If you were opening a restaurant in Kansas City would you do a preview in Chicago? It wouldn’t be the most sound business advice to take. Showcasing food to people who won’t be near enough to patronize your restaurant on a frequent basis, who perhaps have not visited your other restaurants, and even sneer at the idea of going to a “small town” to dine.
The critics won’t be printing articles on you or your restaurant in the local papers, and all the publicity will be spent on customers who are dining on a trial basis. Why then would Rogue 24, a highly anticipated DC restaurant from Chef RJ Cooper have a preview of his menu in New York City?
There is some appeal. Doing a trial run At LTO (Limited Time Only) in New York City April 27 through May 8th gives some publicity, a chance to work out any kinks that haven’t been cured before this stint, and gives a chef a legitimate claim to participating in the pop up restaurant trend that won’t be hitting DC anytime soon. This plan has it’s merits, but after last year’s New York Times blitz against the DC food scene, it doesn’t send the right message.
If you’re a DC chef opening a DC restaurant why not have your preview in the city who has been supporting you? For the foodies and clients eagerly awaiting Cooper’s 24 course fix prix fare, hearing that NYC and it’s disdainful outlook on the DC food scene has been given first rights is infuriating. Receiving advice from Eater.com’s DC newsletter to make a reservation and travel to NYC is absurd; It’s even down right insulting to the DC food scene. Traveling to New York City to dine is acceptable for one of NYC’s best restaurants such as Daniel, or wd~50. RJ Cooper may not have meant to, but he’s inadvertently proving the point of the New York Times: DC’s food scene is too outdated, and the best DC should hope for is the trickle down effect of NYC food trends, such as his pop up restaurant preview of Rogue 24.
Jana Erwin is the primary chef and writer of CherryTeaCakes.com, a non-profit venture combining the love of fine desserts and feeding the impoverished in Washington, DC. You can follow her posts on twitter:@cherryteacakes.
