The Copper Vat

The cold open

The stainless steel prep kitchen of L'Éclipse is cold and silent at two in the morning, smelling of burnt shallots and rosemary brine. Inside the scullery, submerged face-down in a deep copper brining vat filled with salted herb broth, lies the city's most celebrated culinary tyrant. His lungs are flooded with seasoned brine, and the walk-in freezer hums like a dull dirge.

The victim

Leopold Brandt, 46, executive chef and culinary director

The lineup

• Felix Navarro
• Maeve Connelly
• Soren Lind