jardiniere

Wells Silverman is from New England but has a soft spot for the Golden State, where she worked in San Francisco at the renowned Jardiniere and tried her hand as a wine broker in San Diego.

“It’s hospitality for the neighborhood,” he said, of adding a smoked fish platter, rigatoni with fresh and smoked salmon, and even cured herring with jardinière to the otherwise Tuscan menu.

Impossible’s first burger, built around wheat protein, launched in 2016, at four high-end restaurants: Cockscomb and Jardinière, in San Francisco; Crossroads Kitchen, in Los Angeles; and Momofuku Nishi, in New York.

Traci Des Jardins, the chef behind Jardinière, said, “The 1.0 version had a mushy mouthfeel, and it would adhere to surfaces and sear in a way that meat doesn’t. This version has a more toothsome bounce, and it doesn’t fall apart in a Bolognese sauce. The 2.0 really does behave just like beef.”

Impossible Foods, part of a growing crop of meat-substitute producers, has sold its burgers at restaurants since 2016, starting with trendy eateries such as David Chang’s Momofuku Nishi in New York and Jardiniere in San Francisco.