On Nov. 30, 2014, many of the food world's biggest names arrived at 50 Clinton Street in the city's Lower East Side. David Chang was there. Daniel Boulud too. The chefs were among the 72 diners who ate foie gras in the round, scrambled egg ravioli and nine other courses of Wylie Dufresne's avant-garde, era-defining cooking. They came for the last supper at wd-50. Dufresne's playful, challenging restaurant closed its doors for good that night. The restaurant was a victim of his own success: by bringing three-star cuisine to a once gritty neighborhood Dufresne helped drive up the area's prices and welcome in luxury development. His landlord had decided to turn the restaurant into an apartment building. wd-50 opened in 2003 to head-scratching reviews, its style of molecular gastronomy viewed by many of the city's top critics as not much more than a whole lot of foam. But over the years, Dufresne won admirers, taking his namesake restaurant from underestimated to beloved. New York's chefs and most avid eaters were losing a landmark institution. Where could they go now to get wild inventions like noodles made from meat and grits made from shrimp?During its last days, wd-50 opened its doors to TIME's cameras, providing a rare glimpse into its final service and its dismantling. And earlier this month, Dufresne announced plans for a new restaurant to open in Manhattan's Financial District in 2016. He's still cooking at Alder, his restaurant in New York's East Village. 'Our goal was to add to the dialogue, to add to the body of knowledge,' Dufresne says of wd-50. 'There are things that we've been a part of that are gonna be in kitchens from here on. ' '”Sarah Begley
Subscribe to TIME ►► po.st/Subscribe...
Get closer to the world of entertainment and celebrity news as TIME gives you access and insight on the people who make what you watch, read and share.
• Playlist
Money helps you learn how to spend and invest your money. Find advice and guidance you can count on from how to negotiate, how to save and everything in between.
• Playlist
Find out more about the latest developments in science and technology as TIME’s access brings you to the ideas and people changing our world.
• Playlist
Let TIME show you everything you need to know about drones, autonomous cars, smart devices and the latest inventions which are shaping industries and our way of living
• Playlist
Stay up to date on breaking news from around the world through TIME’s trusted reporting, insight and access
• Playlist
CONNECT WITH TIME
Web: time.com/
Twitter: / time
Facebook: / time
Google+: plus.google.co...
Instagram: www.instagram....
Magazine: time.com/magazine/
Newsletter: time.com/newsletter
ABOUT TIME
TIME brings unparalleled insight, access and authority to the news. A 24/7 news publication with nearly a century of experience, TIME’s coverage shapes how we understand our world. Subscribe for daily news, interviews, science, technology, politics, health, entertainment, and business updates, as well as exclusive videos from TIME’s Person of the Year, TIME 100 and more created by TIME’s acclaimed writers, producers and editors.
Wd~50: The Last Days Of Wylie Dufresne's New York City Restaurant | TIME
/ timemagazine