Eric Ripert (file under inspiration)

I have always been fond of Eric Ripert. At least since I first heard of him (obviously). He is one of those hard to define people that seem to have a great head on his shoulders. Based on the joy that I got from “On the Line,” I went to the Toronto Public Library and ordered some more books. One that I received this week is called “A Return to Cooking,” and is coauthored by Michael Ruhlman. Ah Ruhlman. He seems to keep popping up in my studies as well.

This book is about Chef Ripert reengaging his inner cook. It is about the beauty of art and its many forms and about exploring what you have inside of you that drives you.

A few of the quotes, which really have jumped into my mind, are;

“When you cook – When you really cook – you pay attention to your past. When you cook, you welcome ghosts and honour them.”

“Chef denoted job. But when you are a cook it is who you are.”

“You may have ten thousand cookbooks and all the knowledge but it will only be theory.” He said this with respect to technique that can only be learned by doing.

“A cook is an instrument of nature.” I love this quote because I do believe that it is absolutely true. Some cooks want to overpower the ingredients that they use. Over think them. And as such spoil the inherent goodness. This quote speaks to the inherent goodness of ingredients and the need of the cook to embrace nature and let it be his or her guide.

“I learned technique from Robuchon. But Jean Louis (Palladin) (http://www.jlpfoundation.org/about.asp )is my taste and spirit.

I think that one of the reasons that I really admire Chef Ripert is that when he started his journey at one of the best restaurants in the world, Tour d’Argent (http://www.tourdargent.com ), he was absolutely clueless. There is an old story about how when he joined there he was asked to make a thirty egg hollandaise and that he retorted that this was too many eggs. So he was then told to go and pick Chervil and he had no idea what Chervil was. Since that time he has gone on to become one of the most accomplished Chefs in the world. I look at his example and think to myself; “Well, I may not be the greatest Chef ever, but I sure as hell can be the best cook.” After all that is what I am, a cook, it is what I have been my whole life and I just didn’t have the courage or the strength to listen to what was burning inside of me all along. Up until last year. And now I look at what I’ve seen and experienced in a whole new light. Allowing it to service rather than hinder my dreams.

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM