Out with the Old In with the New American Cuisine
By: Michael Welsh

In today’s urban restaurant scene, hundreds of restaurants label
their cuisine and concept as “New” or “Contemporary” American. But the styles and menus of these establishments are strikingly diverse. While a diner often has a clear picture of the offerings at an Italian or Mexican restaurant, an experience in a dining room identified as American does not conjure specific expectations and can mean a great many things.

The moniker, “New American,” clearly exists, but a clear definition does not – perhaps necessarily so. Geographically, ideologically and culturally, the UnitediStates is unmatched in terms of its diversity. From lobster boils in New England, barbeques in North Carolina, steaks in Chicago to caviar pizza in Los Angeles, regional cuisines reflect the patchwork nature of American identity.

Yet because of this patchwork culinary identity, the public’s passion and interest in food has never been greater. Top universities are offering courses in gastronomy. Some television channels devote the bulk, if not all of their programming, to entertaining in style, cooking for the family or celebrity chef profiles. Realtors tout not only a town’s schools and parks, but also its restaurant scene. Dining out has moved from being part of an evening of entertainment to being the primary activity. Economic prosperity, and the leisure it affords, certainly influences these recent trends, but the rapid evolution of American cuisine in particular has drawn the attention of diners across the country—and Chicago is no exception.

Now experiencing national attention, Chicago’s restaurant scene is a hotbed of innovation, competition and diversity. With its supportive dining public and a central location not bounded by entrenched ethnic/regional food association, Chicago serves as an ideal city for the development of an encompassing identity for American cuisine. In the Second City’s River North neighborhood, Chef Allen Sternweiler is leading the charge at his namesake restaurant where he combines classic American ingredients with traditional French technique to create his own style of New American cuisine.

Development of a New American Chef
After graduating in 1987 with honors from the culinary school at Johnson and Wales College in Rhode Island, Sternweiler traveled the country looking for the best opportunity to hone his craft. Printer’s Row (now closed) on south Dearborn gave him that opportunity. After less than a year of work there, he was promoted to chef de cuisine and assigned the task of redirecting the cuisine to a more American style. And boy did he redirect it.

With more money in his pocket and connections he made through Printer’s Row, Sternweiler was able to develop his love for the outdoors and hunting on a greater scale. Instead of shooting rabbits and beer cans, he could now hunt deer and pheasant. “It was then that things seemed to subconsciously come together—the concept of the modern American restaurant,” he said. “It should have game—pheasant, duck, venison—not just Yankee Pot Roast, and we just ran with it.” Hearty, unique dishes such as venison loin with sun-dried Michigan blueberries and walnut crepes were born.

In 1992 Sternweiler took a one-year sabbatical in France to refine his techniques and kitchen management skills. Working closely with chefs from three different Michelin-rated restaurants and learning the philosophy behind their creations proved priceless. His experience continues to provide inspiration for menus and to influence his training methods. “Working in France really built up my confidence as a chef,” Sternweiler says. “I was really pushing myself.” Based on his educational experiences in France, he was not pleased with the American culinary trends of the 1990s. “In France, the chefs were centered on the natural and the simple, proper cooking techniques, ingredients and marinating—not decorating,” he says. “Back in the U.S., chefs were more into building plates with multiple ingredients and composing dishes. In my experiences, a properly made stew could be just as fulfilling as constructive or palate-challenging cuisine.”

After working at Printer’s Row for an additional three and a half years, in July 1997, Sternweiler was able to execute his philosophies as he stepped into the role of executive chef in a new venture, Harvest on Huron, a four-star restaurant featuring his own specialty American fare. Garnering high local and national praise, Harvest on Huron quickly became a hot spot for sophisticated diners and developed into one of the city’s premier locations for trend-seeking socialites.

Despite establishing himself as one of the city’s best chefs, Sternweiler longed to extend his culinary vision to the entire restaurant as opposed to just the dishes themselves. He jumped at the opportunity to take full ownership of the Harvest on Huron space
and expand his concept.

Fine Dining without the Frills
When he opened Allen’s—The New American Café in November of 2002, Sternweiler sought to introduce his vision to a more mainstream clientele. “I want to provide all people with a great food experience at a value, in an environment that is not so starched – where we offer precision with flexibility and food that is technically solid in a friendly environment,” he says. “I want people to think they’ve bought a Volkswagen but feel like they’re driving a Porsche.”

The focus of the restaurant is on the food’s elegant simplicity. His definition of New American food is taking grassroots cuisine, respecting its cultural influences and elevating it to the level of fine dining. Sternweiler’s current rabbit presentation serves as a good example. “Basically, it’s a take on a farmer’s dinner,” he said. “I’m looking to take the comfort – that old and new world simplicity – of such a dish and apply various cooking techniques and non-traditional ingredients.” The presentation on his dinner menu is a rabbit trio: sautéed loin, braised leg and sausage sautéed with rapini and Yukon Gold potatoes. Though this is basically a standard meat and potatoes dinner, Sternweiler has indeed, through technique and seasoning, elevated this dish to something more, to something that could be defined as New American.

Much like a firm understanding and execution of the French tradition is vital to excellence in the kitchen, Sternweiler maintains that preserving the techniques and precision of fine-dining service is essential. Allen’s wait staff upholds such standards, but the pretension ascribed to such service is absent. “We want to appeal to a broad range of ages and income levels,” Sternweiler says. “We want people to come in with their friends, not spend an arm and a leg, and really enjoy themselves and have fun. I’m not sure how much real fun is had at our four-star competitors.” In addition, the staff is encouraged to let their personalities shine if doing so might enhance a guest’s experience. The chef hopes he’s welcome at a guest’s table, not only to discuss the intricacies of a tasting menu, but perhaps to plan a hunting trip as well.

Sternweiler has realized his American dream of owning and operating his own restaurant, but he sees this accomplishment only as an early step. “I’d like to express what New American food is in this specific region,” he says. “I want this restaurant and this food to provide people with stability. I want it to become a part of people’s lifestyles.”

Combining Tradition and Individuality
Essentially an exact definition of New American cuisine can be as varied as the number of chefs who create it, as each develops dishes with a combination of ingredients unique to his or her own approach. What these chefs’ dishes have in common, however, is the blend of traditional and fresh meat, vegetables, and fruits with their style of preparation and seasoning. In mixing ingredients and styles, these chefs have created a cuisine that not only reflects their styles, but also the culinary heritage of their diners, and basically, the culinary history of the United States. So perhaps it is that mix of culinary influences that makes these dishes as American as, well, apple pie.