DETROIT, MI (WXYZ) — For the past 7 months, two local chefs have been curating 5-course meals based on their favorite albums. Chef Amber Beckem and Chef Jermond Booze are the co-creators of the "Vinyl Tasting" experience, a fine dining affair that happens about every two weeks in Detroit.
“Detroit and music kind of go hand and hand so we thought this would be a very cool experience to bring to Detroit," Chef Amber said.
The pair have created 5-course meals for Biggie Smalls' "Ready To Die" album, Stevie Wonder's "Key to Life" album, Tyler the Creator's "Flower Boy," "The Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest, and more.
They say with each menu they create, they work to make sure that each dish somewhat represents the song, group, or place the meal is named after.
“So that comes across in many different ways, right? So Biggie's from New York, I might do a pizza. With Frank Ocean’s "Channel Orange" we tried to think of California vibes so we did a spin on animal fries.”
And while pizza and fries sound simple, these meals are definitely gourmet. That pizza from the Biggie Vinyl Tasting series was a Sicilian-style pizza with braised oxtail, fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions, and arugula. Those fries named after the song “Super Rich Kids” by Frank Ocean were confit potato fries with truffle cheese, shishito animal sauce, and braised onion caviar.
“And a lot of times people are like, 'I’ve never had something prepared this way.' And it really makes me happy because I'm also showing someone a new experience which it is all about," Chef Amber said.
While these Vinyl Tasting experiences are considered fine dining, Chef Booze says he likes to meet his audience where they are.
“I think we do a good job at finding that balance as far as like, we’re going to be creative about the way we approach something. At the same time, it's a hot dog. And a hot dog is a hot dog. But, there are different ways to interpret that hot dog to make it unique and special.”
That hot dog he’s talking about is a food item part of the next Vinyl Tasting being held on February 19. The two chefs will be honoring Detroit native J Dilla with a special focus on his album “Donuts.”
“So I kinda wanted to throw in some Detroit kind of staple foods which, the coney dog. So I'm doing a mole negro chili and then I'm doing like a mostrada, which is kinda like a fruity type of mustard sauce," Chef Amber said.
This three-hour experience also includes the option of paired wines with each course. There are also vegan options for those who may not eat meat, and of course, the featured album of the night plays during dinner.
“We really want these dinners to showcase fine dining in a different light. Food in our diaspora, or music or things like that aren’t considered fine dining in this space," Amber said.
But, together she and Booze are working to change that.
“There are lots of experiences created for people who are coming into the city, but there aren’t a lot of experiences of this type nature for people who’ve been here their whole life," Chef Booze said. "We try to make that accessible to them by being conscious of the food we create, but then also, looking at the music that we’re using too. Making sure we’re paying homage to Detroit natives like Stevie Wonder or Dilla in this case."
The Vinyl Tasting experience starts at $65 and increases to $85 if you would like to include wine pairings. To sign up for the next Vinyl Tasting experience, visit vinyltasting_on Instagram.
