It’s been a long construction road for chef Brian Hardesty, but he’ll soon be in his element…literally. Element is his long awaited and much anticipated restaurant located at 1419 Carroll, a former power plant building he shares with Climb So iLL, a rock climbing gym.
The logo (at left) is a simple, direct “fork and E,” according to Hardesty, done in tones that complement the warm and rustic bi-level space. (And if you think it looks a bit Hell’s Kitchen-ish, you’re not alone.)
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The menu is in its final planning stages, as are hires for front and back of house. One heavyweight is Chris DiMercurio, former staffer at Niche and, for the last year and a half and until the end of this week, Executive Chef at Vino Nadoz on The Boulevard.
For the last several months, Hardesty and DiMercurio have been bouncing menu ideas back and forth. Element’s New American theme is a concept, DiMercurio said, he was “excited about and really comfortable with.“
Hardesty further explained Element’s essence in a recent Facebook post:
Element will feature a menu developed and executed by 5 chefs, each with their own unique but cohesive ideas for the menu. Collaboration is the core concept at Element. We will work hard to bring in local and out of town, guest chefs. We hope to announce our chef lineup by the end of the week.
Which should be the end of this week, Relish was told.
Back in December, Hardesty (head honcho of the Guerrilla Street Food truck and the short-lived-but-not-his-fault Root in Richmond Heights) told us that Element would be “whimsical and primal.” But exactly how do those words translate to what’s on the dinner plate? We’re gonna have to wait for the answer, for just a bit. Hardesty explains: “I’m creating this menu with a team, so until the team is assembled, there can’t be a menu.” He said “those discussions begin next Monday and the menu will be complete by the following Monday.”
What is known is that menu prices will range from $8 to $22, the majority of which will be “value focused small-plates,” according to Hardesty, “in honest, appetizer-sized portions” (as opposed to three-bite tastes). A rotating list of six to eight entrees will round out the 25-item menu.
Pending the most irksome of check-list items—licenses and inspections—the restaurant may open as early as the end of August. Just look for the smokestack…
