How a Master Chef Created a Michelin-Starred Restaurant in a Mall Food Court — Mise En Place

Michelin-starred Dialogue serves a seasonal 18-course tasting menu out of an 800-square-foot space inside a mall food court in Santa Monica. Executive chef and owner Dave Beran’s highly conceptual menu features dishes that symbolize the layers of the ground, hidden under leaves in winter, like a dish featuring pumpkin seeds covered in burnt parsley that simulates the twigs and seeds of a forest floor, or a black sesame and whipped yuzu course that resembles a spoonful of dirt.

Eater would like to assure viewers that all videos were shot before restaurants were asked to close. Check the CDC for the most updated guidance on dining out at restaurants.

Credits:
Producer/Director/Editor: Daniel Geneen
Camera: Connor Reid, Jay Simms
Editor: Daniel Geneen

Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Development Producer: McGraw Wolfman
Coordinating Producer: Stefania Orrù
Audience Engagement: Daniel Geneen, Terri Ciccone
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[eater]

Dialogue's tasting menu is shut until further notice like most other restaurants, but follow them on IG to check out their delivery programs and support the team: instagram.com/dcberan and instagram.com/dialogue.sm Thanks for watching!

[sinajasteh]

Why did you grill the lettuce?

Chef: We really wanted the guests to talk to each other and ask that question.

[identityunknown_]

Chef: Needs more leaves
Staff: but chef its desert menu
Chef: NEEDS MORE LEAVES

[chrislee]

I can’t imagine his waiters having to explain the “duality of winter” for a plate with chicken

[sloppyjoeska]

Charlie: Yes, I'll have the Milk Steak
Staff: Terribly sorry, all out. Would you prefer the Milk Fish?
Charlie: ...You got sprinkles?
Staff: We have dehydrated grass and wet dirt.
Charlie: Throw in cheese whiz made from the moon and we're even.

[GOTSTUUUFFED]

Funny, I employ the same strategy during winter - hiding my shame under layers upon layers.

[liquidcelica]

Anyone else have flashbacks to Gordon Ramsey asking "why is the salad grilled?"

[inikim]

“We didnt give them a knife so they can fight with the dish” dish is literally the size of one bite. What you tryna cut? Air?

[logic-jessica]

this resturant gives "im not like the other girls" vibes

[buttongwinnettofficial]

Restaurant: Course 4/18 - Hamachi and Red Dulse Seaweed

An intellectual: Milkfish with grass

[christianhowe]

Me: this looks like a bowl of dirt

Chef: actually, it’s a symbolic representation of the relationship between man and earth


Me: dirt

[Millz]

All that great presentation to just cover it in the end. I get the whole winter theme and the layers but throwing a salad on top is an after thought

[mistyisland]

There is no pomposity or extravagance in this man's presentation, yet people still deeming this food as such. You really can't see the sheer amount of insight with every single dish, without using a single redundant word describing how it came about? I was focused throughout this entire video and found it relatable in its entirety, good for you Mr Dave Beran for doing this for living.

[Jor]

What I got from this: I want my customers to be confused

[andreaswg]

most of the bill would be on the dishwashing soaps, imagine if 1 customer will give you 18 plates, some spoons, forks, knife and 1 glass, how much dishes they must clean in a day

[NeonKue]

There's something about the food that LEAVES me confused...

[mikedudka]

Im the sous chef under a chef going for a Michelin Star. The fact that you guys make a beautiful presentation then cover it all up blows my mind. I would love to eat at your establishment someday. Thank you for the video and the inspiration.

[saturn]

One small piece of fish


Chef: we need more leaves

[nicholaswhorley]

This is the first video of this series where I felt like the chefs were pretentious and over-complicating their dishes.

[hotwheels]

His guests throughout the meal: *visible confusion*