Elizabeth Falkner

Chef, Krescendo
Brooklyn, New York

The element of surprise is a powerful tool when it comes to

cooking. Many chefs delight in their ability to throw diners off:

from chef Ferran Adrià in Spain, who serves olives that look like

the real thing but are really made of olive oil, to chef Elizabeth

Falkner, who blindfolds me in the kitchen of Orson (her former

restaurant).

“Here,” says Falkner. “Rub this on your wrists.”

I do as I’m told, and suddenly the scent of cocoa wafts over me

(I later learn it’s a cocoa-flavored essential oil). “Now eat this,”

she says, placing a chocolate bonbon that’s been rolled in Calvados

syrup and vanilla sugar in my mouth.

“Whoa,” I say, getting caught up in the experience. This is a

dessert called Bon Bondage, which Falkner served at a Valentine’s

Day dinner to give couples an interactive experience. “I’m very

turned on right now,” I add as Falkner bursts out laughing.

Falkner’s sense of humor and sense of fun make her a perfect

candidate for making the kind of food that can have a sense of

humor and a sense of fun: dessert.

“With dessert, I can do anything,” she tells me later as we begin

cooking together. “I just have to know what I want to achieve.”