kiwichef

Great to see genuine appreciation and respect for the dishhand busting his ass day in day out... they garner more respect from me than a suit clad GM ever would.

Guys like that tend to have a sixth sense about those things, knowing that if they just lay low for a while, they will be more than welcome to come back when the storm blows over. I really like your story, Mike. It reminds me, more than anything else, of a man with whom I work right now. The restaurant where I work has been open since 1978, built from bricks of the theatre where "Gone With The Wind" was first shown, after that theatre burned down. It stands on a busy streetcorner that has changed in myriad ways since its inception, and through that whole time, it has remained one of the busiest restaurants in the entire city. To this day, it is still one of the most profitable pieces of real estate in Atlanta. And there is one employee who has worked there since opening day. He's our dishwasher. Over the years, the company has rewarded him in numerous ways for his loyalty. He has received all sorts of gifts on his birthday and company anniversaries, and we've even put his name on the menu. He's our rock star. And I think that the company has their priorities in exactly the right place, because of this. I am friends with him, of course, and I talk to him every day. And even when he asks me ridiculous favors, I do them, and I never tell him what an annoying, persnickety old man he can be, at times. It's just a really, really precious thing to know him, I guess. Edited to bring this back to topic: I meant to say that one cannot forget to value the employees who do the work that the high-profile chefs might consider to be "less worthy." You have to respect all of the people in this line of work who do the jobs that you would not want to do, and take pride in doing it, even if it's banging out a hundred plates of eggs in an hour, every morning, year after year. It's good to see articles that show an appreciation for that. ←

Japanese cuisine, ingredients, and techniques are major elements of fusion, are they not? Japan is in Northeast Asia, not Southeast. ← I think you answered your own question here. ← I'm using a question as a polite way of pointing out the erroneousness of identifying fusion as solely a mix of Southeast Asian and European cuisines. Anyway, perhaps your definition works outside of North America and Continental Europe, but it certainly doesn't apply to some of the places known for fusion cuisine in this part of the world. Union Pacific in New York (which closed a couple of years ago), for example, was heavily influenced by Japanese cuisine. ← I agree, it may be erroneous. As a matter of interest I just read an article in the NYTimes describing the food at Public as Global Fusion. Public is the NY restaurant of NZ'r Peter Gordon, who is credited with bringing fusion cuisine to London.

Japanese cuisine, ingredients, and techniques are major elements of fusion, are they not? Japan is in Northeast Asia, not Southeast. ← I think you answered your own question here.

As it orginated there, I do not understand your doubt. I have seen no doubt in America. ← Really? I must be reading upside down. LOL

This "fusion" thing has opened the proverbial can of worms. It seems in America there is some doubt as to what fusion cuisine is. This is not the case in Australia/NZ/ or London, where it is rightly or wrongly identified as a mix of South East Asian and European cuisines. Widely used, not really. Understood, yep. My understanding is that its not a coincidental mix of flavours, but a purposeful contrast. When done right it can be amazing, but it can also be contrived and banal. Success rides with failure lurking.

You were trying to make a point about France and you used the example of Ramsay and the English public to prove it. So if this is not generalization about countries, what is it? As for the ratings, I think you should consider the dynamics of modern media and trash TV without distinction of country and origin before you decide Ramsay's success could only be a British thing and not a French thing. There are TV chef shows in France too. And, may I add, this is only one chef show. Of course they are highly respected, nobody said they weren't. Respected just the way they are. This only confirms what I wrote and now you're shifting the subject. ← Ramsey's success is global, and not limited to the British, that's why I purposely lft the British and Britain out of my text. I'm aware they have tv in France. Nora!

Dear kiwichef, As I wrote, I suspect you haven't much of an experience of the French food scene — present and past — and that you may be building your assertions on partial knowledge. For one Gordon Ramsay who gets away with such language, oh well — I'll grant you a couple others bratty insular chefs too; how many courteous and decent chefs in the UK? Hundreds? Thousands? So please don't make it a British general rule. By the way you seem to imply that the British actually enjoy brutality and foul language to the point of considering them normal features in a chef? I think it is a strange idea but I'll let you have it. And this idea of "etiquette in a french kitchen" sounds no less strange and I'm sorry if I'm about to shatter some illusions here. Though there are many courteous and polite French chefs, those who happen to be less courteous are not exactly inhibited in public, and the public is more or less used to that — at worst indifferent, at best amused. Years ago, when Jacques Maximin was at the Negresco, he once appeared in the dining room saying out loud to an old lady who hadn't enjoyed the meal: "So Madame didn't like it? Well, madame, je m'en bats les couilles !" Not an isolated example, in a way that's how we like our chefs (in small doses though). ← I didnt mention the British, just Mr Ramsey, so there was no generalisation inferred. The media and public enjoy the foul language. Just look at the ratings of his show. As previously mentioned I havent worked in France, however my peers tell me that french chefs, as a general rule are highly respected. Maybe its all hogwash.

Yep there is Soy Milk in NZ....for the vegans mostly. I prefer full cream milk. ← There is another thread here that you should avail yourself of: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=97854&hl= You are welcome. Anne ← Wow, glad I drink full cream.

Peter Gordon was born in 1981. Postdating "fusion" in the US that dates back a bit older than that. That being said, it is understandable that you should be proud of Peter Gordon and his success. I appreciate your gracious acceptance of the facts. We do love you kiwichef. Especially when you can take a couple of lumps and still come out smiling. ← Peter Gordon wasn't born in 1981. He would be about 40 now so he was born sometime in the 60's. No-one can claim Fusion as their own, however New Zealand and Australia are recognised as the contemporary leaders, due to their proximity to South East Asia. If you go down-under you will encounter a myriad of restaurants combining Asian and European flavours. I accept Wikipedia's opinion, but I'm not sure it's correct. After all Wikipedia is a subscriber based information source. I note their is no mention of the Carribean or MesoAmerica. Thanks Annecross. I enjoy a debate. ← Upon reflection, he must have been born earlier than 1981. It seems he likes to hide his age, but IMO he should be proud of what he has accomplished in his tender years. I was born in 1963, and am only 43, and my birth post dates fusion cuisine in the US. Are you honestly trying to say that Peter Gordon has had more influence on "fusion" cuisine throughout the world than Wolfgang Puck and his predeccessor? And, although he started young, there are certainly labor laws in NZ that would have prevented him from slaving in the kitchen before a certain age. There is an index to Tex-Mex under fusion. Tex-Mex includes MesoAmerican food in the cuisine. Very old MesoAmerican, when you consider the tamal and the tortillia. ← Yes of course fusion would include Tex-Mex, but I guess the question is what is "Fusion Cuisine" and I have always understood it to be a mix of South East Asian and European cuisines, and yes, I'm suggesting NZ and Australia and the leading protagonists. So, this being the case Tex-Mex would not be categorized as Fusion Cuisine, but it would be a fusion of cuisines. ← This may or may not be correct, but per your comments it seems that in Australia/New Zealand, 'Fusion cusine' specifically means a certain type of modern fusion of Asian and European cuisine. I think in the US that would be called 'Asian fusion" cuisine; just one of the new fusion cuisines that have become popular since the 1970's. I think this difference in terminology may have caused some o the misunderstanding above. For example, in the US there is also 'new' Latino fusion cuisine, Carribean fusion cuisine (primarily in Florida) and also 'new' Southwestern cuisine which is fusion of Mexican, Southwestern and Asian ingredients and often includes seafood not indigenous to the Southwest. And these are all distinct from Tex-Mex! Also, there as mentioned above there has been plenty of 'fusion' cuisine in the US since it's inception but I think it was not typically named as "fusion" pre-1970 or so. I think the fusion happened more slowly and less self-consciously before that date and it typically used "American' ingredients or what was easily grown or sourced back then in the US. Some examples would be Italian-American or German-American cuisine. In the first case, until the last few decades, Italian-American cooking in the US was known and thought of as just "Italian" by most people although it was primarily an American take on southern Italian cuisine. With German-American cooking the fusion happened so long ago that most of the dishes of German origin or inspiration are thought of as completely American. ← Thanks for the clarification...makes sense.

Sad. My fetishes have nothing to do with food. Oh well. ← You could try!!

What issue is that, exactly?I provocatively suggested American Cuisine was made up of hamburgers, pizza, and hotdogs...or fastfood, and the comments followed. So the issue was "is it"I am puzzled, you mention New York pastrami, Chesapeake Bay crabs, and a few other things that you enjoyed here, yet still cling to the "fast food is American Cuisine" cliche?I said: Just to pile on a bit I'd add Tex-Mex, Cajun and Creole, New England clam chowder, Southern Maryland stuffed ham, corn on the cob, blueberry cobbler, tamales, BBQ (Eastern North Carolina, Western NC, Kansas City, Memphis and Texas styles), collard greens, Cobb salad, and the Toll House cookie... You disagree? (er, shouldn't this be in the American cusine thread? Unless we want to discuss the French influence on all of the above.) ← Agree

Yep there is Soy Milk in NZ....for the vegans mostly. I prefer full cream milk.

there you are Karen, the title for your first book "A feminist defence of fast food", or "In defence of fast food, by a feminist chef". Or something. I'll buy it, and I bet kiwichef will too. ← Funny...I will definitely buy it...how bout "Fetishes of a fast food feminist"

there you are Karen, the title for your first book "A feminist defence of fast food", or "In defence of fast food, by a feminist chef". Or something. I'll buy it, and I bet kiwichef will too. ←