Off The Menu, October 12

Recipe for Success
Ever wondered why some restaurants make it big and some simply fade away? Friend of Poached Marcia Gagliardi has written about just this question for 7×7.com. While it doesn’t necessarily answer the question, it does pinpoint some of the key ingredients, citing great San Francisco examples: How Does a Restaurant Become the Next Big Thing?

The Mind of a Chef
Anthony Bourdain’s got a new show premiering November 9th on PBS. The Mind of a Chef will be a more behind-the-scenes, into-the-mind approach, with season one focusing on David Chang of Momofuku. The series will “break down completely the barrier between a chef and their process and dare to make connections between food and nature, science, music, art, sports, history, and pretty much anything else a renowned chef can stir up.”
Watch a preview: The Mind of A Chef | New series premieres on PBS

Speaking of David Chang
He was featured on The Moth Radio Hour this week, telling of a visit from Michelin Guide director Jean-Luc Naret, during which he was asked a “question I will never forget because it sort of messed me up in the head forever”.
Listen to the story here: David Chang: Star Custodian