The Fat Duck 2003

[lxt]

Blumenthal is sublime technician and deserves his status amongst the best of British Chefs. However, his exploitation of a frustratingly ignorant British food media has resulted in an excess of undeserved praise for creativity. Hence, the decontextualized comparisons between him, and Gaganire, Adria et al.

Michael,

If we are making musical parallels here, Bach’s genius came not from bold original plunges but from producing what was properly expected. He, in fact, insisted that the composer was essentially a craftsman. As the French biologist Buffon observed “Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience.” Bach worked within the brackets of his own time and only with the forms and the ideas that that particular time offered. He felt no compulsion to open up new paths and possibilities. Do we regard him less for it? Blumenthal’s technique is creative enough to gain him acknowledgement among the current avant-garde chefs, but more importantly his “being a sublime technician” assures him the place among the chefs deserving attention. Whether you or I consider him progressive or static is another question.

Self-promotion, whether one considers it undignified, is a valid means of assuring business, as long as the chef doesn't promote lies. I have not seen any misrepresentations by Chef Blumenthal. His openness in providing access to his technique and his collaboration with scientists is quite intriguing. Whether the praise is exaggerated or not is up to the future as time will sort it out, but as of today, and aside from arguing whether his cuisine is the best in the world or even in London, the food served by Chef Blumenthal is delicious, exciting and interesting and certainly deserves attention.

Therefore back to the real question: Do you enjoy eating the man's food?

Edited July 23, 2003 by lxt (log)

[Lord Michael Lewis]

I have not seen any misrepresentations by Chef Blumenthal.

His reputation is a misrepresentation.

Therefore back to the real question: Do you enjoy eating the man's food?

Were it his food, I might.

[Andy Lynes]

Yes I agree the menu and the amuses stay pretty fixed.  note that this doesn't mean the dishes don't change; dishes have changed over the years, but kept the same menu description.

I was amused to read in The Guardian on Saturday's "The Guide" that they singled out "New dishes are added all the time" as being the high point of The Fat Duck. Shurly shume mishtake?