Paul Kulilk, owner and head chef at Le Bouillon and executive chef at The Boiler Room restaurant, will talk about the science of food preparation at the next Omaha Science Cafe, to be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St.
Born in Germany and raised in Omaha, Kulik began working in kitchens at the age of 15. While he dutifully pursued the career of his father, an engineer, and completed degrees in engineering, physics and French, his true passion was in the kitchen.
Kulik credits working at Washington, D.C.’s Montmartre restaurant for cementing his love of French cooking. Though he spent time working in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Paris and Berlin, he ultimately returned to and spent five years running La Buvette, a small, French-inspired wine bar in Omaha. That helped Kulik forge relationships with local growers and dedicated producers of top quality traditional foods.
Kulik’s food at The Boiler Room is rooted in the belief that quality at the table comes from the ground. He uses a daily-changing menu that employs the rustic European table sensibilities that make delicious taste a priority for meals. A few years ago, Kulik was named a James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist.
Science Cafes involve a face-to-face conversation with a scientist about current science topics. They are open to anyone 21 and older, and they take place in casual settings like pubs and coffeehouses. Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. A scientist gives a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer period.
Pizza will be provided by The Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures for the first 50 people. For more information about Science Cafes, click here. Podcasts of previous Science Cafes also are available on the website or available for download on iTunes here.