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Who do you think is the best chef?

post #1 of 146
5/14/01 at 8:30pm
Thread Starter 
Question - Who is the best chef in your country and why? Also are they good for our profession because they create amazing food or because they are good for the image of the business.....
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post #2 of 146
5/15/01 at 7:25am
I don't know about the country but I can tell you who I think is the best in this city:

My vote does go to Chef Normand Laprise (Toqué Restaurant).

For his ingenuity in food pairing.

He enjoys a very stimulating relationship with our local farmers, so I heard. He insists on the very best produce! Kind of what Alice Waters pushed for in California.

He was featured a few times in american food magazines as well. Have you heard of him?
I cook'n bake with passion...
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post #3 of 146
5/15/01 at 6:40pm
I'll have to go the same way, I'm not sure who is the best chef in the country, but in Kamloops I would not hesitate for a moment to vote for Monte Bell, because he is young and he is a good PR person for his restaurant. Also I would have to give a plug to the Culinary Arts teaching staff, especially Chef U. Hunziker and Chef K. Nielsen, at OUC.
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post #4 of 146
5/15/01 at 7:45pm
Here in the states there are arguments aplenty for Keller, Palladin, Vongerichten, Ducasse (when he's here), etc, etc. Great chefs all. However, I like to think that the BEST chef is about 14 yrs. old and just starting to get "the spark". Boy, girl, who cares? We don't know their name yet but we will and when this kid is having her/his moment in the sun, there'll be another kid somewhere getting "the spark." My little fantasy> :D
Incredibly, edibly, adequate!
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post #5 of 146
5/15/01 at 7:54pm
It's a wonderfun fantasy, mofo1.

In the US, I think it is Thomas Keller!

The French Laundry (restaurant and book), it's all happening for him at this point.

In Montreal, I have to go with Pooh! Normand Laprise gets my vote.


:rolleyes:
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #6 of 146
5/15/01 at 8:03pm
Not from my country, but from my favorite cuisine, Juan-Marie Arzak from "Arzak" in San Sebastian, Spain, gets my vote for having created the most heavenly meal I have yet to encounter.

Peace,
kmf
Peace,
kmf


Visit Edible Iowa River Valley"In the long view, no nation is healthier that its children, or more prosperous than its farmers." -President Harry Truman, at the signing of the School Lunch Act, 1946Join Slow Food HereJoin Gather.com here
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post #7 of 146
5/18/01 at 2:16am
That's cute, Mofo1. I always dream of my grandson being a chef. He's 12 and wants to be a lawyer. Something just tells me he is going to be a chef. He's too interested in food and my industrial kitchen. :D
Laughter is the medicine of life
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post #8 of 146
5/18/01 at 3:45am
Pastachef, mofo1,

I also have a little aspiring chef, my little nephew 2 yrs. old, always wants to see what his uncle D is cooking. Uppi uncle D, he wants to see what is in the pots on the stove.

D.Lee
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post #9 of 146
5/18/01 at 6:47pm
I also wanted to say a kind word for a couple other chefs:

Charlie Palmer, Aureole, et al, in Manhattan

Rick Bayless of Topolobampo in Chicago,

and my persoanl hero,
Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in Berkley

She's the reason I got into this business, and I got to meet her at the Salone Del Gusto in Turin last fall. It was pretty embarassing, though, as I gushed like a schoool at a N'Sync concert. 37 year old man, articulate, published, successful, and I couldn't create a cohesive sentence.

:rolleyes:

Anyway, can there really be 1 greatest chef? Every time someone says Michael Jordan, there will be someone who'll say Bill Russell

Peace,
kmf
Peace,
kmf


Visit Edible Iowa River Valley"In the long view, no nation is healthier that its children, or more prosperous than its farmers." -President Harry Truman, at the signing of the School Lunch Act, 1946Join Slow Food HereJoin Gather.com here
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post #10 of 146
5/18/01 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 
There are many great chefs in this world, the challange is justifying your choice (you will note that I never made a choice, just posed the question!)

A great chef does not have be a famous chef, it can be someone you know or have worked with that has been an inspiration, role model blah blah...... I would love to hear what makes them the best. Also are they good for our profession because they create amazing food or because they are good for the image of the business.....
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post #11 of 146
5/18/01 at 7:14pm
That's adorable, DLEE :)
Laughter is the medicine of life
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post #12 of 146
5/18/01 at 7:24pm
Well, Alice Waters gets the nod for both of those things, as does Rick Bayless for all his work with Chef's Collaborative.

But among the unfamous, let me say a word about a Marriott E.C. name Roger Valentine (actually, he may be with Sodexho now). This guy taught me more about attitude than anybody. He's the one who said "if you can't stand the heat, clean the walk-in" and "I got into this business for the great money and the great hours. Boy, did I get screwed." What little my father didn't teach me about work ethic I got from Roger Valentine,Marriott Newport, 1988-1990.

Peace,
kmf
Peace,
kmf


Visit Edible Iowa River Valley"In the long view, no nation is healthier that its children, or more prosperous than its farmers." -President Harry Truman, at the signing of the School Lunch Act, 1946Join Slow Food HereJoin Gather.com here
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post #13 of 146
5/18/01 at 7:24pm
I have a great respect for all of the great chefs, but the reason I am so into Emeril is because he has made a situation that terrified me - because I wanted to do it so desperately, a not so serious form of having fun. Taking away the fear of cooking has brought me much success. And I never felt that he was preening his knowledge and education and experience above us commoners who aren't chefs. He shares, and becomes one of us. I'm the same way with doctors. I like a doctor who makes light of everything. If he were to announce that I have some horrible disease, I'd want him to do it in a light hearted, almost joking manner. Very serious doctors scare me. Very serious chefs scare me too :eek:
Laughter is the medicine of life
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post #14 of 146
5/18/01 at 7:27pm
Hi KMF,

Charlie Palmer, Rick Bayless and Alice Waters are also amongst my favs!

:rolleyes:
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #15 of 146
5/23/01 at 2:59pm
Jer,for me..it is not about image.

as i was growing through the ranks I always admired Soltner and Girady, They never left ther kitchens. I think thats what made me believe you can be one of the best without having an agent.ferinand point also comes to mind...to those not familar..he was the Chef that many of the great chefs of france worked for 30 years ago,way before Ducasse. Bocuse,verge,Blance,sendereins are examples all going on to own and maintan 3 star restarants in france.When I was studying with madiliene Kamman I would have to say that I learned more from this incredible Woman,Chef,restauranter etc..then any.
cc
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post #16 of 146
5/23/01 at 4:22pm
CC - I don't think Jer was talking about the image of the particular chef, but rather about the publics image of our profession and our craft. Anyone who does something to improve that wins thanks from me.

Most people, when they think of a chef, still conjure up an image that looks a lot like the chef in Disney's "Little Mermaid", and that's if they are being charitable. When they think of our craft, most people think great food is exclusively for rich snobs out to be seen and that the stuff we make is bizarre, complicated, and frightening.

So while some of the media chefs do drive me nuts (Emeril & Graham Kerr - except the Galloping Gourmet was a trip), others are doing us all a great service (Julia leaps to mind) by making what we do seem approachable and even fun.

Peace,
kmf
Peace,
kmf


Visit Edible Iowa River Valley"In the long view, no nation is healthier that its children, or more prosperous than its farmers." -President Harry Truman, at the signing of the School Lunch Act, 1946Join Slow Food HereJoin Gather.com here
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post #17 of 146
5/23/01 at 5:43pm
Devotay.....Hi and you are absolutly right.

The Dear departed Louis Syzmanzky (spelling)who invented Beef Wellington and donated his entire cookbook collection to J&W went to Wash DC and lobbied for chefs to be categorized as professionals and he succeeded.That is a great testimony of the "image" of a Chef.With that said, I do believe that there are many Chefs out there that are busting there arse to elevate the image of what we all do, I am one of them and I know you are to. Just by looking at your wonderful website. I think what I meant by "image" in my previous post was directed to the "so called " world of chefs who only care about how good they look in Bragard...

cc
Baruch ben Rueven / Chanaבראד, ילד של ריימונד והאלאן
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post #18 of 146
5/23/01 at 7:15pm
Absolutely, cc.

The spelling you were searching for is "Szathmary", and here's a little-known tidbit for you. Chef Louis did donate a sizeable collection to J&W, but he donated portions of his collection elsewhere, as well, including the University of Virginia and right here at good ol' U. of Iowa. Under the marvelous curating powers of delightful and talented David Schoonover (I have to be nice to him so he'll let me see the books); The UI Szathmary collection has grown into the largest collection of antique and rare cookbooks in the world. Including roman manuscripts, handwritten Escoffier recipes, and much more. Really quite a treat to have such a reference right at hand.

Peace,
kmf
Peace,
kmf


Visit Edible Iowa River Valley"In the long view, no nation is healthier that its children, or more prosperous than its farmers." -President Harry Truman, at the signing of the School Lunch Act, 1946Join Slow Food HereJoin Gather.com here
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post #19 of 146
5/23/01 at 7:35pm
Thank you for the info Michael...
cc :)
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post #20 of 146
5/30/01 at 5:09am
Keller and Puck for their sense of play, both have kitchens that are chef friendly...overlooking gardens, open windows...I recall Puck years ago saying cooking should be play...no truer words hit my heart. Michael Fields, MFK Fisher for the organization and lateral cooking...
Julia Child and Pepin for letting us learn through mistakes...Soltner for raising the bar...
Alice Waters cus she just does what she believes in...and well.
cooking with all your senses.....
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post #21 of 146
5/30/01 at 6:35pm
Shroomgirl: Just curious, what do you mean by 'lateral cooking'?
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post #22 of 146
5/30/01 at 7:39pm
being able to substitute ingrediants or making volumes of one thing and altering it to make another flavored meal.
ie....making 2 pot roasts, one to eat as pot roast one to eat as shepard's pie.....
cooking with all your senses.....
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post #23 of 146
6/4/01 at 12:34pm
What ever happened to Jeremiah Towers curios english chef
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post #24 of 146
6/4/01 at 6:10pm
I think he lives in California.

The last time I saw him on TV was in a Julia Child series. Think it was in "Cooking with Masterchefs" around 1993.

Could he be writing a cookbook or running a restaurant?

:eek:

[ June 04, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
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post #25 of 146
6/6/01 at 10:25am
dave the mad baker,

Although I respect the certification procces of the ACF, I think it is more important for young chefs as well as seasoned pros to really understand what they are working with.

Many of the great Chefs/Pastry chefs who work in the USA are not certified and are amazing at what they do.Go down a list of the most accomplished chefs in the world,Girardet,bocuse,robuchon,Waters,Kamman,Ducas se,Bouly,boulud,ripert Just to name a few, Are not certified. Are they master chefs? In my eyes they are.Their is nothing wrong with striving to be the best you can,and for many the "Certificate" they recieve gives them a boost.I know alot of pastry chefs as well,Are they certified ? No,Are they incredile?Yes. I guess what i'm trying to say is you don't need to be a "CEC" or "CMC" or "CMPC" To be a "SGC" super good chef or a "SGPC" super good pastry chef.
cc
Baruch ben Rueven / Chanaבראד, ילד של ריימונד והאלאן
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post #26 of 146
6/6/01 at 12:56pm
Here Here.
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post #27 of 146
6/8/01 at 12:56pm
Gordon Ramsey is a "Superchef" in the UK but I don't know how well-known he is in America, despite his books:
  • A Chef for All Seasons published in September 2000; and
  • Passion for Seafood, published in January 2000

:rolleyes:
K

«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.»
Reply
post #28 of 146
6/10/01 at 1:05pm
Did anybody else see Wolfgang Puck licking his fingers while preparing pizza for customers--it was on the news recently--I don't know beans about great chefs, and I know even less about WP, but . . . :eek:
más vale tarde que nunca
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post #29 of 146
6/10/01 at 11:38pm
I'd have to say it is a chef local to me, Peter Metzger. He makes great food and is good for the image of the business. He's incredibly patient, loves to teach and loves to learn new things even more. It was all I could do to keep the tears from coming at the end of my stint working for him. He's the person that I call when I get stuck on a work-related problem and need a good, working answer (I'd call Brad, otherwise, but he's long-distance!)
Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus!
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post #30 of 146
6/11/01 at 12:52pm
Yes, Peter Metzger has quite a reputation in the Twin Cities. But is he as cute as my nephew?

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