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Lord Michael Lewis

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Posts posted by Lord Michael Lewis

  1. Sadly, it probably does. However, that doesn't mean it does matter. The UK Michelin guide is a marketing move. British people buy books, Michelin would be churls to ignore this fact. I loath introspection but I have to acknowledge a profound inferiority complex amongst my countrymen and their co-existence with gastronomy. How else does one explain the predominance of a French publication in this nation of Francophobes.

    We should also bear in mind that, for visitors, the Red Guide is a useful resource that deals with all aspects of hospitality, not just starred restaurants.

    Michelin have been quite open about their problems in recruiting competent inspectors in this sceptered isle. As such Michelin's activities in the UK have to judged apart from their continental endeavours. Stars in the UK are relative only unto themselves.

  2. Ramsay is poor- boy ambitious. That's why he names his restaurant after himself. So, like buying a BMW, eating at GR is a marketed, buy in to the high-life, theme park experience. It is for the wealthy and vacuous who believe that fame is an indicator of quality.

    La Trouvaille on the other hand is a restaurant.

    I'll leave it to you to decide at what point the fool parts with his wad.

  3. Michelin produce a 'guide', Parker produces a 'guide'. The very term implies levels of subjectivity. Although their popularity invests them with a certain clout, neither publication claims to be definitive or objective. They are merely the most adequate of a motley bunch.

    Michelin does matter, just not in the UK.

  4. Conclusive, although unecessary, proof that Michelin's Great Britain & Ireland Red Guide is still on LW while its continental cousins are tuned into FM.

    Congratulations Jay, on the second star! You, Matthew and Heston must be delighted. God knows you've worked hard enough for it

    (Edited by Lord Michael Lewis at 7:23 am on Jan. 17, 2002)

  5. All books are contrived, some merely contrive to obfuscate their contrivances, an example of a natural uncontrived premise is unimaginable. The result is a, often seemless, patchwork of truth, untruth and cynicism in varying measures. I think Bourdain is up-front and honest especially if one sees the subtext of A Cook's Tour as being about taking advantage of good fortune.

  6. Seb, I rather think there has been a case of mistaken identity. A very good friend has worked closely in the past with Blunos and I connected your username with my pal. Putting two and two together I came up 17.5. I realise this as I spoke to the aforementioned this afternoon.

    As any of the other posters will tell you this is quite out of character for me. I hope you will permit me to remove my foot from wherever I may have put it.

  7. Seb,

           Is that short for sebum? I feel your pain but if you're putting us right,... well put us right!

    You sound like a rapist!

    Obviously Michelin stars don't carry over, so, what is happening in the basement?

    Put on boxing gloves and sit on your hands, and, if you can manage it, orient yourself as to where the shift key is on your keyboard.

    I kiss your squid.  

  8. Unsurpisingly, Rayner misses what Bourdain is all about. A middling chef cooped up for twenty years in commercial NY kitchens scores big, and suddenly editors and producers spread themselves before him offering as much he wants, to do whatever he wants. True to himself he doesn't shirk from doing exactly that.

    This book has to be read a codicil to Kitchen Confidential, there are no glossy pages of dewy produce photos and smiling natives, because this is Anthony Bourdain's unique, personal, take on global cuisine. Important is his complete lack of pomposity, meaning that he never passes judgement on anyone least of all himself. This is no encyclopedia or work of reference, this is a book for those who enjoyed Kitchen Confidential. At no point does Bourdain presume to criticize, in fact he is smart enough never to step outside himself and pretend to be someone he isn't.

    Pseuedo intellectual Londoners look out, this is journalism as Hemingway envisaged it, writer as reality filter.

    I am put in mind to forward Bourdain Rayner's next Zionist romp for review, although Bourdain would certainly be kinder and gentler, less pompous, less superior and less of a know all in his treatment of this unknown's work.

  9. Anthony Bourdain's honesty is refreshing. His book(s) achieve EXACTLY what they set out to do. It's unlikely that many of us will get to eat in the places he visits. I veered from murderous jealousy of his soujourn in Japan to an pipe and slippers appreciation of home comforts whilst reading his depressing Cambodian tales.

    Bux, if you don't get the alchohol thing then there's just no explaining it to you. Bourdain's just open about it. I'm sure the Jamie Olivers of this world get up to far worse than smoking some 'rocky in it's place of origin the difference is that they do it off camera so as not jepoardise their advertiser friendly profile.

    Finally, Bourdain's fire over England is a bit curate's eggy I understand him entirely but he's completely wrong.

  10. Your sojourn outside the insular British Isles seems to have opened your eyes to a big problem that many are already aware of.

    No, there is no consensus between the different guides published in the various countries of Europe, although there certainly should be. I feel very strongly about this, so strongly in fact that I have been in correspondence with Michelin head office to highlight the problem, and the resultant problem of crediting chefs in different countries, mainly Britain, with creations, that don't belong to them. Michelin have assured me that they are aware of the problem and that they are part of the way to solving it in Europe, but have problems in convalidating awards made in Britain due to the generally poor quality of potential inspectors and the obvious language barriers.

    For the time being Britain remains an island.

    (Edited by Lord Michael Lewis at 4:16 pm on Nov. 9, 2001)

  11. Do you have evidence to support this attack on Ms Burchill?

    She's going to be very pissed off when she reads this unless, of course, you provide documentary evidence of your so called A is B or Black is White paradigm.

    I hope she doesn't sue you for inverting the rules of rational argument. You'd better find a legal representative, perhaps Fat Bloke from the New York boards can advise you.

    I'm going to contact her right away, maybe she'll be my friend.

    (Edited by Lord Michael Lewis at 5:08 pm on Oct. 21, 2001)

  12. Monkfish, Angler fish or rock salmon's liver, as it is variously known in the English speaking world, is pretty tasty and pretty healthy stuff. It has nothing in common with foie gras apart from its high fat content colour and physiological rôle.

    Most occidental fishmongers throw it away but should you get your hands on one try roasting it in a hot oven and serving it with Pisto, a kind of Iberian Rattatouille.

    Interesting as it may be I assure you it isn't the kind of thing you'll want to eat everyday, or every month for that matter.

  13. Buxbaum strokes my empathy with his comments about Michelin. Yes they get it wrong sometimes, but their inscrutible Opus Dei like operations give their judgements a Papal bullish quality that no other organization comes close to emulating.

    But Michelin is a GUIDE, what would interesting to know is what do people think the function of a 'review' should be?

    I see no dichotomy between being entertaining and informative, providing the entertainment is always subordinate to the information and the information is filtered through the brain of a credible 'critic' i.e. someone who knows what they're talking about and not just someone who likes to eat out: who doesn't?

    Jonathan Meades does it for me in the UK. William Grimes binned his reputaion here with his terrible 1000 word macro review of London, perhaps the most gastronomically 'happening' city in the world today.

    (Edited by Lord Michael Lewis at 5:17 pm on Oct. 20, 2001)

  14. Andy,

            Who are you to define parameters in which 'evidence' may or may not be admitted?

    I could at this very moment post the recipe and photos for Olivier Roellinger's salted peanut and pistacho caramel, I would do the same with Martin Berasategui's bacon ice cream and pain perdu, Blumenthal mentions in a Caterer article from two years ago an unusal pre meal 'sour' that he impressed him on a chef's day out to El Bulli,  curiously it turns up on his menu some months later. Martin Berasategui created the smoked eel, apple and foie gras starter and Olive Oil ice cream well before they reared their heads on Blumenthal's menu.  Michel Bras' biscuit coulant also played its part at Blumenthal own admission. The list goes on and on and is clearly not a monkeys and typewriters thing.

    I can and will substantiate any claim that I have made, should Blumenthal be willing to reply in a public forum ie e-gullet (he probably won't) or should he decide to sue (he certainly won't). I won't be browbeaten into doing things the other way around for the simple reason that I have nothing to gain from doing so and don't wish to waste an inordinate amount of my time. In all my posts on the Fat Duck both here and on Chowhound my only motive is to inform others on what I have seen as incorrect goings on.

    Should Blumenthal not have been the recipient of such overwhelming praise I could not quite frankly have given a fig. But this was not the case and I having eaten at several occasions at ALL the restaurants concerned found myself to be holding this unique if controversial  perspective.

    Besides I really don't care whether anyone believes me or not, least of all Andy 'Nez-Brun' Lynes, and I have never made any effort to persuade, rather it suffices for me to merely inform and let others make up their own minds.

    By all means let's leave it at that, Fat Guy and Lynes, but just because I am in a minority amongst the half a dozen or so contributors to this thread I am, like it or not, the most well informed on the subject.

    I am also probably the only person who thinks this kind of thing is important so I shall let this post serve as full stop in my crusade and post only in unrelated subjects.

    Vive la ignorance!

  15. Whilst I in no way encourage Heston Blumenthal's methods he does have a business to run and, from what I've read, several mouths to feed.  I can understand at least the 'why' of things.

    The problem arises when his 'borrowings' cause critics and guides laud him as this 'obsessive genius', because he isn't. If types like Rayner don't know what's going on outside their limited spheres and don't feel they they should know, who then does it fall to to point out that the Emperor has no clothes?

    P.S. Andy, I think for balance's sake you should also include a link to your very negative Fat Duck 'A big fat disappointment' review. Readers may enjoy comparing your greatly differing opinions both pre and post the Blumenthal charm-offensive.

  16. Your ill reasoned suspicions re my motives have resulted in a rather obvious non sequitur. I am not accusing Blumenthal of being derivative I am stating that Blumenthal plagiarises (for specific details go to Chowhound and use the search engine) and one of the restaurants he lifts from is El Bulli. Blumenthal is not then an obsessive genius, but rather a run of the mill and unscrupulous chef with an unusual don for getting himself and his business in the papers.

    I doubt that when reporting on a news feature you would use as your sole fount of information the Chiswick & Hounslow Echo. Neither would one who had read nothing but Jackie Collins presume to review the latest novels, but is it different with restaurants? Without having been to El Bulli how can you expect to be taken seriously as a restaurant critic?

    Once again you bring your professional integrity into question, but worse still you debase the Observer, a once great newspaper.

    (Edited by Lord Michael Lewis at 6:01 am on Oct. 17, 2001)

    (Edited by Lord Michael Lewis at 6:02 am on Oct. 17, 2001)

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