Chemist, Biologist, Architect, Historian
Posted on February 9, 2009, under Uncategorized.
Michael Laiskonis, executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin, writes eloquently about the many dimensions of being a chef:
It seems we wear many hats as chefs; we’re chemists and biologists, we’re architects and historians. And there’s the art/craft aspect, too. I am (or at least used to be) a huge film buff, and one alternate dream career for me would involve directing. It hit me the other day how there’s a parallel between making a film and the running of a restaurant: the creation of and immersion into a mood, an atmosphere, a narrative arc. And it’s all a game of chance, as no matter how much of what we do is for ourselves as cooks, we’re really trying to anticipate what will make a lot of different people happy. Our clients come to the restaurant for much more than mere sustenance; perhaps we sometimes wear the hat of psychologist, too.
Tags: architecture, biology, chemistry, history