Who is to sustain traditional cuisine?

[Wilfrid]

Andy mentioned your background in "French bourgeois cooking". Masters of that tradition such as Alexander Dumaine have spoken of spending many years of their lives perfecting traditional dishes such as coq au vin or gratin d'ecrevisses.

Is there a need for some chefs to sustain and nurture this tradition, or is it time to jump out of the nineteenth century once and for all?

[Heston Blumenthal]

Hello Wilfrid

I believe that food and cooking should exist in any shape or form.

At any time in history, modern and classical food will exist. Some of what is modern becomes classical and in turn, some classical cooking becomes modern.

I think that, as a chef you spend many years of your life desperately trying to improve what you do. It does not matter whether the food is modern, classical, modernised classical or classically modernised it can allways be improved; I hesitate to say perfected as I think that this is a goal that is almost unachievavble.

Many an inspiration can come from cooking that is hundreds of years old, so jumping out of the nineteenth century may not necessarily be the best option!