I learned so many things speaking to Alain Passard. Or just listening to him. Like when his eyes twinkle and his body comes alive telling me about feeling creativity in the air.
You feel it with him. That is one most amazing interview I have been blessed enough to experience. Writing about it now makes my cells jump with joy. Its the best thing I can give to my body. Chefs, passion, feelings like these heal me.
Like when he tells me, he’s achieved all this with his hands and fingers and these are the most precious to him—How many things have we given thanks to ourselves? our body?
Like when he says, “: “The only thing left to do when you are afraid to take risks is nothing.” When I asked if it was too risky a move to take away dishes which won him stars.
Like when he tells me, 20 years later he is still trying to make sense of the decision he made 20 years ago. And this version above, he clapped for the interview he had. And said, this is the best interview he has had.
And it’s exactly what I m doing, cross pollinating ideas, creating smthg unique for this new platform I m working on.
Crossovers, deriving freshness from another world and using it to support or arrive at a new perspective .
To get a new eye.
Was writing my story on Pierre Herme, and he has this to say:
“As soon as I received this invitation, I was happy – I always strive to create a global sensory experience that touches upon all five senses and so this gala dinner is a great opportunity! The challenge that interests me is making something exceptional – I have created a special dessert for this occasion, but that is all I can say for now!”
It was as if the universe gave a nod. No one told me how good this is. No one (can/ever will) appreciate this as much as I do.
Grant Achatz (born April 25, 1974) is an American chef and restaurateur often identified as one of the leaders in molecular gastronomy or progressive cuisine.
This is one of the most beautiful interpretations of life and its meaning.
Caught this on Netflix, Chef’s Table, and the way Alex Atala said it, its simply beautiful.
“What is the meaning of life?
One night I had a dream
I was walking in the street like a kid who has the hands of the father and mother, someone bigger guiding you
And I was asking this big person, “what is the meaning of life “
He showed me circles , circles of life, and then he showed me a flower.
why?
A plant has a circle. A seed becomes a plant that has a flower, transforms into a fruit. The fruit drops. There’s another seed, it grows again, this is another circle.
I see and understand but Why u show me the flower
The flower is the moment that we live
The most beautiful moment of the circle
The most beautiful moment
Contemplate this.”
Some other beautiful quotes fr him.
Behind every dish there is death and people only close their own eyes to it.
but if caviar is fancy and tucupi is not fancy ,its just because someone told me. there’s a cultural interpretation of flavours
Theres a Brazilian chef called Roberta Subrack, She used to say something that i love
Our mise en place doesn’t start in the kitchen
it starts on the farm, in nature.
Living in Brazil is my reality, my soul my truth.
I love it! I remember writing about alex atala a few years back, we did an email interview. and now, i really hope to see him and speak to him in person!
He says that to cook with fire, one must have a feminine side, to understand the fragility of the meats.
But above this mastery over fire, its his mastery over his life that is so awe inspiring.
He is unbounded by constraints of any sort. He is boundless, but because he has family, he is torn between the two. There is just one time in the documentary that he cannot himself, talking about his family, and perhaps is regretful or sorry, that he has chosen himself over his family.
But that’s mastery too.
Love all the quotes he gave in the documentary, so wise, so deep, so alluring.
In order to grow, you have to be there, at the edge of uncertainty.
All those things made me dream
That there was a free world somewhere
So my big draw in life since very young was freedom
The freedom of believing only in myself
And not letting myself being led by anybody
I wanted to be my own
I wanted to do whatever I wanted.
I m always cooking in the wild
My message is, Get out of chair , sofa , office . go out
When u cook with fire it’s like making love
It could be huge
You have to respect what you cook
There needs to b a festive feeling about the hard work we r doing
I was very stubborn about my freedom
There’s nothing more sad than an overcooked fish
They r v inspiring romantic
They made me breathe they make me tremble
They make me live
I seldom invite people to lunch or dinner
They are really chosen
I cant spend Time with people that I don’t enjoy
I can’t do it anymore as theater
I make choices
And that’s the beautiful thing about growing up
Learning to say no
In a nice way but you say no
I said the truth
Growing up has a bit to do with that
To be able to tell the truth
To show who you are
Even if it hurts
every person that works with you
You have to let him go at the best moment
When he and you are at the happiest moment
Then he and you think you are doing your best
They have to go
Because from there on, there is only one way which is down
You are young you have a master you want to emulate him
For Grace is a fantastic documentary showcasing 3 star chef Curtis Duffy of restaurant Grace in Chicago.
He had this tattoo on his left arm which goes,”Grace is the beauty of form under the influence of freedom.”
In the film, he lets in on the most difficult parts of his life and I m so inspired.
I want to make a film like this. Like Kevin Pang, a journalist turned filmmaker for this film. I want to write like Pang and I think I m already writing like that, although it’s in another language.
When I see how Duffy is now, it really just dawns upon me how sadness makes happiness. How happiness is built on a wound, of pain.
It seemed the more pain, the more beautiful you will turn out to be.
Beauty came from a depth of injury. There can be no other way .
