The guy thing

[Lesley C]

Hi Russ,

Thanks for taking the time to answer all these great questions.

In the wonderful world of food writers the men are greatly outnumbered by the ladies. Was it ever awkward when you started out? Do you find food writers get pigeon-holed into writing stories by gender: barbecue and wine for men, shopping and 30-minute meals for woman? Do you feel you approach stories differently as a male food writer? For instance, could you have written the kind of tough review of Sandra Lee's book as did Amanda Hesser, or would you have to tone it down because you're a man?

Also, are you familiar with the work of the French food chemist Hervé This?

Thanks

[russ parsons]

Hiya Lesley, I've admired your posts on pastry and baking (something I find constitutionally impossible ... I'm not sure that's a guy thing or not).

That's an interesting question. I'm sure that in the end, just like anything else, there are pluses and minuses. For one thing, when I go to conferences, I never have to wait in line at the bathroom. (One time Bruce Aidells and I were standing around BSing at a cocktail party and he said: "Look at all these women and we're the only straight men in the room." I acted shocked: "You're straight?" Maybe you have to know Bruce to appreciate it ... hard-core Fab Five material there).

I have made a lot of friends in food, and many of them are women, but I do think that in a lot of occasions there's a kind of barrier that goes up. Girls talk to girls about things they won't talk to boys about, etc.

As far as feeling typecast, I've made it my business not to be. When I write about cooking in my personal life, I try to be as honest as I can be. I'm not a stereotypical guy (though I was a sportswriter), not that there is such a thing as a stereotypical guy, come to think about it.

I do think one big advantage in being a male food writer ... or a male cook, period ... is that I don't carry with me a lot of the baggage that I think a lot of women do. Whether my dish turns out or not doesn't reflect on my gender-specific assumed abilities. I don't have to worry about whether my mom could have done it better (bad example: she was a wonderful woman but a truly horrible cook). I think this has made me freer to have fun with cooking and maybe to express that fun. Don't get me started about working on my own car, though.

[Lesley C]

I have met Bruce Aidells (he was in Montreal a couple times this year) and his pretty wife Nancy, so yes that is very funny. He's about as straight as they come (he would make a great candidate for an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy! )

Funny about the male chef observation. Every French chef I know seems to go on and on about his mother's cooking, especially baking. Doesn't Michel Richard? Yet perhaps they don't seem obliged to carry on the traditions the same way the daughters do.

Anyway, I think male food writers are the wave of the future. I know more men my age (36) interested in cooking than women. The young women I know are either intense foodies, or embarrassed to be seen near a kitchen. Those chicks on Sex and the City make it very clear cooking is the last thing on their mind.

[russ parsons]

Funny about the male chef observation. Every French chef I know seems to go on and on about his mother's cooking, especially baking.    Doesn't Michel Richard? Yet perhaps they don't seem obliged to carry on the traditions the same way the daughters do.

Funny thing, that. I remember the first time I had Michel over to my house for dinner. I did some kind of beef daubey thing that I thought was pretty awful. Too liquidy, beef didn't get tender enough, the clove was way too strong (this was a long time ago). Michel just gobbled it down. "This tastes just like my mother's cooking," he said. And after all the meals we've shared and as often as I've cooked for him, he still brings that up as his favorite dish. Nostalgia is especially powerful for French chefs, I think.

I also remember the first time his mom came over to visit from France. You have to understand that he comes from a very working class background. And his mom was the worker. She didn't have much time for cooking or dining. He was really nervous so the first night he asked Kathy and I to come to dinner at Citrus to provide moral support. Of course, we were happy to oblige. He put us at the table next to her and after a couple of courses, when she had gotten comfortable, he came over to introduce us .... "my friend Russ Parsons, the grande writerrrr" (I can't write a Michel imitation). I put my arm around him, went on and on about what a great chef he was and how successful he was and how proud she must be of him. He translated. Finally, I asked "and how are you enjoying your meal?" She lit up and started rattling off in French. Michel's face turned ash gray. What did she say? I asked him. He wouldn't tell me. Come on, you've got to tell me. He looked at me and said "she said the food was just as good as on the airplane coming over."

[it must be said, that was her first airplane flight]

[Lesley C]

Those French boys sure love their mothers.

I went to visit a friend in LA when I was a young (and rather poor) pastry chef in the early nineties. I insisted we blow all our money and dine out every night. Citrus was my favourite restaurant. I have never tasted puff pastry like that since, and I remember he made these wonderful pommes allumettes in a loaf shape. It was all so simple and perfect.

I went to LA enamored with Nancy Silverton, but I left raving about Michel Richard.

Great, great chef. Wish we saw more of him.

[russ parsons]

me too. my wife and i went back for his 55th birthday party in washington last year (hi mark!) and i realized again how much i miss him. and his food, of course.