Goat Cheese & Pistachio Stuffed Figs

lil spicy, lil sweet

Figs come from an early fixation — Heidi references the Sylvia Plath “fig tree,” the idea of too many lives and not knowing which one to choose. This dish sets that tone: soft, sweet, a little sharp. It’s the starting point of everything — possibility, tension, and a slightly romanticized way of looking at the world.

Charred Balsamic Brussels, Confit Garlic Purée

heaps and loads of parm on top

Heidi is a self-proclaimed “greens girl,” but not in a delicate way. She wants depth — char, sweetness, heaviness. This dish leans into that.

Spam Onigiri

touch of wasabi for your nostrils

This is childhood, directly. Spam was always around, and sushi came early — introduced by parents who loved Japanese food. This dish sits right between those two worlds: something humble, something more refined, meeting in the middle. It’s also a reminder that nostalgia doesn’t have to be polished to be meaningful.

Philly Cheesesteak Crêpe

truffle wiz for good measure

At 10 years old, Heidi spent an entire summer making thousands of crêpes, convinced she\'d become a French pastry chef. Years later, she lived in Philly. This dish connects those two versions of her — obsessive creativity and lived experience. Intentionally a little absurd. That balance between serious and unserious is very much her.

Surprise

think: it’s Micho’s birthday

Charcuterie — Parm, Jamón, Brie, Salted Fish, Black Rye

This mirrors how she eats at home — communal, unstructured, pulling from both European staples and Russian essentials. The black rye and salted fish ground this course in her upbringing, while the cheese and jamón reflect her life now.

Patatas Bravas, Sriracha Aïoli

A nod to her time living in Spain, love for sriracha, and casual, shareable plates. It represents that late-night, slightly chaotic energy she thrives in.

Rocket Salad — Roasted Peppers, Chestnut, Cherry Vinaigrette

Built from memory — arugula (rocket) from her grandmother’s garden, peppers she learned to love later, and chestnut and cherry bringing in Eastern European warmth and balance.

Pelmeni — Russian Tom Yum Soup Dumplings

A fusion of her cultural base and her mom’s influence cooking Thai food at home. It represents movement, travel, and flavors colliding naturally.

Fried Shrimp, Caviar, Crème Fraîche

Directly tied to her childhood — fried shrimp was a staple — but elevated with caviar to reflect her Russian roots and that contrast between grit and luxury.

Masala Chai & Russian Tea Cookies

Tea is ritual for her — something grounding at the end. The pairing keeps dessert light, nostalgic, and communal rather than overly indulgent.

Beef Bacon Egg n Cheese

Yo Ock, get me a BEC on a roll

Smokey beef bacon, fluffy eggs, American cheese — there are no other options because it’s perfect in every way — and spicy ketchup.

Our conversation with Miles made two things clear. He is NY through and through and is passionate about his sandwiches. No better way to honor this than going right for the NY sandwich jugular.

Wedge Salad

Brasserie food meets the Caribbean. What’s more New York?

Chicharrón de pollo, fried cheese, pickled red onions, passionfruit ranch.

At the intersection of where things begin and where they are now. It was Miles who birthed the idea of expanding this event to include Elijah. A humble act of spotlight sharing that inspired this course. Miles’ childhood memories at The Odeon paired seamlessly with Elijah’s Caribbean roots. This dish is what LTF is all about.

Whole Roasted Hog

An LTF twist on a Dominican classic

Served w/ Moro de Habichuelas and tostones. Crispy skin, fragrant rice con caperberries y frijoles, and pull-apart pork.

Y’all, it’s a cookout. Spending time with Elijah made one thing obvious: everything comes back to community. This had to be big, shared, and felt. A proper finale rooted in gathering and kinship.

Compressed Watermelon Poppers

The brainchild of guest chef Ayele Mystic

Lemon, shiso, West Indian bay leaf. Served cold — engineered to refresh.