Williamsburg’s Hudson Table (88 Withers St.) is hosting a distinctive dinner series called “The Lineup.” The aptly-named series consists of three dinners that will highlight a trio of the city’s most talented line cooks, making them Executive Chef for the night.
The goal of the dinners is to shine a spotlight on these unsung heroes who work behind-the-scenes every day, while emphasizing the vital role they play in shaping the city’s food scene.
The dinners are taking place on three consecutive Mondays in September at Hudson Table. Each dinner has two separate seatings with the first 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. and the second 8:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. Tickets are $195 for a meal consisting of an opening bite and welcome cocktail, followed by a curated five course menu and wine pairing.
The finale of the three dinners takes place on September 25 and features Chef Jonathan Vogt, a line cook at The Four Horsemen in Williamsburg.
Chef Vogt grew up in Virginia Beach, working in local restaurants there before moving to New York for culinary school. His approach aims to let simple ingredients shine with a philosophy that the simplest food, beautifully prepared, is what makes true fine dining. Jonathan has previously worked at Loring Place and Don Angie in Manhattan.
Chef Vogt’s menu for the The Lineup features a first course of fluke crudo with plum, followed by a second course of endive salad with pistachio. The third course will be gnudi with taleggio and bottarga, followed by a fourth course of short ribs with fig. The fifth course will be a dessert of corn fior di latte with candied black sesame.
The Lineup was was founded by Chef Elena Besser, who conceptualized the idea for the series after her year and a half on the opening team at Lilia. She wanted to create a way for the public to see firsthand the talent of line cooks she worked with there.
The series iInitially launched in January 2020, but the pandemic halted Besser’s plans. When the lockdown hit, Besser and her team pivoted, instead writing a covid-relief cookbook to help those in the industry. The cookbook, On The Line, contains recipes from 30 cooks around the country, and 100% of the proceeds went back to the participating cooks and restaurant-relief funds.
The Lineup series started on September 11 with Agness Kim, a sous chef at popular Williamsburg restaurant, Bonnie’s. The second dinner is this Monday, September 18, featuring Nadine Ghantous, a sous chef at Rolo’s. It is sold out.
Tickets for The Lineup’s dinner on September 25 with Chef Vogt can be purchased on Eventbrite.