Steven Brown, Tilia (Minneapolis)

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When first creating this butternut squash soup, Chef Brown knew he wanted to reimagine the classic dish as a surprising dining experience. He began with a satisfying and traditional flavor combination of bacon, maple syrup, and butternut squash, then manipulated each ingredient into a new and unusual form. The bacon mixture is aerated with nitrous oxide, the maple syrup is spherified using agar-agar and hydrochloride, and butternut squash is finely shredded and deep fried. The bowl is presented, room temperature, to the table before the waiter dramatically pours a pitcher of hot soup over the three elements, and adds sage-infused olive oil from a dropper. As the diner combines the soup, the bacon foam and maple syrup spheres slowly dissolve into the mixture, leaving the crunchy squash as texture. Though the experience is unexpected, the resulting taste is still familiar and timeless.