Robert Lipman's March Dinner

On Saturday, March 9, 2013 The Hearth chef Robert Lipman took over the new Seminary Co-Op Bookstore and, using only equipment he brought into a break room of the store, attempted to emulate the famed New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park. Instead of his traditional randomization process to pick attendees, the eight guest slots were auctioned off to raise money for Relay for Life to fight cancer.

Robert shops for ingredients days before the dinner at local Hyde Park stores Treasure Island and Hyde Park Produce. 



Robert selects only the best components to incorporate into his meal, even though he is working on a limited budget of $25 per person. 



Of course, he needs to purchase supplies for dessert (perhaps the most important part of any good dinner!)



Before Saturday night, Robert spends time at the Sem Co-Op envisioning how he will transform the space into an eatery.



The tasks before him are daunting, but he knows he will be able to get it done. 



Robert starts cooking for the meal at 1 a.m. Saturday morning.



Many of the recipes he cooks require complicated techniques. He almost completely takes over the Hitchcock kitchen in the hours before the meal.



Robert works on re-creating Eleven Madison Park's granola, a take-home present for diners at the real Eleven Madison Park restaurant. Robert is surprising his guests with the same treat. 



The granola has rolled oats, pistachios, unsweetened coconut chips, pumpkin seeds, salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, olive oil, and sour cherries. As a sweet touch, he adds more brown sugar than the recipe calls for, and packages the granola in beautiful glass mason jars, truly creating a keepsake gift.



He utilizes Eleven Madison Park's incredibly expensive and expansive cookbook for help with the recipes. The book is so thick and detailed, it is intimidating for the inexperienced chef. 



For table decorations and ornaments in his caramel apple tea, he prepares flower "bundles."



The "bundles" have flower buds and mint leaves creatively tied together with twine.



After hours of preparations in his dorm, Robert packs up full plate settings, cooking equipment, prepared food, and more ingredients in suitcases and moves it over to the bookstore with the help of an employee. As soon as him and his team arrive, they set the table.



When diners arrive at 8pm, they are greeted by this beautiful scene.



Passerby outside wonder what is going on at the Sem Co-Op on a Saturday night, when the store is supposedly closed.




Surrounded by dazzlingly colorful books, the diners start to introduce themselves.



He serves the delicious beverage to his thirsty guests.

1. 

   Some of them are previously acquainted, but others are meeting for the first time.



Heather, a bookstore manager who also attended the U of C and studied English, dines with the students. When Robert approached the Seminary Co-Op with his idea, Heather and her co-workers were thrilled to help out. At the meal, she shares anecdotes about her time at the College, stories about working at the bookstore, and information about its new location.



In the back, Robert prepares the caramel apple tea in small glasses.



They are awed by the unique taste of the tea, as well as the eye-catching arrangement of the dish.



Robert makes the decision to serve the granola now, instead of as a parting gift. "I thought it might be more fun as an amuse bouche," he says. 



Robert's friend, Avi, helps out in the back with the second course. Avi and another friend, Luci, helped Robert all day before the meal. They are also his graphic designers.



The students enjoy each other's company waiting for the next course. 



For the 21+ crowd present, no meal is complete without some wine accompaniments. 



At 9pm, diners are surprised by the Ransom Notes, who sing several entertaining songs.



Clad in blue and black, they start off with an astonishing rendition of "Some Nights."



Their voices are beautiful. This is one of the best moments of the evening. 



They go on to sing several different songs, each magnificent and impressive in its own way.



Diners sit captivated by the performance.



Meanwhile, Robert's next course, prawn poached with calamari and gnocchi, is ready.



He puts on the finishing touches on a table just a few feet away from the diners before he serves it.



How delicious. The practically professional dish is definitely a departure from dining hall food.





Before the next course, diners browse the graphic novel shelf next to the table.



While chatting, diners share wonderful stories and life experiences. The camaraderie of the room is incredible.



Lots of laughter was shared throughout the evening.



The next course is beef roasted with asparagus, parmesan, and bone marrow. It is mouthwatering. 



After another hour of merriment between the diners, Robert serves "milk and honey," an ice cream-like dish with solid honey crumbles. It is heavenly.



His second dessert is chocolate fleur de sel and caramel, an incredibly rich chocolate cake with cookie crumbles, caramel salt, and homemade ice cream. It is one of the most delicious cakes the guests have ever eaten in their lives.



It makes sense that not a bite is left over!



The dinner ends around 1 am, with diners on a sugar high. They exchange contact information and well wishes with their new friends.



Each diner gets a copy of the evening's menu and a bookmark as a memento of the night. Designed on Microsoft Word and printed on thick cardstock, these were created by Avi and Luci. The duo aimed to re-create the clean font and watercolor lines characteristic of Eleven Madison Park's actual menu. 



Before they leave, the guests explore the book stacks for a little bit, posing in the picturesque store. The architectural design of the new space is sensational. 



Before his guests leave, Robert takes a moment to thank them for a wonderful evening. 



It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all involved.