Next: Fashion
Where Haute Cuisine Meets Haute Couture
An evening celebrating the artistry of food, fashion, and everything in between.
Another incredible evening at Next Restaurant. Every few months, the team at Next completely transforms the restaurant, introducing an entirely new concept with its own story, cuisine, service style, and dining experience. We have made it a point to experience as many of these concepts as possible over the years, and each visit reminds us why Next remains one of the most fascinating restaurants in Chicago. So when two of our loves, food and fashion, came together for its latest concept, we knew this was an experience we could not miss.
What we particularly loved about this concept was the interpretation of fashion as a way of
thinking about food. Two incredibly creative industries coming together, both built on craftsmanship, precision, imagination, and an appreciation for the smallest details. Rather than simply drawing inspiration from iconic designers or presenting dishes that resembled clothing, Next explored the actual creative process behind fashion. The ten-course tasting menu followed the progression of a designer's work through Desire, Material, Construction, Vision, Rebellion, Restraint, Embellishment, Composition, Legacy, and Memory. Each course represented a different element of the creative journey, translating the techniques, history, and artistic expression of fashion into something entirely culinary.
One thing we have learned over the years is that when you dine at Next, you have to embrace the entire concept. The food is only one component of the experience. The room, lighting, music, service, and presentation all work together to tell the story. In our opinion, the Alinea Group has some of the most beautifully curated tableware in the world, and this evening was another reminder of just how much thought goes into every detail. We have always appreciated that exceptional dining extends well beyond what is on the plate, and Next never misses.
The evening opened with Desire. A bite of dry-aged New York strip with pomegranate and grape leaf yogurt arrived tucked inside a beautiful red jewelry box. The presentation was clever, but the additional charm came from the accompanying authenticity card signed by Alan Mileykovsky, completing the illusion that we had just been presented with a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Material explored the relationship between ingredients and texture through Délice de
Bourgogne, endive, kombu silk, and hemp seed. The contrast between the delicate kombu silk, the richness of the cheese, and the structure of the endive brought to mind the way a designer considers different fabrics and how they work together.
With Construction, the kitchen turned its attention to the techniques that give a garment its shape. Ribbons of delicata squash were arranged in a beautiful ruched presentation, accompanied by corn velouté and masa tempura. The dish paid homage to the fashion technique of ruching, using the natural flexibility of the squash to create folds and movement. The bright colors and arrangement reminded us of fabric swatches laid out during the design process. This was one of those courses where the connection between fashion and food was immediately recognizable.
Vision brought us into one of the most interesting chapters of fashion history. Inspired by
the famous 1937 Lobster Dress created by Elsa Schiaparelli in collaboration with Salvador Dalí, the course featured grilled langoustine with coconut, avocado, and cashew granola. The original dress is such an extraordinary example of fashion and surrealist art coming together, and Next's interpretation brought that creative relationship into the dining room. As lovers of fashion, we found ourselves doing quite a bit of post-dinner Googling to explore this particular moment in fashion history. That is something we love about dining experiences like this. You leave having enjoyed an exceptional meal, but you also walk away having learned something entirely new.
The next course, Rebellion, celebrated the designers who challenged convention and brought unexpected forms of artistic expression to the runway. Think Jean Paul Gaultier and the influence of tattoo imagery in fashion. The dish featured halibut with sunchoke, Niçoise olive ink, and a tattooed taro chip. The delicate fish and creamy sauce provided the foundation, while the dark olive gastrique and intricately decorated taro chip brought the “rebellious element” to life. It was a beautiful example of how the kitchen could interpret a fashion movement through both presentation and flavor.
Restraint was one of our favorite courses of the evening. King crab royale with red plum and
shichimi togarashi demonstrated how a relatively restrained presentation could deliver an extraordinary depth of flavor. As we tasted the dish, we were convinced we were picking up notes of sherry and old bay, two flavors we particularly enjoy. As it turned out, we were very wrong neither was responsible for what we were tasting. We learned that sake formed the base of the preparation. These are the moments we absolutely love. The opportunity to ask questions, understand the techniques, and discover how ingredients can produce such unexpected flavors is one of the reasons we continue to be fascinated by the cooking at Next.
With Embellishment, the kitchen presented a beautiful patterned pasta over wild mushroom ragout with roasted hazelnut and marinated spinach. The intricate design of the pasta was a perfect interpretation of the decorative details that elevate a garment beyond its basic construction. Of course, when presented with the opportunity to embellish our embellishment, with Alba white truffle we did. It was indulgent, absolutely delicious, and entirely appropriate for a menu celebrating haute couture.
Composition brought together one of our favorite combinations of the evening: exceptional
food and extraordinary tableware. Squab breast with macadamia, grilled beet, and cherry jus was accompanied by Hokkaido milk bread with foie gras and duck liver mousse. The course explored the importance of accessories and how the individual elements of a look come together to create something complete. This was another moment where the creativity of the kitchen and the Alinea Group's extraordinary attention to presentation came together beautifully.
By the time we reached Legacy, the influence of one of fashion's most recognizable luxury houses was unmistakable. Lamb loin and belly were served with embossed piquillo pepper and glazed parsnip in a tribute to Hermès. The moment the plate arrived, the inspiration was immediately apparent. The embossed pepper beautifully evoked the texture of fine leather, connecting the dish to the craftsmanship and heritage that have defined the fashion house for generations.
The evening concluded with Memory, an interpretation of one of the most iconic fragrances
in fashion history, Chanel No. 5. Next recreated the iconic perfume bottle. Our “perfume” for the dish was a champagne gel and frozen jasmine pearls was sprayed over a honey- and brown-butter-glazed brioche doughnut filled with peach jam and whipped ricotta, finished with almond. It was a fascinating way to translate the different layers of a fragrance into dessert, bringing the evening full circle.
Naturally, we came dressed for the occasion. When a restaurant dedicates an entire evening to the world of haute couture, it only seems appropriate to have a little fun with the fashion ourselves. We loved that the concept extended beyond the kitchen and encouraged guests to become part of the experience. It made an already memorable evening feel even more special.
What made this particular concept so successful was that the fashion references never overshadowed the food. The creativity was extraordinary, but the dishes were equally compelling on their own. The connections to fashion history, the techniques used to interpret textiles and construction, the beautiful tableware, and the carefully considered progression of the menu all contributed to an experience that felt complete. We appreciated the opportunity to explore two creative industries through a perspective we had never considered before, and we left with an even greater appreciation for the artistry behind both.
We have experienced many of Next's concepts over the years, and the reason we keep returning is that the team continues to find entirely new ways to challenge how we think about dining. It takes an extraordinary amount of creativity and talent to continually reinvent a restaurant while maintaining the level of execution guests have come to expect. Fashion was a beautiful reminder of why we love this restaurant and why we will continue making
Next a priority whenever we visit Chicago. We cannot wait to see what they come up with Next.
What. A. Night.
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