CLEAN & ETERNAL…CAN YOU FEEL IT?

It's not so easy to jot down a few words on the topic of Cinghiale currently. The picture I imagine is in a sepia-hued film – it has been clear to me atmospherically for a few years now with the feel of the different spaces being set since early 2006. After painting the scene for Cindy and having her respond so enthusiastically I knew Patrick Sutton would be just as excited to work out the details for the space. Now is the tough time.

The final wind-down of construction is always the most frustrating. It's just a little too titillating. Sort of like the kid with all the baseball gear you can imagine, he's waited all winter to play, and he wakes up to rain on the morning of the first game. He just stares out the window and mutters at the rain clouds...

I know we just need to be in the space making it what it needs to be. The Enoteca needs to bustle with life, wine flowing, wine discussion ongoing (at various stages of lubrication), moments of discovery at the Salumeria with Stefano's daily antipasti, the staff finding their tempo.

The dining room should have an air of elegance from lost times; or perhaps an earnestness of intent. A serenity and at the same moment a rich hum. It will be difficult to constrain excited staff who are eager to share newfound knowledge and technique.

I wonder how long it will take to convey the simple, clean and eternal lighthearted nature that this restaurant should have to our clients. Stefano, Cindy and I can see and feel it very clearly. This process of translation to staff and guests is always a challenging if not frustrating time. It ranks up there with chasing millwork contractors around.

Cinghiale: the countdown begins

Finally, a nice day…Augusts in Baltimore have been brutal since I was a kid with a paper route ("brute" is Italian for ugly - the cognate sure applies).

The day began a bit lighter in labor count than others. At 6 this morning I checked in with Henry and Phil, 2 of Tommy Gaines's old-pro carpenters that are supplementing the millwork subcontractor who's overwhelmed. Henry and Phil are always in good spirits and have worked on every project for me (except maybe 604) over the years.

Around 9am there are 7 more people working on-site. Mostly mill workers. At this stage all of the other trades are waiting for millwork to finish so they can complete their work. Good news: the kitchen is almost entirely complete and installed. It's easily our most efficient design and should allow for excellent control and efficiency. The real potential of a kitchen can be limited by poor design.

The real evaluation of a kitchen comes night after night: how many of the several thousand plates a week will be executed the way that the Chef conceives, and arrive timed when it will have a chance at pleasing the guest...and does it get that job done? It may seem cold to view it this way, but to be good, you have to apply statistics to the work. The higher percentage pleased (no Chef is measured 2 plates at a time), the more likely they return and speak well of you. It's what we strive for anyway.

We're a few weeks away from planned inspections on September 1st. Lots to do yet: leatherwork by Vladimir for Banquettes, curtains and fabrics by Stan, ironwork by Randy, stone and marble work by Mark and, oh yeah, we have to find and hire 90 special people.