Skip to main content

Restaurants may soon have chefs who know all about you before you walk in the door

You don’t simply walk into Addo; you need a ticket. And that ticket might grant you access to a $15 spaghetti night or $140 12-course meal, depending on the day. What started as two-person dinners in chef Eric Rivera’s home has grown to two locations in Seattle, Washington. At a recent Spoon food tech event, Rivera and Modernist Cuisine’s technical director, Scott Heimendinger, spoke with Spoon’s Michael Wolf about the future of restaurants.

Recommended Videos

“All the things you see within this company are things people stopped me from doing along the way,” said Rivera of Addo, which is part restaurant, part incubator for up-and-coming chefs.

The space’s pastry case features treats from a mix of bakers.

Rivera wants to get to know who’s coming to dinner before they enter the restaurant.

“I have people who work at home and have just a good cookie recipe,” Rivera said. Addo lets them build up a brand without seeking investors — something Rivera found frustrating when he was trying to open his own restaurant. Right now, his biggest marketing tool is Instagram.

“I don’t have the money to hire a marketing firm or a PR firm or any of those other things,” he said. “I never thought I would have four Instagram accounts.”

For several years, Rivera worked with chef Grant Achatz Culinary as the director of culinary operations at restaurants such as Alinea in Chicago. Tables at Alinea are booked — and paid for — two months in advance, and Rivera uses the same ticket system, Tock, for Addo. But because he’s making Puerto Rican food one night and fajitas the next, Rivera also wants to get to know who’s coming to dinner, before they enter the restaurant.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

For his multi-course tasting menus, he generally sends a questionnaire. It will ask about food preferences, allergies, and dietary restrictions, but also what other restaurants you like and your favorite music.

“Having that information for me is clutch, because when I’m doing a 15-course tasting menu and it’s 20 people, that’s a lot of plates flying around,” he said.

Heimendinger would like to see that kind of consideration going into more restaurants, but in a way that’s “considerate instead of creepy.” He and Rivera were geeking out about food tech at Jet City Gastrophysics, writing about dry ice sorbet, centrifuged infused liquors, and sous vide purees back in 2010.

“Anytime you need to make yourself look 10 percent cooler, robots.

At Modernist Cuisine, Heimendinger finds tech that solves problems, like how to make food photograph well. “Anytime that you need to do something that is highly repeatable, robots. Anytime you need to do something where timing is critical, robots,” he said. “Anytime you need to make yourself look 10 percent cooler, robots.”

Rivera doesn’t see Addo getting a robot anytime soon (except maybe a Roomba), but behind the scenes, he’s using plenty of tech. In the kitchen, he uses a programmable combi-steam oven, blenders, rice cookers, pressure cookers, and coffee grinders.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

A freeze dryer is on its way. That’s an example of something you’re not likely to use at home, though because of “preppers,” the price of machines is coming down. It’s an expensive technique, but Rivera is constantly trying to find ways to pack more flavor into every bite. For apple pie, he’ll freeze dry the apples, pulverize them, and sprinkle in the powder. “It’s much more concentrated,” he said.

In the past, he’s used a Genevac Rocket evaporator to make truffle juice. Typically used in laboratory settings to remove solvents from samples, Rivera made an uber-concentrated liquid that he equated to macing yourself with truffles.

Despite a kitchen chock full of gadgets, Addo also shows what ambitious amateurs can accomplish at home. And with or without inflated, freeze-dried gummy bears, there’s really only one thing Rivera wants out of his tools: “All I’m looking for is efficiency now.”

Jenny McGrath
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
Last day to get this Arlo security camera bundle for $200!
The contents of the Arlo Pro 5S 2K 3-Camera Bundle.

To ensure the safety of your family and your home, you're going to want to take advantage of security camera deals. Here's a package that you should consider -- the Arlo Pro 5S security camera bundle for only $200 from Best Buy, following a huge $300 discount on its original price of $500. This offer started yesterday and will only last through the day today though, so if you want to get it for less than half-price, you'll need to complete your transaction for it immediately. Don't wait until the last minute as there's a chance that the stocks that are up for sale run out quickly!

Why you should buy the Arlo Pro 5S security camera bundle
It's the Arlo Pro 4 that's sitting on top of our list of the best home security cameras, but the Arlo Pro 5S is an amazing option. Our Arlo Pro 5S versus Arlo Pro 4 comparison reveals that the newer model is worth the extra cost for features such as dual-band Wi-Fi with support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, a low power mode that saves up to 30% more battery, and enhanced protection during Wi-Fi outages. The Arlo Pro 5S is capable of capturing videos at up to 2K resolution with a 160-degree viewing angle and color night vision. You can also opt to sign up for an Arlo Secure membership for extra benefits such as cloud recordings, smart notifications, and more.

Read more
This new air purifier from SwitchBot features a HEPA filter and can charge your smartphone
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table near a bed.

SwitchBot has officially launched two new air purifiers -- the SwitchBot Air Purifier and the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. Both are equipped with a HEPA filter to tackle all sorts of air particulates and allergens, though the Air Purifier Table offers several additional features that make it a more versatile member of your smart home.

Regardless of which air purifier you choose, you’ll get a capable device that can clean a 215-square-foot space in just over seven minutes. For a larger 1,800-square-foot space, that gets bumped up to an hour. Carrying a clean air delivery rate (CADR) of 236 cubic feet per minute and capable of operating at a quiet 20dB, it should be a solid choice for both standard bedrooms and larger living spaces. Along with a HEPA filter to remove bacteria, the SwitchBot Air Purifiers feature a carbon filter to extract pet odors from the air along with a pre-filtration layer to trap pet fur.

Read more
Serta’s Presidents Day Sale: Save Nearly $1,000 on Adjustable Mattress Sets
A couple in a Serta bed.

You don’t have to wait for a major holiday to snag deals on mattresses. Serta is offering up to $925 off select styles that’ll save you nearly $1,000 during their Presidents Day sale — and serve you with some hotel-worthy comfort. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your existing bed or are buying your first-ever mattress for a new home, refresh your bedroom without having to pay full price.

The best part? That’s not the only sale Serta is hosting. In addition to Presidents Day discounts, the mattress brand is celebrating their 25th anniversary and is giving you $25 Extra Birthday Bucks that’ll drop the price on certain mattresses and more sleep essentials. Keep reading to learn how you can get close to $1,000 off on a new mattress.

Read more