of puffed wheat. Include rabbit confit (the bane of farmers) or crisp, roasted quail (who hide in the fields). andimacdonald@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that The Mist Project begins in Salt Lake! I follow Mist on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteAll those brown fields might resemble cake, but not a very appetizing one...
ReplyDeleteI also am "liking" Mist on the FB.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of an edible landscape, but I'm loving the idea! I think anything having to do with the mountains would be amazing!
ReplyDeleteOh...edible landscapes?!? I am about brainless when it comes to ideas. However, my daughter did make brocolli trees around her gravy "river" tonight at dinner!
ReplyDeletelarkinfamily1@gmail.com
I don't know if it's too late for a comment, but an edible landscape could be big sur, some ocean meets mountains food.
ReplyDeleteand following on FB and twitter
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of the leaves that look like they're on fire back east in the fall, somehow that translates to delicious, I just know it.
ReplyDeleteam following on fb, thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteI think of dip n dots when I see the lights out of an airplane window
ReplyDeleteWhile my wife thinks of dip n dots, I think of fresh Parmesan sprinkled over a fresh bed of greens as I look at the snow on the ground.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think if an edible landscape,, I think of fruit. Cool slices of grapefruit and clementine, the snap of Ginger, thr freshness of pools of minty syrup
ReplyDeleteAlso now following on Facebook and Twitter @donnasparks
ReplyDeleteJake Page is the big winner of dinner for 2 at The Mist Project! Congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thanks! So what do I do to get the tickets?
ReplyDeleteJake, Send your email and address to slcfoodie at gmail dot com. Thanks
ReplyDelete