#CelebrateClio with 19 Courses by Ken Oringer’s Top Protégés

Say goodbye to the Back Bay innovator along with chefs from Portland, Maine's Central Provisions and Eventide Oyster Co.; Yunnan Kitchen in New York City, Rich Table in San Francisco, and many more.

Clio Restaurant

Clio, Photo provided

Chef Ken Oringer’s influence extends well beyond his restaurants in Boston, New York, and Kennebunkport, Maine. Alumni of his kitchens have gone on to make names for themselves at some of the most notable restaurants in the Northeast—and beyond. As Oringer prepares to shutter his flagship Clio on New Year’s Eve, the Back Bay game changer is welcoming back more than a dozen of the chef’s protégés for a 19-course tour de force on Tuesday, December 15.

The guest chefs include:

  • Alex Stupak (Empellón, New York City)
  • Tony Maws (Craigie on Main, Cambridge)
  •  Doran Wong (Yunnan Kitchen, New York City)
  • Kenji Lopez-Alt (Serious Eats, The Food Lab)
  • Rick Billings (Jose Andres Restaurant Group)
  • Monica Glass (Starr Catering Group)
  • Phillip Kirschen-Clark (Café Cluny,New York City)
  • JP Carmona (previously Manresa, Calif.; undergoing solo venture)
  • Chris Chung (AKA Bistro, Lincoln)
  • Renae Connelly (Café ArtScience, Cambridge)
  • Chris Gould (Central Provisions, Portland, Maine)
  • Andres Grundy (The Americano,New York City)
  • Jason Hua (The Dutch, New York City)
  • Brandon Rice (Rich Table, San Francisco, Calif.)
  • Alex Talbot & Aki Kamozawa (Ideas in Food blog)
  • Andrew Taylor (Eventide Oyster Co., Hugo’s, The Honey Paw, Portland, Maine)
  • Zach Watkins (Toro, Boston)

All seventeen of the chefs contributing to the epicurean spectacular worked with Oringer at Clio, and all reached out to the chef after he announced the restaurant’s final service. During the one-night-only event, the visiting chefs will show off with dishes including whole roasted suckling pig with house-made fermented hot sauce and lettuce wraps; smoked veal breast tortellini with white truffles; giant clam with ricotta, celeriac, and whey dashi; parsley noodles with white Bolognese, scallops, and caviar; and kimchi-brined fried chicken sliders with Korean buffalo sauce.

Clio opened in 1997 and quickly distinguished itself with innovative ingredients, techniques, and presentations. The James Beard Foundation acknowledged Oringer’s leadership with Best Chef: Northeast honors in 2001, and in 2009, Star Chefs recognized his influence on the next generation of chefs, presenting Oringer with a Rising Stars Mentor Award.

Since announcing last month that Clio would close to make way for an expanded Uni Sashimi Bar, the restaurant has dug into its archives to pay respect to the food that established Clio as training grounds for the region’s top cuisiners. Live uni with nori croquant, green apple wasabi foam, and fresh yuzu, circa 1998, has reappeared, as well as celery root mousseline with black truffle fondue and bitter cocoa, an early-00’s delicacy. Other retrospective items will pop up before the restaurant’s final night of service.

Reservations are required for next week’s 19-course feast, and they are strongly recommended every other night.

Celebrate Clio, $250/per person plus beverages, tax, and gratuity; Tuesday Dec. 15, seating begins at 6:30 p.m.; 370A Commonwealth Ave., Boston; 617-536-7200; cliorestaurant.com.