Astor Center recently told us that their $225 “Alinea Experience” demo on November 6 would be a singular opportunity to taste the food of Grant Achatz right here on our home turf. Actually, not that singular. Achatz himself now e-mails to tell us that he’s teaming up with his former boss at the French Laundry, Mr. Thomas Keller himself, to host three twenty-course dinners (each chef will prepare ten courses) at the French Laundry, Alinea, and Per Se. Holy mother! This is like Jimi Hendrix jamming out with Stevie Ray Vaughan! If you can swing the $1,500 per person fee (for what it’s worth, that includes wine, tax, and tip, plus signed copies of both of the chefs’ upcoming books), you best call Isabelle Brochard at 212-823-9450 — fast. The Per Se dinner is on November 11 at 7 p.m. Then again, if you’re blowing this much on a meal, you can probably afford to fly out to Alinea (December 2; 312-867-0110) or the French Laundry (December 9; 707-754-4175). Sounds like a job for Dial-A-Jet?
