Egotarian Cuisine - Alan Richman Complains About Chef-Centric Meals

[RJ Cooper]

I don't read Alan Richman, nor do I remember meeting him or even cooking for him in the past. I find him to be extremely biased based on public relation firms lobbing him for their clients which is not based on any real credibility on food, dining or the crafts.

What I do find extremely insulting and even more on point, it this article on egotarian cuisine .

Im not a scholar, nor can I write a paper on methodology however I do know the craft of cooking.

When I stand at the center island of Rogue 24 I cook with my teams to create an experience. This is not out of ego, its out of the passion for the craft. I would not have been able to do this at 27 I did not have the skill set nor the maturity or what is most important the experience of mastering the craft to create what we do.

However calling what I do egotarian cuisine slaps my face when I spend 80 to 100 hours a week, creating the experience. Unlike the "master chef" down the street, I am there everyday.

When I started this lifestyle of a cook, there was a path that was carved out of tradition from the Careme days. From the commis de cuisine to the chef de cuisine, there was a time when a chef, the leader was a grumpy man with a starch white jacket. This was the prize after your reached the end of the long path of learning. You worked hard to achieve the next level. You sacrificed for the craft not for the media attention.

Is what he did to change the organization and the methods of cooking egotistical? Big grandiose banquets that would last for days? To have the guest call out for him on a regular bases and shower him with champagne and praises.

We work and sacrifice for the craft. I and others whom create these kind of experiences out of our years of learning are not looking for the praise as the chefs whom kick start their careers on prime time.

We work on:

sourcing

balance

flavors

creation

And to try and build the perfect and elusive dish.

[Bart]

Is there a back story to this?  I'm confused.

But anyway, are you familiar with the Anthony Bourdain book with the chapter titled "Alan Richman is a Douchebag"?

[DonRocks]

Is there a back story to this?  I'm confused.

But anyway, are you familiar with the Anthony Bourdain book with the chapter titled "Alan Richman is a Douchebag"?

I understand what RJ is saying - in his restaurant, the diner doesn't really "order" off a menu, and therein lies the difference.

When I go to see a movie, or a play, or a concert, I don't order up my program; I take whatever is served to me.

I'm glad we have both types of restaurant to choose from.

"Chef would like to go off-menu for you this evening if you're interested."

Would that invitation bother anyone, and if not, what's the difference?

"Omakase."

[porcupine]

Is there a back story to this? 

Presumably this.

[Bart]

Thanks porcupine!

From the article:

What bothers me most is that almost every aspect of this new style of cooking, from its conceptualization to its preparation to its presentation, is about coddling the chef, not the customer. The job of the customer is to eat what's placed before him, and then applaud.

Personally, I like this "new style" of cooking.  I like not having to make any choices and letting the chef serve whatever they think is best.  And I like small plates because instead of trying one or two dishes/flavors/tastes all night long, I now get to have 5 or 6 (or 24).

I might get annoyed with it if every single meal I ate was that way, but I'm lucky to go out to dinner once a month and when I do, I'm happy to give total control of the evening to the chef.

The line I cut and pasted above would sound downright bizarre if you switched the word "cooking" to "music" and switched the word "chef" to "musician".  Would he make the same complaint about the new Rolling Stones album?  "This album just coddles Mick and Keith, and not me, the listener"

[Waitman]

Personally, I like this "new style" of cooking.  I like not having to make any choices and letting the chef serve whatever they think is best.  And I like small plates because instead of trying one or two dishes/flavors/tastes all night long, I now get to have 5 or 6 (or 24).

I might get annoyed with it if every single meal I ate was that way, but I'm lucky to go out to dinner once a month and when I do, I'm happy to give total control of the evening to the chef.

The line I cut and pasted above would sound downright bizarre if you switched the word "cooking" to "music" and switched the word "chef" to "musician".  Would he make the same complaint about the new Rolling Stones album?  "This album just coddles Mick and Keith, and not me, the listener"

In fact, "self-indulgent" is absolutely standard critical shorthand for music produced by acts perceived to be a little more awed by their own genius than their genius perhaps merits.  (Others shorthand dismissals include "derivative," "overproduced," "pretentious," and "sellout").

BTW, Mick and Keith are Steak-frites sort of combo and hence less likely to be accused of such sins, despite Mick's notable ego.

I like Richman.  I think he writes with affection and humor and a certain zest for taking at sacred cows as though they were paper mache pinatas.  His take on the Ferry Building Market in San Francisco is one of the most delightful bits of critical food writing I have ever read -- an agrodolce that finds the obvious humor in the Portlandia-style pretense and Beverly Hills pricing of the market, with a deep appreciation of the foods to be found there.  Some will never forgive him for his New Orleans article, though he has done partial penance for that. I thought it was ill-timed, but it was, at least, honest.

This article, too, despite the somewhat inflammatory title is certainly balanced -- there is as much praise as criticism -- and seemingly well-researched.  More to the point, it's on point.  Though, possibly, late.  Long before any of the eateries mentioned in the article (or places like Rogue and Rose's Luxury opened in DC), the cult of chefdom has been building to the point where today it seems that failure to connect between diner and dish is inevitably thought of as the fault of the diner, whose palate has not evolved sufficiently the groundbreaking genius of the chef.  (To be clear, I have not felt this in either Rogue or Rose's).

I love putting myself in the chef's hands.  But, as always, there is a fine line between clever and stupid, and mistakes are made. And there are, as Richman points out, are chefs out there who simply lack the skills or experience to to fly without maps and charts and who should be more mindful -- as all chefs should be --  that the ultimate goal is to please the diner, not themselves.  Another fine line -- between challenging the diner and ignoring him or her.

And just once, I'd like to hear of some chef saying to a customer about some unfortunate concoction:  "You're right, it's not you, it's us.   We like to push the envelope but sometimes -- in cooking as in life -- the experiment just melts down into an unfortunate mess."

[zoramargolis]

Alan Richman takes Eric Ripert to Costco and then cooks lunch.