Connor Reid Named Supervising Producer of Eater Video Team
In his duties, Reid oversees the barbecue video series Smoke Point , spearheading last year's special on the American World Series of BBQ, in which he traveled to Kansas City, Kansas, to watch pitmasters from around the country compete for the title of grand champion. Additionally, he has produced both seasons of Icons: Pizza and Icons: Burgers , profiling legendary businesses like Paulie Gee's and Hamburger America, respectively.
Currently, Reid is overseeing the benchmark Eater series Mis en Place , in its third annual partnership with Yeti, which takes viewers into some of the most prestigious kitchens around the world.
The Eater Video team has won five New York Emmy Awards including in 2022 and 2021; a Webby Award in 2024; and been previously recognized by the James Beard Foundation, Daytime Emmys, and the ASMEs.
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Next-Gen Alamo Drafthouse Goes the Fancy Private Theater Route
is an editor and reporter for the Northeast region at Eater, focusing primarily on New York City, where she was born and raised. She covers restaurants, bars, pop-ups, and the people powering them. The founder of Alamo Drafthouse is opening a new movie theater in New York — one built entirely for private groups, with multi-course meals themed with whatever's playing on screen. Alamo Drafthouse has been a leader in the rise of dine-in movie theaters over the last decade. Now the Austin-born company is investing in Metro Private Cinema, opening in September at 131 Eighth Avenue, at West 16th Street, in Chelsea. Owner Tim League hopes to expand to other locations soon. At Metro Private Cinema, rather than purchasing an individual seat ticket, a host books a whole private screening room. Choose the movie (there's a range of titles), time, and food/drinks. Rooms — it's a 'twenty-plex' — generally seat between four and 12. The base is $50 per person with unlimited popcorn. It may be about double the price of a regular movie ticket, but it's easy to see it being popular for birthday parties or work events. Much like Alamo Drafthouse is known for, there are culinary add-ons. For example, for a showing of Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers, it would thematically make sense to pair the Les Blank documentary with their garlicky dinner experience that includes a chilled almond soup, charcuterie, roasted rabbit, and succotash. 'Every dish in this menu, from the cocktails to the dessert and everything in between, is kissed or clobbered by God's gift to cuisine: garlic,' the website writes. But you can mix-and-match: There's a Wicked-themed menu; a Goodfellas dinner; and A Christmas Story Chinese roast duck experience, among others. Multi-course meals are about $100 per person. After the movie ends, the group gets about 30 minutes extra time to keep hanging out. The menu was developed by Joshua Guarneri, who previously was the executive chef at the short-lived Bar Avalon in Los Angeles and worked at the Breslin in New York. 'We're going to have a lot of fun,' League said, who, as we spoke for the interview, mentioned pickling projects were happening downstairs at the venue in anticipation of opening. Financially, Alamo Drafthouse invested in the venture and has equity shares, though it is being positioned as an offshoot (League stepped down as Alamo CEO in 2020, but is still very involved in the company he founded). It's his first big move following much drama that has shrouded Alamo Drafthouse. In 2022, the Texas Observer chronicled challenges the chain faced during the pandemic, which included employee layoffs and bankruptcy as theaters struggled during COVID. The publication also called the portrait of working there 'far from fantastic' (a reference to the company's Fantastic Fest), a nationwide chain that 'remains popular despite accusations of union busting and allegations of sexual assault,' referring to issues regarding business associates and customers who had been accused of misconduct over the years. In 2018, Splinter reported that League and his wife, Karrie, had been accused of 'minimizing' workplace issues during the #MeToo era. League said in a statement around that time: 'I've let so many of you down. Over the past few days, I've realized that decisions I have made over these past months have been problematic. I am concerned about what these choices may say about me and the values of this company to employees, customers and the community at large. I'm humbled and deeply sorry.' In 2024, Alamo Drafthouse was acquired by Sony. Earlier this year, Variety reported that Alamo Drafthouse's unionizing workers at the Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn locations ended a 58-day strike after reaching an agreement with management, also bringing back about 70 employees who were previously let go. Despite in-person attendance at theaters shifting, Alamo has continued to open new locations. League says part of what led him to launch Metro Private Cinema in Chelsea was that there was a theater nearby that had closed and he wanted to fill the gap: 'New York is an old city. In order to build a traditional movie theater, you need high ceilings and forty-foot spans; most New York buildings aren't set up for that,' he adds of the business's flexibility, 'We can slide into a former Duane Reade pharmacy, which pushes the idea forward.' It's apace with the numerous members-only clubs in New York, some with their own theaters. Over at Fouquet's New York, a hotel in Tribeca, it was reported by the New York Post that its Cannes Cinema started selling tickets to the public, at $110 for two drinks and a movie, $165 for the movie plus a prix fixe dinner at the property's French brasserie. Dine-in theaters like Syndicated in Bushwick and both Brooklyn Nitehawk locations also offer private event booking. 'There's a certain number of people who would prefer to be in a private place than a huge room with strangers […] it's an alternative that works alongside traditional cinemagoing,' League says. 'And, hopefully, this can grow a new market for people who aren't going to the cinema as much.' Metro Private Cinema Eater NY All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Eater
8 hours ago
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Best Dishes and Cocktails Eater Editors Had in NOLA This Week
The annual Tales of the Cocktail, a gathering for cocktail and spirits industry professionals, is in full swing in New Orleans this week. Bartenders from around the country have gathered in the city to show down, learn, and network. In the midst of it all, we've been gathering our notes on some of the best dishes and cocktails we've had in NOLA recently. Here are ones that stood out. The seasonal tres leches cake at Acamaya is a reason to revisit the restaurant. Missy Frederick Tres leches cake at Acamaya Acamaya, Eater's 2024 Best New Restaurant for NOLA, has still been getting a lot of attention lately (NYT reviewed it not long after our team stopped by on a recent trip), and for good reason. The restaurant impresses on several fronts: the intriguing wine and cocktail list, its punchy and robust raw dishes, and some surprising stunners, such as a humble sweet potato given main character energy with peanut mole, turmeric, and lime. Dessert is usually the least exciting part of a meal for me, but here, it's the dish that seems to be lingering in my memory the longest. Tres leches cake gets a more robust, substantive quality with the use of masa, and mango adds an assertive tartness for balance. The flavor of the cake seems to change a bit with the seasons — the peach version on the menu currently seems a good enough excuse as any to revisit this special place. — Missy Frederick, Eater cities director. Columbina cocktail at Jewel of the South Jewel of the South is well-accoladed for its concoctions, and it's sure to be a major stop for Tales of the Cocktail visitors this week. On a recent visit on a Friday afternoon, the team and I cozied up at the bar and ordered a slew of cocktails. I started with the ambitious Durian Fields ($26) made with durian yellow chartreuse, eau de vie, and garnished with a chewy durian candy. 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Chef Serigne Mbaye cooks the cuisine of Senegal, honoring his mother and also the countless enslaved Senegalese people brought to Louisiana. One of his most memorable dishes is also the simplest seeming — a pot of rice. On a recent visit, the Rice Connection course featured a cast-iron pot with steamed rice, finely diced bell peppers, and a sprinkling of chives. The dish was passed around the table to share among strangers. It was the best rice I've ever tasted — each grain perceivable by the tongue, immaculately cooked. Rice carries a dark history in the South as the reason so many Africans were forced to the United States, and diners can't help but contemplate this while sitting in the Dakar dining room. But it is not a somber affair — as the menu states, 'In Wolof 'benachin' means one pot. In that one pot rice meets magic.' — Erin Perkins, Eater editor, South. Yellowfin tuna solera at the Kingsway is an umami, sweet, and spicy treat. Henna Bakshi Yellowfin tuna solera at the Kingsway The team behind the award-winning restaurant, Saffron, has newly opened a gem on Magazine Street. The Kingsway by chef Ashwin Vilkhu is an elegant but relaxed affair, putting Singaporean street food in a fine-dining setting. Dinner is a four-course prix fixe for $92, and it amazes right from the first course. The Gulf yellowfin tuna solera (an additional $16 supplement) is an umami, sweet, and spicy beauty. The raw fish is served in a five-year chile sauce on top of sticky rice, and garnished with thinly sliced scallions and edible flower petals. Bites are eaten wrapped in seaweed. It is a powerful way to begin a meal, lighting up all parts of the palate. Layers of chile, offset with white rice and acid, the velvety texture of the fish with the crispy seaweed and scallion, all dance in harmony. It readies you for the incredible ABC chicken to come. — Henna Bakshi, Eater regional editor, South. Truffle butter martini at Hungry Eyes In a world of super dirty, extra filthy martinis, the truffle butter martini at Hungry Eyes might be the final boss. It doesn't wallop you over the head with fake truffle flavor but is more nuanced and savory. The drink is best paired with the steak tartare in a 'burger grease' vinaigrette — it tastes like a hot-off-the-griddle fast food favorite. — Erin Perkins, Eater editor, South. Eater New Orleans All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Eater
a day ago
- Eater
Two of Chicago's Most Venerable Japanese Restaurants Unite for Omakase in Old Town
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014. Adam Sindler and Mari Katsumura represent royalty when it comes to the rich history of Japanese restaurants in Chicago. In 1967, Sindler's family founded Kamehachi, the city's first sushi bar, before planting its flag in Old Town along Wells Street. Katsumura's parents started the pioneering Yoshi's Cafe in Lakeview with Yoshi Katsumura combining French and Japanese cuisine into something special. The restaurant was a fixture along Halsted for 39 years. 'He claimed he invented wasabi-mashed potatoes in the '90s,' Mari Katsumura says of her late father with a laugh. 'I love spreading that rumor and perpetuating that story.' Sindler has brought on Katsumura as chef to open a new restaurant along Wells Street inside the same space that housed his family's restaurant. SHŌ is scheduled to open on Tuesday, August 12, at 1533 N. Wells Street, giving the two a canvas to show Chicago their brand of omakase. Katsumura, now rejuvenated after her work at Michelin-starred Yugen in West Loop, will offer a six- to eight-course omakase for about $145. There will also be supplements. SHŌ will offer the menu both at a 12-seat sushi counter and the restaurant's four tops. The meal won't be 100 percent sushi, which is often a misnomer. When it comes to Japanese cuisine, Sindler and Katsumura admit that Chicago often lags behind the coasts. Katsumura feels it's harder to compete in the Midwest as the region is limited when it comes to fresh seafood. That's something that 2024 James Beard Award-winning chef Hajime Sato of Sozai in suburban Detroit faced before he closed his restaurant earlier this year. SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen There's also a glut of omakase restaurants opening or that have recently debuted. Katsumura points out that most of them — if any — don't have Japanese chefs or owners. She feels that '39 years of eating Japanese food' — mostly cooked by her parents — gives her a unique perspective on the cuisine, which is why courses like a reimagined chawanmushi with truffled dashi custard and cauliflower foam, accompanied by Osetera royale caviar, and shaved summer truffle will shine. Hand rolls are also making their way through Chicago. SHŌ will riff on those with a build-your-own course that emulates caviar service with numerous add-ons available. Still, the two are careful as they don't want to gatekeep culture. Sindler points out that he is both Italian and Japanese. He also mentions Sushi by Scratch's Phillip Frankland Lee, saying the chef — who isn't Japanese — presents the culture and cuisine as he sees it. At SHŌ, Sindler says while respecting tradition is important, adhering to authenticity — however that's defined — is not. 'We are inherently Japanese in terms of how we grew up,' Sindler says. 'The food is personal in that regard.' Sindler designed the space and added several nods to music. Joining them is GM Preston Smith, currently the sommelier and assistant general manager at Beity in Fulton Market. SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Anthony Tahlier Entering the restaurant business wasn't a given for Sindler, who washed dishes at Kamehachi as a teen before going off to explore art and music. The latter is shown in how SHŌ approaches its food. It's not so much a progressive menu, but a mixtape. This is a collaboration between two like-minded Japanese Americans who grew up in Chicago. Although their families are from parts of Japan, the common ground was so strong that Katsumura, an award-winning pastry chef, even welcomed Sindler's input on the dessert course. Sindler ended up working at the Alinea Group's Roister before returning to the family business during COVID. Kamehachi has had numerous locations in Chicago, including one at the corner of Wells and Schiller (most recently a Broken English Taco Pub). They vacated that address in 2011 and moved to where SHŌ will debut. The new restaurant's name is a shortened version of the Japanese word 'keisho,' which translates to inheritance. The traditional lore attached to the name involves a family passing a katana down through generations. Sindler says it symbolized the torch being passed: 'It's three letters,' he says. 'I think it's powerful.' SHŌ, 1533 N. Wells Street, opening on Tuesday, August 12, reservations available via OpenTable Eater Chicago All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
