Page 14 of Aftertaste

POTAGE The Konstantin Duhovny Culinary Experience

OKAY, FAM, QUICK show of hands—who saw that one coming? Wild shit, right? Lemme tell you, I saw KD’s scars with my own eyes—this was before he got that dope sleeve—and it looked ripe. Like, I wasn’t sure skin like that could heal, man. Nasty burn. Needed grafts or whatever, and even after, well, it didn’t look right without ink. Like that.

Oh, it’s more than fucked up, sis; it ain’t legal.

And, look, I mean, kid was no fool. First thing he did out of the ER was call a lawyer—and he gets a letter written. This is all grapevine stuff I’m telling you now. I never saw the note and Gild did an outstanding job keeping it quiet. But apparently, Michel got scared. Figured he could lose everything if Bones wanted to press him. Which, you know, was true—room full of witnesses and his arm right there as evidence, plus the doctor’s notes and all. So they settle. Our guy gets a nice little payday, plus a glowing review for anywhere he wants to go, because at this point Michel’s not saying boo. Bones could’ve had his pick—Le Bernadin, Eleven Madison, Gramercy Park, all those fancy tasting tables would have eaten him up with a spoon after Saveur, and he knew it, too.

But he’s done with fine dining now. Totally disenchanted.

He got a taste of what it meant to do his own little thing. To cook the food he wanted, on his own terms. He couldn’t just go back to a new line in someone else’s kitchen.

So he opened his own spot.

Here she is, up on the left.

A little hard to pick out from the street if you don’t know what you’re looking for. All these old Hell’s Kitchen brownstones are, like, same make and model. There’s no sign, no awning, nada. Just this cramped two-bed—first floor of this one here.

This, my friends, is Konstantin Duhovny’s actual residence. Where the magic happens. Where the sausage gets made. Where you really hope the fuzz don’t show up asking for permits because, uh, you’re not operating with any.

Up the stairs here. You up front, my man, lead the way!

Let’s see what’s cooking at Hell’s Kitchen Supper Club .