Back in August, I did an extensive profile of Dinner Lab, the national pop-up company that had nine chefs touring the country in the hopes of winning the chance to open a brick and mortar restaurant.

This update is in from Dinner Lab: From those nine chefs, three have emerged as the strongest candidates, and those three continue their road-testing to see who will prove most appealing to customers from around the country. One of those chefs is cooking next week in Los Angeles. 

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As I described in my feature about the company, Dinner Lab operates on a diner feedback system, whereby guests rank each dish presented at a meal, as well as the overall experience. From this feedback, Dinner Lab hopes to open the world's first data-driven restaurant. The three chefs who have broken away from the pack and remain in the running to helm that restaurant are Kwame Onwuachi from New York City, Daniel Espinoza from Chicago, and Aaron Grosskopf from Napa Valley. 

Grosskopf will be cooking in Los Angeles on Sept. 27, refining his concept Espelette Eatery. The dinner will take place somewhere in the Downtown fashion district, and tickets cost $70 per person for a 5-course meal — but you must be a member of Dinner Lab to buy tickets. Info about tickets and membership can be found on Dinner Lab's website. 

According to Dinner Lab, Grosskopf's concept of Espelette Eatery “resonated with Dinner Lab members everywhere; he scored a 4.7/5 on creativity, 4.73/5 on taste, and over 90% of folks believe that his food belongs on a menu.”

You can read my story about Dinner Lab (as well as my reaction to Grosskopf's cooking) here. 

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