Dinner at Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen, Starring Ludo Lefebvre

[Photograph: Niki Achitoff-Gray]

Last night, Downing Street's Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen was taken by storm. Pop-up savant Ludo Lefebvre swept into the kitchen of long-time friend and fellow chef Bruce Bromberg, sending out a brilliantly crafted five-course menu in celebration of his newly released cookbook, LudoBites. Lefebvre has garnered a reputation as a visionary, for both his culinary ingenuity and his guerrilla-style approach to dining. Setting up shop in different locations for just weeks at a time, his pop-up restaurants book to full capacity, often in just a matter of hours. He is, to say the least, a hot commodity.

What quickly emerged last night was Lefebvre's fearless mastery of flavor. Each dish featured a thoughtful interplay of sweet and savory, from a tandoori octopus served with yogurt and grapefruit to a creamy panna cotta topped with caviar and sea salt. Coupling a boldly imaginative palate with expert precision and restraint, Lefebvre seems as much a puppeteer as he does a chef. With several excellent contributions from Bromberg rounding out the meal, it was an experience to get you hooked on Ludo.

Take a look at the meal in the slideshow above.

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