It’s always been essential for chef-operators to find the right balance of showcasing their culinary capabilities without surpassing the comfort zones of guests. Of course, diners’ comfort zones continue to expand as more trust is invested into chefs, perhaps a byproduct of the profession’s glamorization by the media. 

“People are excited [about] having something something spicy…something fermented, excited about experiencing different cultures and different cuisine,” says Rachel Yang, the chef and owner at restaurant Joule in Seattle.

In this “Table 42” episode, Yang takes viewers into the kitchen to whip up one of Joule’s colorful prized dishes: grilled wagyu tri-tip steak with pickled persimmon and charred treviso. “The bitterness of the treviso and the persimmon work really well with the meatiness of the steak,” notes the chef.