Ruhlman Chimes in

Michael Ruhlman has added in his two cents on the food art debate, standing by his stance that "I feel the need to say it again: food is not art, and chefs are not artists".

"Cooking is a craft that can be raised to artful levels, but a craft only and always."

Though this statement seems rather pessimistic to me, even as much of a lover of food as we know him to truely be (The man has eaten things I can only dream of) Im left to wonder why this point of view from someone so looked to as a "foodie guru".

Not without a good amount of words to back up his claim on how he sees the world of food in relation to art, he stands firmly by his thoughts when some of us, if not most of us, are trying to find where we can squeeze food into the "Art" world.

The post includes a excert from "Reach of a Chef" (Which Im sad to say I have yet a chance to read... if I could squeeze a couple more dollars out of my account maybe Ill get a copy soon) in which he talks about Masayoshi Takayama Chef/Owner of Masa.

He describes Masa as an artist, and by all accounts rightfuly so. Recieving 4 stars from the NY Times, among other amazing reviews, the restaurant has become a sort of Mecca for sushi/sashimi lovers the world over.

Ruhlman spares no details about Masa's work, giving you a sense of sitting right there at the table watching the man work. Silently and perfectly going about everything he does like some kind of food brain surgeon.

It leaves me wondering if I even want to call food "Art" lest I spoil the beauty of what happens at places like Masa. The simplicity and attention to detail alone make it a almost holy land of food.

So regardless if you consider it art or not, you must bow and accept this as beauty.

Now, if only medical science would hurry up and find a cure for shellfish allergies Id save my 400$ and be there in no time.