JUNO 10 Welcome to the Culinary Mediaverse

REVIEW JUNO

Although unassuming from the outside, Juno carries quite a reputation when it comes to the best sushi restaurants in Chicago. Juno has been the focal point of many other publications including The Michelin Guide, Business Insider, Eater, Zagat and more. After reading these reviews, I knew that I had to pay Chef B.K. Park’s restaurant a visit.

Walking in on a Sunday evening, the restaurant appeared to be empty. However once checked in with the hostess, we were led into a dark room with dramatic hanging lights. This room was filled to the brim with people and had furniture with a black and brown color scheme, on purpose as I would soon find out.

Our group started with the yuzu edamame and the tako maguro, a roll containing spicy octopus and spicy tuna. The yuzu edamame had a subtle citrus flavor and was a nice warmup for the sushi to follow. The tako maguro roll was then delivered and it became clear as to the purpose of the overhead lighting and black furniture, it was to present the sushi as edible art. The octopus and spicy tuna combination in the tako maguro had a wonderful soft and chewy texture with a light crunch from the outside of the roll, however the spice level could be increased to enhance the otherwise mild flavor of the tuna and octopus. Following this, we ordered the sake yaki roll containing grilled salmon and almond, the tuna and salmon maki, the zuke sake (soy marinated Scottish salmon), otoro (fatty tuna), and akami (lean tuna) nigiri, and finally the ceviche roll containing tuna, white fish, and shrimp which was recommended to us by the waitress.

The sake yaki had a similar presentation style to the tako maguro, however it had a much richer flavor from the Scottish salmon and a nutty crunch from the almond. This roll was also served with a lemon aioli which seemed unnecessary at first, however when combined with the roll added a zip of citrus cutting through the powerful salmon flavor. The tuna and salmon maki were very fresh and had a mild flavor with a solid rice to fish ratio, however the shining stars were the zuke sake, otoro, and akami nigiri. The nigiri arrived in a dome of smoke, unveiled before the table with dramatic effect, further pushing the goal of blending cuisine and art. All three types of nigiri were extremely fresh, with a buttery texture, , allowing for the full flavor of the fish to be enjoyed as opposed to hiding it behind unnecessary ingredients. However, our group was disappointed by the ceviche roll that was recommended to us. The white fish and shrimp had a rather unpleasant, firm texture and did not mesh well with the flavor profile of the tuna, as we had hoped. In addition, we felt as though the accompanying scented soy sauce did not add anything special and seemed to be an attempt to mask the lack of flavor in the actual roll.

We finished our meal with the matcha truffles. The truffles had a deep cacao flavor with a dusting of earthy matcha powder on the outside which helped to cut through the depth, however I was left feeling as though the dessert was not very innovative and something that could be easily created at home.

Overall, the experience at Juno was high quality, with a focus on the artistry of food, however with the expensive pricing and rave reviews, I felt some of the dishes focused more on style as opposed to substance, therefore leaving our group yearning for more.

BY SPENCER DEARMAN PHOTOS BY LUNA ZHENG

>> NEIGHBORHOOD LINCOLN PARK

>> PRICES $$$

>> DISHES TO TRY OTORO NIGIRI TAKO MAGURO ROLL YUZU EDAMAME

Welcome to the Culinary Mediaverse

BY ALLY GAMMIL PHOTOS BY KARINA MAK

As swiftly as the twenty-first century’s media has taken over our social lives, it has dragged the culinary world along with it. The ins and outs of fine dining, the development of culinary skills, and general knowledge of gastronomy—the art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food—have never been so accessible to a public audience. But what does this mean for the world of a chef? Does social media corrupt the art of cooking? Are we consuming food or are we consuming the personality behind it?

Alison Roman, former Bon Appétit personality turned YouTube sensation, has been at the forefront of this virtualization of the culinary world. Roman’s a minimalist at heart, as seen from her simple titles within her cookbook Dining In and her newsletter… “a newsletter”. This translates to her food which often utilizes straightforward ingredients; her “twenty-twenty stew” is made of only onions, beans, cabbage, broth, and dill. However, She takes simplicity and transforms it into scrumptiousness. In her words, “the secret is in the treatment of the ingredients.” But, beyond her cooking, she brings this no-frills-added character to her personality and presentation of the dishes On her YouTube channel, “Home Movies”, Roman utilizes her persona not only to create a platform for entertainment but to express her individuality through her approachability as an internet personality and chef. Culinary identity is ever present in any form of gastronomy, and Roman’s media-centered approach only intensifies this. In this sense, perhaps we’re always consuming the persona with the food.

Thus, it is only natural that Tiktok was the next platform that experienced this explosion of culinary influencers. At the forefront of this was Meredith Hayden, or @WishBoneKitchen, a private chef persona who worked from the

Hamptons this summer. The 26-year-old amassed one million followers by creating short clips of her experience cooking in her hosts’ ritzy coastal mansion. Using ingredients picked fresh from the home’s garden, she incorporates her fine-dining background into her casual summer dishes in a way that makes high-end, farm-to-table style food accessible. Chefs like Hayden showcase technically advanced dishes and methods on their platforms, unlike the typical simple recipe tutorials that occupy much of food media. Is the average person going to make seared scallop caramelized shallot pasta every day after work? No. But, it’s inspiring for inexperienced chefs and undeniably fun to watch. This is the beauty to be found within culinary media: these platforms spread the art form of cooking to the masses. Whether it’s presented as a day in the life of an actual chef or rather home cooks exploring advanced techniques, culinary art is consumed and appreciated just as virtual galleries and streamed fashion shows are.

The media chef can be a source of entertainment, inspiration, and a way to depart from toxicity within social media. Rather than opening my Instagram explore page to see models and workout videos, I see beautiful compositions of ingredients and invitations to expand my gastronomic knowledge. Like in any application of social media, these representations do, in a sense, glamorize the life of a chef. But chefs like Alison Roman and Meredith Hayden spread a genuine love and appreciation for food in ways that traditional celebrity chefs never could; as with social media broadly, online cooking content comes with no access barriers. The culinary mediaverse is moving to be the future of food for all, and I’m happily along for the ride.