Traveling Through with David Prior · Thursday, August 13, 2026
Chef Flynn McGarry emphasizes the profound influence of Japanese hospitality and presentation on his culinary philosophy. He notes that the meticulous organization of a meal, akin to kaiseki, and the precise delivery of dishes are crucial for conveying nuanced flavors and experiences, impacting his approach at restaurants like Cove.
“What I think that those places, you know, took from Japan really intensely, was that none of that matters unless you can present it correctly to a guest, and how important that presentation is, and not just the presentation, but the you know, the way you organize the meal, you know, the sort of kaiseki, you know, how you start here and go here and go here, and you know where I think we've landed with Coven, like we got rid of this. We had an eight eight course longer menu and we got rid of it because no one really wanted it. They wanted this other way of eating.”
“It is so important the way that you deliver like portions and things to guests, and that is where there's so much intention. I was say, one of my big references for like the a la carte version of Cove was I go to Omen a lot downtown, sure, and I'll always get like we'll always get like the cod and this rice, and then we'll always get a agadashi tofu.”
“That intention, I think is something that so many restaurants miss. And I could make you know, this delicious dish with this delicious sauce, but if you take a scoop off the top and you put on your plate. That's what I do believe is valuable in tasting and us is being able to control these portions. If you're trying to get across a very like nuanced sort of flavor, is you need to get the wassabi with it. You need these exact amounts.”