Latest news with #PerSe
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
With the opening of Claudine, is Rhode Island ready for a fine dining comeback?
Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Related : Advertisement Many Rhode Island chefs steer clear of attaching themselves to a fine dining moniker altogether, wary of the baggage it carries: a high price point, pretension, exclusivity, and unsustainable economics. But walk into some of the state's most lauded restaurants and you'll find a full dining room, caviar, Advertisement For Claudine, however, embracing a The interior of Claudine, a fine dining restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island. Maurisa Arieta 'I think that when I was a young boy, fine dining was something that maybe your parents would show you, or you would see on television,' said Josh Finger, Claudine's co-founder and executive chef who believes there's a wider audience for fine dining than ever before. 'Now, with the rise of people being foodies, it's very cool. And the exposure is incredibly high, which I think only helps.' Chefs across the state embraced Claudine's arrival, but are watching closely. Some said the traditional, high pressure fine dining model comes with a unique set of challenges, but they also recognize its place in Rhode Island's culinary culture. They're also asking: Could Claudine's success set the stage for a fine dining resurgence in the smallest state? A few other 'Rhode Island is interesting because it's a microcosm of the greater world,' said Matt Jennings, who previously headed the now-shuttered Farmstead in Providence for eight years. Not long after opening Newport's 'No one wants to have a special occasion restaurant, because that's an unsustainable restaurant,' said Rojas, who previously cooked at Advertisement He expects Claudine will have a place in Rhode Island, and points to Patrons dine inside Oberlin in Providence, R.I. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe Before Oberlin, chef Benjamin Sukle owned Birch, the tiny haute cuisine hotspot in Providence that opened in 2013. The restaurant was praised nationally, but closed six months into the pandemic. Two years later, 'When Birch closed, and then when Big King closed, I felt like, I don't say the word 'shameful,' but I felt like it was a big hole missing in what to me rounds out any place that's to be considered a dining destination,' Sukle said. No matter the concept — fine dining or fast casual — the biggest challenge is always the same: keeping the seats full. Inside of Persimmon in Providence, R.I. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff/The Boston Globe Champe Spiedel, the chef and co-owner of Persimmon in Providence, said he views Michelin-starred Per Se, Advertisement 'We want to take all the trappings — all the plates, and the silver, and the crystal, and the hospitality,' said Spiedel. 'And the food as well — I wanted the same ingredients, I just wanted to do it a different way.' Speidel, who has been nominated for multiple Many restaurants are embracing what Speidel describes as 'modern fine dining,' which strikes a balance between elevated and approachable. The debate over fine dining comes as the Michelin Guide — which recognizes outstanding restaurants with one, two, or three stars — is coming to Boston. Some chefs applauded the move. Outside of Boston, critics said they are skeptical of Michelin's traditional benchmarks, and said it overlooks smaller markets, like Rhode Island. Related : 'There are a lot of places in New England that are 'Michelin-worthy' but would never get that recognition without the guide expanding here — including my own,' Sukle Some chefs said Michelin needs to reinvent itself to stay relevant. For years, the Michelin guide awarded stars to mostly European cuisine led by white chefs. Advertisement 'I don't see Michelin as the benchmark of excellence,' said Jennings, who now lives in Vermont. 'We're seeing the adaptation to smarter menu engineering and more experiential dining.' The next wave of fine dining is not 'going to be white tablecloth candlesticks and giant Bordeaux glasses. We're headed in a new direction,' said Jennings. Michelin isn't what keeps Robert Andreozzi up at night. Though best known as the chef behind Providence's 'I hope that where that lands us is we're able to open up that premier fine dining spot,' said Andreozzi. 'I would love to do that. I think you sort of need to go into it knowing that you're not going to make any money.' Opening any restaurant remains a challenge: real estate is scarce, build outs are pricey, and banks are hesitant to invest. 'I hope Claudine is successful in that regard. We need a restaurant like that, and a restaurant like that being successful is going to inspire another young chef to take that risk and open up,' said Andreozzi. Nicks on Broadway chef and owner Derek Wagner. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Derek Wagner agreed that there's been a 'broadening' of what fine dining means in the years since he opened Nicks on Broadway in 2002. At the time, he wanted it to be a place 'where my peers could come and eat — the musicians, students, and the artists — and can experience fine dining in an approachable way.' Advertisement Wagner said he crafts his menus to express a sense of place, and today's fluidity of fine dining's definition allows chefs like him to be creative in every facet of the dining experience. He said he's unsure if a typical fine dining restaurant's priorities 25 years ago included ethos, staff welfare, farmer welfare, community engagement — all a driving force behind Nicks. Just a few weeks into service, Claudine is betting on it. Chefs and co-owners Josh Finger and Maggie McConnell in front of their restaurant Claudine in downtown Providence, R.I. Maurisa Arieta The restaurant is the dream of chef-owners Maggie McConnell and Finger, who met at Per Se in New York. McConnell, a Providence native and former pastry chef at The French Laundry, always imagined returning home to open a restaurant. 'Josh and I separately have both dreamed of Claudine our whole lives, and then upon meeting and falling in love, Claudine became a reality,' said McConnell. McConnell said the word the couple keeps coming back to is 'intentionality,' which she explained manifests in everything, including the decor, menu, and beverage service. Every dish is chosen with purpose, and the tasting menu is meant to be conceived as an entire body of work. 'We want everybody to feel like they're comfortable here,' said Finger. 'With fine dining, some people might find it to be stuffy, and that's one thing that we really want to break down the walls on.'
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Behind The Scenes At Thomas Keller's Per Se
Top Chefs: Per Se founder Thomas Keller and chef de cuisine Chad Palagi oversee the restaurant's ... More kitchen. Perched on the top floor of the Deutsche Bank Center in Manhattan's Columbus Circle, Per Se—helmed by world-renowned chef and TKRG founder Thomas Keller—received a glowing commendation from The New York Times' Frank Bruni soon after it opened in 2004, collecting countless accolades in the years that followed. Keller's urban rendition of The French Laundry, the upscale eatery has been awarded three Michelin stars every year since 2006, cementing its reputation as one of New York City's top spots for fine dining. But in recent years, critics have deemed it out of reach and out of touch, often pointing to its dated decor and eye-watering prices, which include $925 per person for the extended Chef's Tasting—a cost, some may argue, that only the top one percent can stomach. Despite generating mixed reviews and battling an unsavory lawsuit filed by a former staffer (which was initially dismissed and ultimately settled), Per Se has managed to maintain a stable of loyal employees, with more than a quarter of its 112-person team having worked at the restaurant for over five years. It's a noteworthy achievement given the industry's notoriously high turnover rate, which has averaged 79.6% since 2013, chiefly due to workers fed up with limited upward mobility, poor benefits, and low appreciation. 'When I first started at Per Se, I didn't imagine I would be here for more than a decade,' says Kimberly Suzuka, who met her husband while working at The French Laundry before transitioning to its East Coast satellite. In 2018, the Culinary Institute of America graduate, who began as Per Se's lead host and later served as its culinary liaison, was promoted to her current title of guest relations manager—a position made just for her. 'When a role is created for you specifically, you don't take that lightly,' she insists, crediting her professional success to TKRG's culture of promoting guidance and education. Catching Fire: Since joining the Per Se team in 2014, Kimberly Suzuka (center) has quickly climbed ... More up the ladder. Executive pastry chef Elaine Smyth—who started her journey at Per Se as a humble chef de partie in 2012—recalls how her predecessor, Elwyn Boyles, would patiently explain every step of each process and push her to ask questions. 'I benefitted immensely from his mentorship and his belief in me helped me earn my promotion to pastry sous chef after only three years,' she effuses. In addition, as the two-time winner of TKRG's experiential scholarship, she was granted the rare opportunity to study cocoa farming in Peru and learn traditional salt raking in France with esteemed chef Olivier Roellinger. Dessert Doyenne: Executive pastry chef Elaine Smyth surveys the dining room at Per Se. 'Working here is like a graduate school for chefs,' says Chad Palagi, who started out as a commis at Per Se in 2013 and quickly rose up the ranks to sous chef. Following the birth of his first child, the Napa Valley native wanted to focus more on his family, choosing to part from the restaurant in 2017. 'But I quickly found myself missing the culture of Per Se and the dedication of its staff,' he confesses. So a few years later, he decided to return as Per Se's chef de cuisine. 'The most fulfilling part of my job is mentoring young culinarians,' he enthuses. 'Watching them grow from having little experience to becoming skilled professionals—and eventually become chefs in their own right—is truly amazing.' The restaurant's nurturing environment has led it to produce a number of rising stars in the culinary world—among them, Jonny Black, former chef de partie, who now runs Chez Noir, a James Beard Award finalist for 2024 Best Restaurant of the Year. There's also married alums Matt Danzer and Ann Redding, best known for opening the late Uncle Boons and wildly popular Thai Diner in Lower Manhattan. Not to mention Josh Finger and Maggie McConnell, another husband-and-wife duo who met while working in Per Se's kitchen, whose high-end European tasting concept, Claudine, is set to debut tomorrow in downtown Providence. At Per Se, the menu changes daily, determined by the season and quality of the products available. With the exception of the restaurant's three golden offerings—truffles, caviar, and foie gras—no ingredient is ever repeated across a meal. That calls for precise communication between station chefs, who congregate nightly to chew over the next day's dishes. 'We review our lists and also what is available from our farmers and foragers,' Palagi explains. From there, 'we develop our compositions, discussing our desired flavor profiles and techniques for each ingredient.' Gold Plating: Chef Palagi applies the finishing touches to a dish at Per Se. The restaurant regularly invites its vendors to train the culinary staff—whether it's introducing them to a different type of truffle, a unique wine, or a new kind of cutlery. 'It allows us to come together, learn about the stories behind the ingredients and craftsmanship, and gain a deeper appreciation for the meticulous processes involved in sourcing them,' notes Sandra Bohlsen, Per Se's general manager since 2019. 'It's a wonderful chance for the team to bond while expanding our knowledge and connection to the products we work with.' In addition, whenever a new dish debuts, 'we always taste it together and share our thoughts,' Smyth reveals, adding that the evening crew will often leave a note for the morning staff detailing anecdotes from the previous night's service, such as an especially delighted guest. The kitchen team then relays its plan to the dining room staff—a collaborative practice that has 'afforded us 21 years of consistency and makes us who we are,' Bohlsen asserts. The entire Per Se team is driven by Chef Keller's famously high standards, summed up by two motivational signs hanging in the restaurant's kitchen: 'Sense of Urgency,' aptly placed beneath a clock, and the dictionary definition of 'finesse,' posted above the exit—a constant reminder for the staff to maintain refinement and delicacy in their work. Leading Lady: In 2019, seven years after joining the Per Se team, Sandra Bohlsen was named the ... More restaurant's first female general manager. Bohlsen admits the job isn't always easy. 'I'm constantly challenged, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and learning every day,' she divulges, noting that her journey has had its fair share of ups and downs. 'But what's most important is the ability to rise, adjust your crown, and keep moving forward.'
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Haverhill gets a breezy rooftop bar; Providence welcomes Per Se alums with Claudine
Coming soon : In Providence, Claudine (225 Weybosset St.) debuts on Thursday, June 26, led by husband-wife team Josh Finger and Maggie McConnell, who met at Thomas Keller's Michelin-starred Per Se in New York City. McConnell grew up in Providence. Advertisement 'We've dedicated our whole lives to food … and going out to eat. And there aren't a ton of places to go [in Providence] on a high-end level,' McConnell said in a March With 26 seats, Claudine will serve an ever-evolving, eight-course, $165 tasting menu spotlighting New England ingredients, alongside a $100 French-focused wine or a $65 non-alcoholic beverage pairing. Visit Thursday through Sunday from 4:30 p.m.; reservations open on the first of every month for the next month's seating. Olive oil cake and yogurt panna cotta with winter citrus at Claudine. Handout In Allston, look for a new branch of salad-and-stir-fry chain honeygrow (305 Guest St.) later this summer. And in Brookline, expect a version of the popular and aptly named Cambridge diner Busy Bee (1046 Beacon St.), says owner Mahmood Abu-Rubieh. Advertisement Kara Baskin can be reached at
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Semtech's Q1 Earnings Match Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y
Semtech Corporation SMTC reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings, wherein the bottom line was in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate and the top line surpassed the same. SMTC reported first-quarter non-GAAP earnings of 38 cents per share, which matched the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The bottom line exceeded management's guidance of 37 cents per share and showed a robust improvement of more than sixfold from the year-ago quarter's earnings of 6 company's impressive bottom-line performance demonstrated benefits of increased revenues, operational efficiency and effective expense management. Semtech has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings thrice in the trailing four quarters, while matching the same on one occasion, the average surprise being 10.8%.Semtech's first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues of $251.1 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.44% and came above the midpoint of management's guidance of $245-$250 million. The top line jumped 22% year over year, with solid growth across all of its end markets, particularly in data company's latest quarterly results are likely to give a fresh boost to its shares. Shares of SMTC have plunged 38.5%, underperforming the Zacks Semiconductor - Analog and Mixed industry's decline of 5.4%. Semtech Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Semtech Corporation Quote SMTC's top-line performance can be attributed to the impressive year-over-year rise in its end from the infrastructure market were $72.8 million (29% of net sales), exhibiting year-over-year growth of 30%. This was driven by solid demand for data centres and continued investment in from the industrial market were $142.8 million (56.9% of net sales), up 24% year over from the high-end consumer market were $35.4 million (14.1% of net sales), up 3% year over year. Strong design-in momentum for SurgeSwitch across multiple device manufacturers, along with broad PerSe proximity sensing deployments and best-in-class low power, sensitivity, and noise rejection, supports top-line growth. Signal Integrity (29.3% of net sales) sales were $73.5 million in the reported quarter, up 26.1% year over year. Analog Mixed Signal & Wireless (36.1% of net sales) sales were $90.6 million, up 20.3% year over System and Connectivity (34.6% of net sales) sales were $86.9 million, up 19.9% on a year-over-year basis. The non-GAAP gross margin of 53.5% expanded 370 basis points (bps) on a year-over-year basis and 30 bps operating expenses of $86.6 million were within SMTC's guidance range. On a year-over-year basis, adjusted operating expenses increased 11.9%.Non-GAAP operating income surged 88.9% year-over-year to $47.6 million. The non-GAAP operating margin improved to 19% from 12.2% reported in the year-ago Balance Sheet & Cash FlowAs of April 27, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $156.5 million, up from $151.7 million as of Jan. 26, long-term debt was $542.6 million, up from the previous quarter's reported figure of $505.9 the first quarter, Semtech generated operating cash flow and free cash flow of $27.8 million and $26.2 million, respectively. For the second quarter, Semtech expects net sales of $256 million (+/- $5 million). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $255.3 million, indicating a year-over-year rise of 18.5%.SMTC expects infrastructure end-market net sales to increase sequentially, driven by data center growth, high-end consumer sales to rise slightly due to typical seasonality and industrial sales to remain flat to slightly down, as moderation in LoRa business to offset IoT cellular non-GAAP gross margin is expected to be 53% (+/- 50 bps). The non-GAAP operating margin is anticipated to be 18.8%.Non-GAAP earnings are expected to be 40 cents (+/- 3 cents) per share. The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at 39 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year rise of 254.6%. The figure remained unchanged over the past 60 days. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.) Currently, SMTC carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Paylocity Holding PCTY, StoneCo STNE and BlackBerry BB are some better-ranked stocks that investors can consider in the broader Zacks Computer & Technology STNE and BB sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks shares have declined 1% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PCTY's full-year 2025 earnings is pegged at $6.95 per share, up by 4.51% over the past 30 days, indicating an increase of 0.99% from the year-ago quarter's reported shares have surged 68.7% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for STNE's full-year 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.43 per share, up by 3.62% over the past 30 days, indicating a gain of 5.93% from the year-ago quarter's reported shares have gained 9.2% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BB's full-year 2025 earnings per share is pegged at 10 cents, unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating a gain of 400% from the year-ago quarter's reported figure. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Semtech Corporation (SMTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Paylocity Holding Corporation (PCTY) : Free Stock Analysis Report BlackBerry Limited (BB) : Free Stock Analysis Report StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
San Francisco Chronicle
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
What other restaurant critics told me about their encounters with Thomas Keller
Yesterday, I published an account of my visit to the French Laundry, truly a night to remember. I hope that you'll read it, but the tl;dr is that, after I was spotted, Thomas Keller called me outside and said he wasn't comfortable having me in his restaurant. We then chatted for half an hour, largely about his opinions on the current state of restaurant criticism. During the course of our conversation, Keller mentioned four critics by name — Michael Bauer and Soleil Ho of the Chronicle and Pete Wells and Melissa Clark of the New York Times. When I initially set out to write about the encounter, I thought I would give each the opportunity to respond, in their own words. Ho and Wells agreed to speak with me on the record. Clark confirmed the details of her own French Laundry visit but declined to comment, and Bauer wrote via email that, six years after stepping down as critic, he would prefer to stay out of controversies. The edit went in a different direction, and much of what Ho and Wells had to say ended up on the cutting room floor. But I found our conversations fascinating, and maybe you will as well? Here are some highlights. Ho had met Keller before becoming the Chronicle's restaurant critic. As a young line cook working in New Orleans, Ho had participated in a culinary competition run by Ment'or, a nonprofit that trains American chefs to compete on the world stage. Keller is the president of the foundation, and he was on the panel of judges that assessed Ho's work. During Ho's first visit to the French Laundry, they were recognized immediately. 'Culinary, they threw the book at us,' Ho told me, describing it as an overwhelming experience. The visit was, they knew, a waste, the treatment they received — complete with the offer of cigars — so far outside what a normal diner could expect that it verged on the unusable. In Ho's review, they wrote that their first visit was like being 'in the club,' and they expanded on this comment in our conversation. 'In retrospect, it feels like a mild, civil…' Ho searched for the right word. 'Warning might be too strong.' The message, as Ho interpreted it: ''You can have all these things, if we're on the same page.'' Ho felt like Keller was welcoming them into the in-crowd. The subtext? You're a former cook yourself. You're going to be one of the good critics, right? Have a cigar. Ho went on to dine at the French Laundry twice more and, remarkably, was not recognized either time. (They were not in disguise.) These two incognito meals allowed Ho to gauge more accurately the state of the restaurant, which led ultimately to a negative review. 'Once you're in the club, you want to stay in it, which is why it's hard to admit when something doesn't work,' they wrote. When I spoke with Wells, I told him how Keller contrasted the praise he receives from pleased guests with the prickly barbs of critics; in his review of Per Se, Wells memorably compared a mushroom soup to murky bong water. 'Well that's great,' Wells responded. I chuckled. 'No, I mean that sincerely,' he clarified. 'If you're pleasing people and they keep coming back, that's great.' Wells argued that, particularly in the case of a once-in-a-lifetime restaurant like the French Laundry or Per Se, you can't discount the different contexts of a critic and an average patron. A couple visiting the French Laundry might be spending the whole weekend in Napa in celebration of a 25th wedding anniversary. They're attending the magic show wanting to believe, not searching for the invisible wires. But, Wells said, 'As a critic, when you're going through the review process, especially at a really elaborate restaurant, you're looking for things that the average customer isn't looking for.' That's not to say we're approaching our restaurant meals as skeptics and meanies, searching for flaws. But we are at work, and it's our job to be observant. Maybe that couple celebrating their anniversary won't care about an unfilled water glass or a long pause between courses — but maybe they will. Since Wells' quip about bong water, whenever Keller has spotted critics like Ho and Clark at the French Laundry, he's sent them a glass bong filled with mushroom soup. What, he seems to be asking with tongue in cheek, are his critics smoking? I asked Wells how it felt to know that line must live rent free in Keller's head. 'It's always nice to be remembered,' he said.
