Notes From the Underground: The Good Knife Supper Club

Despite a long list of “must try” restaurants in our neighborhood, last week we opted for an entirely new experience and attended the launch of the Good Knife, a new underground supper club in Manhattan’s Gramercy area.

Originally, many such clubs arose as a means of allowing chefs to stretch their creativity. Participants could enjoy an intimate and casual setting, welcome in an era ruled by theme restaurants and grand settings. Foodies especially jumped at the chance to sample new talent. As the popularity of underground restaurants and eating clubs grew, so did the scale and spectacle of the dinners they sponsored. (Undergrounds Unite’s November event featured a 12 course meal created by 5 different “secret dinner clubs” for a communal table of 150 guests.) The Good Knife supper club is a return to the intimacy and simplicity of the original movement, both in terms of company and food.

Our first underground dining experience was truly unique and delectable: upon entering, we were served an amuse – bouche roasted bell pepper soup, with a lemon foam and black pepper chive garnish, matched with an Italian prosecco. A five-course menu, inclusive of wine pairings, followed. As we were seated, a bit of anxiety started creeping in. Could they really pull this off or was it too ambitious for a New York City apartment kitchen? But by the third course, our suspicions were forgotten. As in many secret dining experiences, most of the dishes placed an emphasis on fresh, seasonal vegetables. The Good Knife’s menu revolved around fall flavors and ingredients, and the chefs informed us that all ingredients were locally produced, sourced primarily from the Union Square farmer’s market (part of the chefs’ commitment to ‘socially conscious cooking’).

The Good Knife is a collaboration between Andrea Lennon and Deborah Gorman. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, the former tested her skills under the acclaimed chef and restaurateur, Anita Lo, at the downtown New York restaurant Annisa. Gorman started her professional culinary career working under Dan Barber, of Blue Hill at Stone Barns. After mastering “farm to fork” organic cooking, Deborah worked at A Voce and Café Gray. The chefs’ philosophical approach was highlighted as they announced each course: their food is centered around being local, unrefined, whole and grass-fed. The chefs willingly answered any questions throughout the meal, and each made a point of spending personal time with guests to gather feedback and criticism.

With only 12 guests at the table, the opportunity to truly interact with the creators of the thoughtful, labor-intensive meal was one of the biggest highlights. We had a chance to discuss their future plans, and while little is set in stone in terms of the supper club, the chefs are planning on creating similar “private” dinner
experiences via their catering business.

The New York Times describes the underground dining movement as the “stringing together of the farm-to-table movement with a bloggy kind of interactivity”. Many fear that like all things underground, the scene may be threatened by its own popularity. As it grows and gains mainstream acceptance, the lack of mystique might eventually lead to its demise. At Peep, we certainly hope it evolves, or resurfaces as something just as tasty…and that the invites keep coming, of course.