Present Company Restaurant - Up Close & Personal
“It’s like going into battle, but in a delicious way!”
So muses Jeffrey Lizotte, the incomparable chef of Present Company in Tariffville, near Hartford, after a recent, packed Saturday night service. Chef Lizotte and his crew worked tirelessly throughout the service but without complaint as they’re very happy to be back in the restaurant! Providing encouragement is the acknowledgement of devoted regulars and even the state at large. Present Company was honored with back-to-back accolades, including Restaurant of the Year for CT’s north region, and Jeffrey as Chef of the Year in 2019 by the Connecticut Restaurant Association. That is no small honor in a state with an impressive list of chefs with remarkable records and fervent followings.
There are so many reasons to enjoy Present Company, but the overall experience is unmatched. The menu changes often but no matter what, the food is consistently delicious; the service is top notch with passionate, knowledgeable staff; but the experience of just being there is where the magic lies. With echoes of a small but traditional French kitchen brigade, there is a method to the madness in PC’s open kitchen. It is positively symphonic, yet quiet. And instead of clanging dishes and yelling, there’s calm, order, rhythm, and lots of smiling.
When you walk into the restaurant you are greeted by an ambience of dark lighting, bold paintings, and red walls. The whole place is cozy. The front is more private while the section with the open kitchen is clearly for those who want to be mesmerized by not just what’s on their plate but also by the very creators behind it. The kitchen is quite small, which makes what happens there and what comes out of it all the more special. It’s like having a front row seat at a show, very intimate, as though it is just for you! That’s what is so surprising. Staff are coming and going, small parties and bigger parties are scattered throughout, plates being filled and passed, and yet there’s a quiet hum. No anxious frenzy but smiles and order as Lizotte and his crew just hum along.
“Oui, Chef.” It’s no surprise that Jeffrey leans into that quiet brigade style of running the kitchen. He was born in Simsbury, CT but Jeffrey has taken his French-Canadian background into stints at Eric Ripert’s Le Bernadin and David Bouley’s Danube in New York as well as in France at La Rupina in Bordeaux and La Bastide St. Antoine in Grasse. There are no airs, no pomp, just a calm efficiency born of experience and confidence. That fluidity extends to the others on the line, including Chef Sadie Tomasiewicz and Ethan Czarneski.
When talking to Sadie about this impressive operation, specifically pointing to the orderly stacks of pans, containers, trays, and pots around the small kitchen, she outstretched her arm to show her tattoo: Mise en Place, almost biblical terms in the restaurant world. Everything has its place when working in such a small and very open kitchen. Take passionate, seasoned chefs and staff, terrific ingredients and creativity, and underscore it all with that motto and mission. That’s when the magic happens.
“I came from a small farm focusing on diversity. We were responsible for all kinds of fowl, pigs, and rabbits. I used to come in on Thursday with the restaurant’s duck order. Weeks went by and every time I’d just hang out a little longer. I finally asked Jeffrey for a place there and the rest is history. Four years later, it’s really one of my greatest joys,” she says.
“The open kitchen definitely took some getting used to,“ she continues, “Coming in I had never cooked at that caliber. Learning in front of our guests used to make me nervous but now it’s my favorite. People are just as excited to see and learn as we are. The boys and I have learned how to dance with each other and are fabulous partners. It’s somehow more embarrassing to make mistakes but you learn not to. It makes you a more honest cook, really. Everyone sees everything. There’s no cutting corners.”
When talking about running this style of kitchen, Jeffrey explained, “The base of our style and concept is well executed food and service in an intimate, almost theatrical atmosphere. We want a more hedonistic approach rather than a transactional one. We want no screens, less noise, and more human connection through good food, drink, and of course good music.”
Of course, the pandemic put a damper on the usual, extra cozy space the restaurant is known for, and yet, they continued that style as best they could through Family-Style take-out meals. “Those did so well,” Jeffrey mentioned, “that we will continue to offer them,” despite things slowly but surely getting back to normal.
But nothing will take the place of the “dinner show” experience near the open-kitchen. It is so beloved that on this particular Saturday visit, there was applause from one dinner party and one group who went up to the kitchen to hug Chef Lizotte. Apparently, this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Despite the excitement of this unique dining experience, Jeffrey notes it makes them vulnerable to just about anything that could happen. “We are very exposed to our guests and the different energies that take place any given night and service. The kitchen world has only recently been an expositional one, and we have taken that to a new level with our proximity of kitchen to dining room. All my kitchen staff are trained performers for this space, in addition to being really good cooks!”
Oui Chef. We certainly see that, taste that, and feel it at Present Company.
Au Future
At the time of writing, Present Company’s new deck was nearly complete, with plans for a full bar. This addition will make for a beautiful outdoor meal by the picturesque Farmington River. There will be a custom, three-season tent in order to serve outdoors between April and November, and Jeffrey hopes to continue a rotating monthly series of wine/beer dinners, and Pop Ups.
Present Company is located at 2 Tunxis Road in Tariffville, CT. Follow Chef Jeffrey Lizzote and the restaurant on Instagram @present_company_ct
