Staff Meals Part I: Wylie Dufresne’s Cashew and Fennel Salad
The wd-50 salad that only the staff gets to enjoy.
You won’t find this salad or any other on the menu at wd-50 in New York.
Not now. Not ever.
That’s because Chef-Owner Wylie Dufresne apparently is not a fan of leafy green salads. Go figure.
You’ll find that amusing insight, along with this recipe for “Cashew and Fennel Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette” in the delightful new book, “Come In, We’re Closed: An Invitation to Staff Meals at the World’s Best Restaurants” (Running Press), of which I received a review copy.
It was written by Christine Carroll, a former line cook, culinary center director of Whole Foods Market Manhattan and founder of CulinaryCorps, a volunteer service organization for culinary professionals, and Jody Eddy, former executive editor of Art Culinaire Magazine and a former cook at Jean-Georges in New York and The Fat Duck in England.
The book showcases the food — not served to the public — but to the staffs of 25 of the world’s most celebrated restaurants including Ad Hoc in Yountville, Au Pied De Cochon in Montreal, McCrady’s in Charleston, and Mugartiz in Spain.