In a recent interview by Claire Sibonney from Reuters, Daniel Boulud (Daniel, Bar Boulud, etc) reflects on his life in the kitchen of some of the most famous and popular restaurants he has owned. He goes on to talk about certain food fads that he hates to love as well as what some of the latest ingredients he is playing with. All this is great fun, but there is one amazing quote from this interview that sets it apart from any other I have read.
Q: What do you say about the backlash against foodies and the self-indulgence they stand for?
A: "I think in France for example, we can say whatever we want about the French, but going out and dining is more about the intellectual moment to share with the people you dine with than trying to figure out what the chef did with that little piece of salmon or lobster and all that. It's more about the conversations, it's more about the privilege to share a moment with your friends and not be so obsessed with everything going into the plate and around it ... I think luxury and pampering and refinement and rarity in what you have stimulate your intellect. I take so much pleasure at seeing customers who are happy, happy with what they eat but happy with their friends and sharing a great moment together and I think that is more important in life than the endless pursuit of perfection."
It seems as if the questions was based off the recent uproar on an article from The Atlantic, "The Moral Crusade Against Foodies" however his answer was so on cue. A rare response from such a high end and respected chef. This is one of the reasons why we do what we do at Worth Kitchen. The food is just a means to create this intellectual and social stimulation. Trust me, the food is very important to us, and we push ourselves to deliver on quality and flavors that are expected (and hopefully unexpected as well), but by no means is the food the front and center of what we do. As he says:
"I take so much pleasure at seeing customers who are happy, happy with what they eat but happy with their friends and sharing a great moment together and I think that is more important in life than the endless pursuit of perfection"
Thank you Daniel for putting in words our very own manifesto!
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