Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Great Chefs/Tuna from a Can


I know better than almost anyone how spoiled I have been in my life. Which at least, takes out the "brat factor." Spoiled, yes. Brat, never. Given my interest in food, I have no doubt that my favorite part of being spoiled is the unbelievable food that I have had the opportunity to eat. From 4 star restaurants to homemade dinners in Italy every meal has been a journey, a story to tell and analyze.

In the words of my beloved Carrie Bradshaw, I couldn't help but wonder...what is it that defines a good chef from a great chef? I mean its easy to tell apart someone who knows how to make mediocre food from exquisite food, but really when you start to think about la creme de la creme. I don't know if I think it's fair to say that one is better than another. Lets look at David Chang and Daniel Boulud, why is it that Boulud gets 4 NYT stars, but Chang only 3? For me, Chang's food is more star-worthy than Boulud's. I guess, I just want food, nothing fussy, nothing over the top, dishes where the ingredients are showcased in their ideal forms, and at the end of it all, it just tastes good.

Based on that, today, I was a great chef. A can of italian tuna in olive oil, a few cracks of black pepper, a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar. And a fork of course. Let me tell you, when you can get your hands on the best ingredients, it doesn't take much to be a great chef. Not that I would be able to serve this to guests of course, even though I would kind of like to...

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