A supreme balancing act

He worked first under Paul Prudhomme at Commander’s Palace while also stocking shelves at the local wine store where he caught the wine bug. After culinary school, Kinch got his second job in New York where he became fascinated by restaurant culture. He decided then that he wanted to be not only a cook, but a great one. It was in Beaune, France where he realised the power of creativity and ingredients, then back in New York he joined Barry Wine at the Quilted Giraffe. Kinch says all the chefs he has worked for have been his mentors. He first went o Japan and fell in love with the food after Barry Wine had returned from a trip there.

David Kinch has been internationally recognised as an innovator of a new contemporary Californian cuisine and his food draws on his deep understanding of classical cooking combined with his travels in Asia and openness to try anything. He is shy of categorising his food but concedes that “the complex simplicity, platings, using nearly no fat but still leaving people sated” do betray some Japanese influence.

In 1995, he opened Sent Sovi in the South Bay and having spent six years elevating dining in the area, he sold up and opened Manresa in 2002. The restaurant had an impressive wine list with 800 selections prior to the fire that almost destroyed it in 2014. On reopening six months later, the restaurant was better than ever. Manresa earned three Michelin stars for 2018, marking its third consecutive year with three Michelin stars, and eleven consecutive years as a Michelin star restaurant. The restaurant also became part of the esteemed Relais & Châteaux family in 2016. In addition, Kinch opened Manresa Bread with partners Andrew Burnham and Avery Ruzicka, followed by The Bywater which demonstrates his love of New Orleans.

At Manresa, Chef David Kinch’s nightly menu is unknown until it arrives on the table at the end of the meal. The restaurant’s proximity to local farms and the abundance of produce in California allows it to source the finest quality ingredients. The food is at once cerebral and luxurious, yet grounded and thoroughly delicious. Each course is likely to represent a moment within a season, beginning with a selection of savory petit fours that are an illusory play on the palate.

The signature garden dish titled, “Into the Vegetable Garden,” always has a place on the menu but it is ever changing. It is comprised of over 30 components that highlight the bounty of the season. Memorable desserts flaunt the use of local seasonal products as well, and offer complex flavors in their otherwise understated appearance. Finally, there are sea salt, vanilla bean caramels on your way out. Hospitality is paramount to all members of the team. It is worthy indeed of its 3 Michelin starred status.

According to David Kinch, the secret is in finding balance which places special importance on salt and acidity. He truly believes that the single most important thing on a plate of food is balance. This balance also extends to creativity, technique and produce, and to pleasure and satisfaction in eating.

Put your trust in multi-award winning guest chef David Kinch, guest speaker and participant at culinary events around the globe, whose first cookbook, titled „Manresa: An Edible Reflection“ debuted at 19 on the New York Times „Best Sellers List“. Savour his contemporary Northern Californian cuisine, featuring ingredient-driven cooking and modern techniques from around the world, at Restaurant Ikarus in Hangar-7 in October 2018.