The Mind of Achatz: 1 Dish, 12+ Components, Zero Plates

Alinea wonderboy Grant Achatz teased his latest idea—serving food directly on a latex/silicone "tablecloth"—a few months back and now comes actual video proof of his twisted genius of making a mess on the table. In the video below, Granttastic chats up his lady diners ("What's new in San Francisco?" "Thunderstorms!") while he plates a dessert with over a dozen components—note: components, not ingredients—that range from fresh thyme to milk chocolate mousse in liquid nitrogen. The video follows the jump:

· Chef Grant Achatz makes a mess on the table [YouTube]
· Adventures in Latex and Silicone [The Atlantic]