AaronM

I read his biography and there was a line in there about how he doesn't like people laughing in his kitchens - that the work is too serious. Right there I knew I never had to listen to another word he said. "No Laughing!" Kill yourself.

I also think culinary school stifles creativity. You'll learn the most boring white-bread ways to make the most basic food as quickly as the stupidest person in your class can grasp it. And they'll tell you any other way is wrong. The Classics are overrated. For fuck sake, a friend who ignored my advice is learning how to turn veg right now! I'd rather stab my eyes out! He hates it and is considering dropping out. And, like I said, just read books and apply that knowledge on the job. You don't even need a mentor/great chef. You only need a drive to be awesome. But I'm, quite literally, a genius - so your mileage may vary. I know that when I hire a cook I don't care about their resume. I can teach anyone how to cook (you think all those immigrants in our kitchens went to culinary school?). I can't teach you character.

also: Pick up a book and read. You just had a culinary school class!

Never went to culinary school and I counsel people not to. Just get a job and work. There you go! Instant culinary school!

Their soups are bagged in for that exact reason. Lame.

As a counter to your definition, everyone that works in the Alinea kitchen is called chef.

What "evidence" do you want? This is like trying to argue about something when a person is insisting black is orange.

I don't think you can make a case for Alice Waters being more influential than Julia Child without treading into lunacy.

Semantics to exclude someone who was clearly far more influential.

Chef's do run restaurants, but that's not really what you asked. You asked what made it ok for women to go to culinary school etc. Julia Child was far more influential than Alice. Clearly, as I said, you had already made up your mind about the topic before you made the thread.

As a chef, I'd say Julia Child. Isn't a discussion fun to start when you've already made up your mind on the topic?

I learned you say Quay "Key".

Granted I'm left sour on them from my experience within the organization, but having tasted the food more than anyone here, and knowing how it's all prepared, I'd wager a good experience is more Pavlovian than anything else. Maybe it's me, but I'd rather just eat at Outback for a third the price.

I helped open a Ruth's Chris a few years ago. I don't have good things to say.

A tagine is not a pressure cooker. End of Story. In other news: made some ad-hoc Beef Bourguignon pressure style in about 45 minutes earlier tonight. Exceptional.