The Hidden Kitchen of Paris

The Hidden Kitchen of Paris

If there is one dinner to plan in advance on your trip to Paris, make it Hidden Kitchen. Located in the swanky Parisian flat of two talented American chefs, this secret restaurant is where food-loving strangers come to meet and eat.

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Over the last few years there’s been an influx of American chefs in Paris. Fusing American-style entrepreneurialism and experimentation with France’s gastronomic history, they have carved out a cross-cultural niche in Paris’ contemporary dining scene.

Two pioneers in this delicious movement are Braden and Laura. In 2007, the couple moved from Seattle to Paris to set up Hidden Kitchen, an underground, word-of-mouth, dining destination located in their central and super chic Parisian apartment.

Modeled after the elaborate dinner parties that Braden and Laura would hold back home, at Hidden Kitchen, the fabulous food is the gastronomic glue that binds the diverse crowd.

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Twice a week, Braden and Laura host elaborate, market inspired, ten-course tasting meals with wine pairing for 16 diners at their swanky, super central Parisian pad (their address remains “hidden” until your reservation is confirmed via e-mail). The adorable couple greets guests with a refreshing aperitif before leading them to the communal table to meet the evening’s eclectic company, which include gourmet globetrotters, visiting friends and American expats to yes, a smattering of French!

At the beginning of each exciting course, Braden steals away from his tiny kitchen to explain the inner workings of his Franco-American fusion fare, fielding questions about the perfectly formed poached eggs (heat-resistant plastic wrap) and the French translation for sunchokes (topinambours) to the contents of his addictive white salad (fennel, endive, celery, cucumber, white truffle, lemon and parmesan). Meanwhile, Laura moves around the table to fill glasses and give the inside scoop on each accompanying wine.

Despite the complexity and elegance of the 5-hour meal, the atmosphere and energy at the table is amazingly relaxed. Mid-way through dinner you’ve forgotten that your tablemates began the evening as absolute strangers. By dessert, you’re exchanging phone numbers and emails. By the time you go to pay, you wish someone would plan a follow-up party to keep the spirit alive.

And sometime they do!

“Complete strangers who have met at our table have decided to go have drinks together the following night,” says Braden. But the true champions of this cuisine-led community are the hosts themselves. “Almost everyone that we know in Paris has come from Hidden Kitchen,” says Braden, who in between HK events, holds more casual, comfort food dinner parties of pea soup with dill dumplings and handmade pizza with home cured meats, ricotta and pickled cherry peppers for his and Laura’s group of friends. Unfortunately, those events are by invitation, not reservation, only.

If You Go: To reserve a spot at Hidden Kitchen, send an email to: hkreservations@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name, the size of your party and the date or date(s) you are interested in. Dinners are on Sundays and either Friday or Saturday of each week. Reservations are recommended several months in advance. Suggested donation: 80€/person (cash or check only). See the Hidden Kitchen website for sample menus and more information.

Where To Stay: Mr. & Mrs. Smith has a wonderful collection of Paris boutique hotels, from artsy-modern to chic-traditional. For a cheap sleep, the Hotel Opera Vivaldi has high-value rooms for a little as 40€ per night.

published: 2 August 2010
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Merci beaucoup to Zeva Bellel for guest writing this post. Zeva is American-born but has been living and working in Paris for the last ten years as a journalist, trend researcher and consultant. Her travel blog, Paris By Appoinment Only, explores Paris’ secret gems, from lingerie artisans and master masseurs to hidden restaurants. Zeva also designs custom itineraries of the city for visitors who want to go deeper on their next trip to Paris. Follow her on Twitter @parisbao

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Related posts & pages:
Inamo: The London Restaurant with Interactive Tables
Add Hidden Doors and Secret Passageways To Your House
5 Amazing Towns on Perilous Cliff Sides
Useful Websites While Traveling
Unusual and Bizarre Restaurants

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all photos copyright by (and the talented work of) Nicolas Calcott

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Responses

  1. Theresa Buta says:

    I’m studying to becoming a chef, I’m very impress with the details about your dish, good work. Thanks

    [Reply to this comment]

  2. titiana says:

    amazing food i love it so much i could eat there all the time!

    [Reply to this comment]

  3. MarkUs says:

    Oh man, this makes me want to go Paris (and eat) even more now. Fantastic post!

    [Reply to this comment]

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