Earlier this year, chef Grant Achatz, the culinary wunderkind behind Lincoln Park's top-rated Alinea, was diagnosed with an advanced stage of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the mouth. The cancer, which doctors believed had spread to Achatz's lymph nodes, was life-threatening and led to an outpouring of support for the well-regarded chef. But after months of aggressive chemotherapy at the University of Chicago, things are looking up.
Earlier today, Achatz released a note announcing that not only had he completed his course of therapy without losing his sense of taste (or his tongue, which was a serious concern), but his cancer appears to be in full remission. Most remarkably, Achatz only missed 14 services over the course of his treatment!
The full note from Grant Achatz is after the jump:
It is with a tremendous sense of gratitude and relief that I have successfully completed my course of therapy at the University of Chicago. It was incredibly important to me to remain as engaged as possible at Alinea while receiving treatment, and during that time I only missed 14 services. I continue to stand committed to innovating fine dining long into the future.
At this time I want to thank everyone at Alinea -- the staff, investors, and patrons of the restaurant have offered their unwavering commitment and support in ways large and small. The community of restaurants, chefs, and industry professionals who reached out to us was exceptionally gratifying.
Most of all, I must make special mention of doctors Vokes, Blair, and Haraf at the University of Chicago Medical Center, as well as the countless number of medical professionals and support staff there who cared for me. Where other doctors at prominent institutions saw little hope of a normal life, let alone a cure, these doctors saw an opportunity to think differently, preserve my tongue and taste, and maintain a long term high quality of life. Through the use of a new and rigorous Chemotherapy and Radiation protocol, they were able achieve a full remission while ensuring that the use of invasive surgery on my tongue was not needed.
Onward.