A quote from The French Laundry
"Staff meal was first about the fundamentals of cooking and how to work with by-products, using scrapsto make something tasty, eye-appealing, and satisfying. But the message underlying was "Can you be passionate about cooking at this level?" staff meal. Only the staff sees it. If you can make great food for these people, create that habit, have that drive, that sincerity, and keep that with you and take it to another level in the staff meal, then someday you'll be a great chef. Maybe"
First Course "Importance of Staff Meal" pg. 115
There are a few things Id like to touch on about this quote. I was talking with a classmate today after class. She was very frustrated with culinary school in general and when I asked to detail what it was that was bothering her, her response was:
"It’s the mentality of the business, everyone just cares about themselves. I want to, I don’t know, help people. That and its all about food, just food."
This brings up a really interesting aspect of the food industry as a whole. I think the best analogy I have ever heard in reference to the industry was:
"You know Little Shop of Horrors right? Well you know how at first Seymour just has to feed the plant blood from his finger, then cuts of raw meat, then whole people? Yeah, Plant=Food Industry. It’ll eat you alive; eat your whole life alive, if you let it."
I’ve found this to be so very true, but not without exception. The key to this quote and the quote from Thomas Keller are almost one in the same, in premise. "If you let it"/"..Keep that with you and take it to another level..", both of these have an underlying principle about the food industry and cooking all together.
If you have a vision, a dream of what you want to do you can’t let the work stand in your way. You can let the work bend you, or you can bend the work. But to bend the work it takes work. It takes sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears. Those are the cost of dreams.
Keller makes an excellent point about family meal. It’s the most basic meal in the kitchen and you can either throw things together in a pot-luck sort of manner or you can give a damn and try. You can apply knowledge and skill and make something you can be proud of, something you would be proud to serve to your fellow foodies.
Think of it this way, if your parents or your spouse were to walk into your restaurant wouldn’t you want to go the extra mile for them to show them your skill? Same should apply to family meal, hell, even more then family meal it should apply to everything you do in the kitchen.
The biggest obstacle to this? Laziness. I would bet all $2.85 in my bank account that that’s the case.
Doing things to a point of "excellence" is hard work. No matter what field you’re in, you have to work hard and have people under you work just as hard to reach that point. Once your there you run the risk of getting "burnt out" quickly. It takes effort, time, and energy to maintain it.
But we are reminded by Keller that if we can maintain and strive for that point of excellence in even the simplest of things, we can surely maintain it in the greatest of things. The only thing holding us back is ourselves, we are our greatest obstacle.
So my response to my classmate:
"You could give up and quit, even though you’re not happy. But you have to look at every aspect, look at the small detail. Will you be happy in 5 years with your choice? Will you regret what you’ve done? You have to do what makes you happy, but sometimes what makes you happy isn’t what you need. Do what you feel you need to do, just remember the devil is in the details. Think about your choice long and hard before you make it, and make the one that suits you the best.
Be aware though, that no matter the choice there will be sacrifice. The sacrifice may be small or large depending on the choice you make and what you value. Sacrifice personal happiness now for a degree that may open doors to do something you really love? or leave now and search for that thing to do, sacrifice being the loss of a degree that might have or have not helped. Really it comes down to how you feel, but don’t think the whole industry is like what you’ve experienced so far, there are some out there that feel the same way you do, I’m sure of that. You just have to find each other."
She didn’t come to nutrition class, but I hope to see her on Monday in class. To come this far and not finish would be a shame in my opinion. No matter what she does, I hope she finds what she’s looking for.
..Then someday you'll be happy. Maybe.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
A good Video
Was poking around on Youtube.com and found this video. Its all about GMO's (Geneticly Modified Food). Heres a few clips.
The Future of Food
Part I
Part II
Part III
For more info check out http://thefutureoffood.com/
The Future of Food
Part I
Part II
Part III
For more info check out http://thefutureoffood.com/
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.
"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.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Humble Pie You Say?
Ill have a slice please!
So far to date, and much to my surprise, the votes have Picture C as the leading example of "Food Art", with Picture A a close second.
What I have realized, through discussion, debate, and research is that what we perceive as art is heavily based on "Opinion". Also the whole idea of "Intent" was just recently brought to my attention, an idea that leads to a whole series of other debates and questions. But let’s look at what I know now...
A) Art in a general sense is considered so by the opinion and the agreement of the Majority.
B) Food itself can be art, as suggested by paintings depicting Breads, Fruits, and Vegetables. The focus of the painting being these items and nothing else, suggesting the artist saw these items as beautiful by themselves.
C) The idea of food being art is a growing opinion in this country. Allowing chefs to become freer to experiment with plate presentation.
The debate of "What is art?" is nothing new, and it may never truly be answered. Mainly due to the fact that there is no REAL answer to that question. Its opinion, art is opinion in its most simple form. Some see Piss Christ as art, while others see it as Heresy, Some see the Mona Lisa as a timeless classic, while others see her as "That one chick" (Actual quote I kid you not).
But it’s the majority opinion that allows us to socially except something as "Art". It’s the masses that decide beauty in creative form and the masses are beginning to see the beauty in food.
So, the question that remains today, for me at least, is this:
Why, if the majority sees food as art, does the art community still consider food "Not Art"? What would it take for them to see otherwise?
This of course is a gross generalization based of articles I’ve read and stories I’ve heard, the loud voices of a few speaking for a whole community is never a good thing. But it’s the loud voices that form public opinion, and right now Id have to say public opinion matches my question.
****side note***
I am still awaiting a response from both Harvard and Yale Visual Arts Departments as to their official stance on what "Art is" and if they consider food art/food to be art. I’m really interested to see what comes back and Ill share with you the second I hear.
So far to date, and much to my surprise, the votes have Picture C as the leading example of "Food Art", with Picture A a close second.
What I have realized, through discussion, debate, and research is that what we perceive as art is heavily based on "Opinion". Also the whole idea of "Intent" was just recently brought to my attention, an idea that leads to a whole series of other debates and questions. But let’s look at what I know now...
A) Art in a general sense is considered so by the opinion and the agreement of the Majority.
B) Food itself can be art, as suggested by paintings depicting Breads, Fruits, and Vegetables. The focus of the painting being these items and nothing else, suggesting the artist saw these items as beautiful by themselves.
C) The idea of food being art is a growing opinion in this country. Allowing chefs to become freer to experiment with plate presentation.
The debate of "What is art?" is nothing new, and it may never truly be answered. Mainly due to the fact that there is no REAL answer to that question. Its opinion, art is opinion in its most simple form. Some see Piss Christ as art, while others see it as Heresy, Some see the Mona Lisa as a timeless classic, while others see her as "That one chick" (Actual quote I kid you not).
But it’s the majority opinion that allows us to socially except something as "Art". It’s the masses that decide beauty in creative form and the masses are beginning to see the beauty in food.
So, the question that remains today, for me at least, is this:
Why, if the majority sees food as art, does the art community still consider food "Not Art"? What would it take for them to see otherwise?
This of course is a gross generalization based of articles I’ve read and stories I’ve heard, the loud voices of a few speaking for a whole community is never a good thing. But it’s the loud voices that form public opinion, and right now Id have to say public opinion matches my question.
****side note***
I am still awaiting a response from both Harvard and Yale Visual Arts Departments as to their official stance on what "Art is" and if they consider food art/food to be art. I’m really interested to see what comes back and Ill share with you the second I hear.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
The Debate Gets Heated
After talking and debating the idea of food art and what makes it so/not so a little more I realized something.
What determines what we perceve as art is different per person, but a majority have like ideas and thoughts about "art" in general.
Now in one debate it was mentioned about using ketchup to paint a picture. I remembered some time ago seeing a Youtube video of this EXACT thing, and apperantly it was so popular the artist ended up on CNN.
So here adds another avenue of debate...
Lets continue..
What determines what we perceve as art is different per person, but a majority have like ideas and thoughts about "art" in general.
Now in one debate it was mentioned about using ketchup to paint a picture. I remembered some time ago seeing a Youtube video of this EXACT thing, and apperantly it was so popular the artist ended up on CNN.
So here adds another avenue of debate...
Lets continue..
Monday, June 4, 2007
Catching Up
Still have some work ahead of me here, but I spent some time today catching up on some of my favorite blogs.
One group of posts by Bob Del Grosso in particular really caught my attention and got me thinking. Basicly to sum it up the repeated theme was "Art/Food Art" and discussions arose at to what one would consider art in relation to food.
Ive always had a strong stance that Food in general, when cooked well and prepared neatly and beautifuly can be "Art", while macaroni pictures and artists who use peanut butter and jelly on a canvas are not in any way "Art".
After a short discussion with my roommate I came to realize that in some ways Im a hypocrite when it comes to what I percieve as food art and what I percieve as "art".
So, lets clarify.
Art is defined as (in part):
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
With that in mind any number of things, even *cringe* PBJ canvas painting, can be considered "Art". Now remove the uppidy societicrites(I totaly just made that word up) who will tell you that art must "not be afraid to scare or upset its viewer" or tell in general what "makes" art and what doesnt and lets look at the general picture of Food in relation to Art.
I have a poll placed on the right hand of this blog. Please take a look at the following 4 pictures and you tell me which you would consider to be "Food Art" if we define food art as followed:
Food Art- the creation of a piece to be considred which base medium is food in which adhears to the (above) definition of "Art".
So here are your choices:
Example A: Croquette Potato as served at Alinea
Example B: Pomegranite photo (Example of Food Photography)
Example C: I Cake Marti Guixe design artist. Cake is made as a pie chart to show the amount of cake ingredients.
Example D: Random Google Photo.. dont ask me what the heck it is!
So take a minute, Vote and Ill post the results in a few days to see what we all think makes up "Food Art."
Good Eating!
One group of posts by Bob Del Grosso in particular really caught my attention and got me thinking. Basicly to sum it up the repeated theme was "Art/Food Art" and discussions arose at to what one would consider art in relation to food.
Ive always had a strong stance that Food in general, when cooked well and prepared neatly and beautifuly can be "Art", while macaroni pictures and artists who use peanut butter and jelly on a canvas are not in any way "Art".
After a short discussion with my roommate I came to realize that in some ways Im a hypocrite when it comes to what I percieve as food art and what I percieve as "art".
So, lets clarify.
Art is defined as (in part):
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
With that in mind any number of things, even *cringe* PBJ canvas painting, can be considered "Art". Now remove the uppidy societicrites(I totaly just made that word up) who will tell you that art must "not be afraid to scare or upset its viewer" or tell in general what "makes" art and what doesnt and lets look at the general picture of Food in relation to Art.
I have a poll placed on the right hand of this blog. Please take a look at the following 4 pictures and you tell me which you would consider to be "Food Art" if we define food art as followed:
Food Art- the creation of a piece to be considred which base medium is food in which adhears to the (above) definition of "Art".
So here are your choices:
Example A: Croquette Potato as served at Alinea
Example B: Pomegranite photo (Example of Food Photography)
Example C: I Cake Marti Guixe design artist. Cake is made as a pie chart to show the amount of cake ingredients.
Example D: Random Google Photo.. dont ask me what the heck it is!
So take a minute, Vote and Ill post the results in a few days to see what we all think makes up "Food Art."
Good Eating!
Friday, June 1, 2007
The Cost of a Dream
Now that the first few days of classes are done and the weekend has come I thought Id get a real post done and out of the way.
I want to touch back for a second on a previous post about the current state of Culinary students and their loan situations by Kim Severson. I posted my feelings about the article previously but a series of events that took place upon my return to school leads me to touch on it in a little more, personal detail.
During my externship (A required part of the education here at the CIA) I filed my FAFSA and waited patiently to see what kind of Federal Aid I could be award to assist with the final cost of the 7.5 more months left till the end of my AOS. I heard back from the finacial aid department at school and was under the assumption(Theres that word!) that my federal aid was actually over the amount required and I was all set.
I called twice after to ensure that there were no costs that were being missed, I wass assured that all was right with the world.
Fast forward a few months to day 2 of re-orientation. Im standing in the bursars office at 8 am waiting to get my pink slip filled in so I could go about classes the next day. I approach the window, say goodmorning to which is replied..
"Welcome back! ok, thatll be 6,626$ please..."
The look on my face must have been something like me witnessing this womens head spliting open and leprichans doing a tap dance out of the empty shell because she almost lurched back in her chair when she looked up from the computer screen.
After talking with the bursars office it turns out I do not owe the school 6 grand..
No, I owe them 12 grand.
How on earth does this happen? I thought to myself.
Well turns out the finacial aid office does not have the data for on campus boarding. Which brings me to where I stand now.
With a month reprieve from the bursars office (on a 2 grand goodfaith deposit) I have to come up with 12 grand by July 1st, or Im out on my.. well you get the idea.
Now this brings me directly to my current status and my rant. Ready? cause here I go.
As a student who is planning on finishing his degree and attempting to use his education to improve his life how is it that my tiny little dream should cost me roughly 50,000 US Dollars to obtain?
And I have it kind of easy. Foriegn students are paying close to 65,000 right now for an AOS.
College has always been, and probably always will be, one of the most expensive endevors one will ever undertake in their life. Of that I am sure and well aware, but what I dont understand is for as much as is paid for this education youd think we could at least know before were standing in a corner how much is due.
I must have called the Finacial aid office a hundred times before returning, mostly out of fear that I was missing something. Had that office and the bursars/resident life/whoever communicated effectivly what was still due on my account I would have been able to secure a loan in the time I had.
Instead I am now scrambling to secure a loan in t minus 30 days and counting.
So, Whats the cost of a dream?
Stress and frustration would have to be my answer at the moment.
I want to touch back for a second on a previous post about the current state of Culinary students and their loan situations by Kim Severson. I posted my feelings about the article previously but a series of events that took place upon my return to school leads me to touch on it in a little more, personal detail.
During my externship (A required part of the education here at the CIA) I filed my FAFSA and waited patiently to see what kind of Federal Aid I could be award to assist with the final cost of the 7.5 more months left till the end of my AOS. I heard back from the finacial aid department at school and was under the assumption(Theres that word!) that my federal aid was actually over the amount required and I was all set.
I called twice after to ensure that there were no costs that were being missed, I wass assured that all was right with the world.
Fast forward a few months to day 2 of re-orientation. Im standing in the bursars office at 8 am waiting to get my pink slip filled in so I could go about classes the next day. I approach the window, say goodmorning to which is replied..
"Welcome back! ok, thatll be 6,626$ please..."
The look on my face must have been something like me witnessing this womens head spliting open and leprichans doing a tap dance out of the empty shell because she almost lurched back in her chair when she looked up from the computer screen.
After talking with the bursars office it turns out I do not owe the school 6 grand..
No, I owe them 12 grand.
How on earth does this happen? I thought to myself.
Well turns out the finacial aid office does not have the data for on campus boarding. Which brings me to where I stand now.
With a month reprieve from the bursars office (on a 2 grand goodfaith deposit) I have to come up with 12 grand by July 1st, or Im out on my.. well you get the idea.
Now this brings me directly to my current status and my rant. Ready? cause here I go.
As a student who is planning on finishing his degree and attempting to use his education to improve his life how is it that my tiny little dream should cost me roughly 50,000 US Dollars to obtain?
And I have it kind of easy. Foriegn students are paying close to 65,000 right now for an AOS.
College has always been, and probably always will be, one of the most expensive endevors one will ever undertake in their life. Of that I am sure and well aware, but what I dont understand is for as much as is paid for this education youd think we could at least know before were standing in a corner how much is due.
I must have called the Finacial aid office a hundred times before returning, mostly out of fear that I was missing something. Had that office and the bursars/resident life/whoever communicated effectivly what was still due on my account I would have been able to secure a loan in the time I had.
Instead I am now scrambling to secure a loan in t minus 30 days and counting.
So, Whats the cost of a dream?
Stress and frustration would have to be my answer at the moment.
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