‘Top Chef’ Winner Nick Elmi Is Cooking Through His New Book at Laurel This Month

If you were long in anticipation of Top Chef winner Nick Elmi’s new cookbook, released in September, but haven’t been able to master the meals, worry not.

The Laurel chef-owner and Philly native will “cook the book” for a limited group of devoted diners at his East Passyunk restaurant on Tuesday, November 19.

Laurel: Modern American Flavors in Philadelphia — co-written by food writer Adam Erace and shot by Neal Santos — is Elmi’s first cookbook. The book dives deep into the culinary style and format that Elmi uses to run Laurel throughout the year, divided into seasons and courses. He’ll debut the Fall section of the book and its signature cocktail pairing next Tuesday at 7 p.m. for 22 guests (at $225 each), serving nine courses that includes apple-yuzu consommé, burgundy snails, and sea urchin with creamed corn and sunflower-truffle vinaigrette. It’s an evening of food that’s near impossible to make at home without Elmi’s skill or French training, so it’s a must-attend for die-hard fans of the cookbook.

Nick Elmi / Official

Elmi told Eater Philly in an email Friday that the dinner will include one-on-one guidance on how to cook the recipes featured in his book.

“I think it’s important for people who have the book to have a visual of what the end product can be,” he said. “Translating that language to a home cook was the most difficult part of creating this book and to be able to have a space where we can talk freely about what we’re achieving will be fun.”

Laurel ($35) was released on Sept. 17. After six years of success at the restuarant, opened shortly after his victory on Top Chef in 2013, Elmi shares his culinary tips and tricks for what’s made the restaurant work.

• Learn to Cook Fancy Like Nick Elmi With the ‘Top Chef’ Winner’s First Cookbook [EPHI]
• Laurel - All coverage [EPHI]