Wednesday, April 20, 7:00 pm
Members $90, guests $115

Innovation seems to be the buzzword for Aix, but “‘wow’ may be the most commonly heard word” there, observed Bob Lape of Crain’s New York Business. “Dish after dish,” he continued, “establishes new benchmarks for clear, harmonious flavors in inspired combinations.” William Grimes of the New York Times concurred, describing chef Didier Virot’s style as “allusive and indirect” with “a repertory of Provençal ingredients and dishes that give the menu a sense of place, even as they take off in unexpected directions.”

Virot himself took off in some unexpected directions on his path to top toque. After growing up in France and training as both a chef and a sommelier, Virot moved to America, briefly working at L’Auberge in Dayton, Ohio, before moving to New York’s Park Bistro and La Côte Basque. He soon landed the coveted job of executive chef at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Jo Jo before taking on the same position at Vongerichten’s four-star temple of haute cuisine, Jean Georges. These days, Virot’s groundbreaking cooking is luring adventure-seeking food lovers to the Upper West Side, despite the area’s reputation as a lackluster culinary destination. For this accomplishment, Time Out New York named him Upper West Side Pioneer of the Year in 2003, citing his “upscale twists on the traditional regional cuisine.”

Those with a sweet tooth will be happy to hear that Aix pastry chef Jehangir Mehta matches Virot innovation for innovation. Born in Bombay, Mehta left India to attend the CIA. He worked as the pastry chef at New York’s Typhoon Brewery before becoming an assistant pastry chef at Jean Georges, where he first met Virot. He further honed his skills at Mercer Kitchen and Union Pacific before reteaming with Virot at Aix. There, Mehta has become known as a “pastry provocateur,” according to Food & Wine, which described his licorice panna cotta as “one of the city’s most controversial desserts.” Gourmet’s Jay Cheshes called the chef’s creations “not only the most imaginative sweets north of Jean Georges but also the most consistently satisfying.” Mehta also teaches children’s cooking classes to future diners in hopes of introducing them to new tastes. From the looks of Aix’s dessert menu, he also aims to teach us grown-ups a thing or two.