When Daniel Rose said he didn’t want to seen like Itinéraires, he wasn’t talking about the food. I think he was talking about the negative reaction that some clients have when a favorite chef moves from a small, intimate space into a bigger, more polished restaurant with additional staff (something that the new Spring and Itinéraires have in common).

Whether or not it is justified, it is true that *some* critics and diners complained that their meals at Itinéraires did not have the same level of quality or charm when compared to your previous restaurant le Temps au Temps. Of course, not all critics or diners felt this way and Itinéraires has received many positive reviews. I myself have tried Itinéraires only once (after visiting le Temps au Temps twice) and had a very pleasant experience. The veal tongue in particular remains a delicious memory.

If I am honest, I would say that I personally preferred the more intimate experience at le Temps au Temps, but I recognize that this was a special time and that you were undercharging us for such wonderful cuisine. The same is true with the “old” Spring (and Frenchie now). As diners, we are extremely lucky when a talented chef decides to work like a slave for 2-3 years and charge a very low price while building his or her name. However, when the same chef opens a new space, hires additional staff and raise the prices to pay them, we still carry the memory of the golden old place and this provides a (perhaps unfair) comparison.