European Chefs vs. American Chefs

[Belmont3]

Chef Ripert,

Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to answer a few questions for us.

Being as you started your culinary career in Europe and then have moved to the United States, you have seen Chefs from both sides of the ocean. Can you discern a difference between the Ameican trained Chef and the European trained Chef, and if so, what would the differences be?

[Eric Ripert]

You find talented Chefs on both sides of the Atlantic; discipline also on both sides. I think American Chefs are more open to developing different businesses at the same time. It's also easier to be a young Chef and be succesful in the states; you have much more freedom to be creative. You do not have to carry centuries of tradition on your shoulders.

In the 80's in France, we were educated totally differently than in the U.S. They believed that by humiliating you...you would learn quicker and be stronger. Here, they have the tendency to teach using positive reinforcement.

I prefer the methods in the U.S. Chef's have less fear and express themselves (sometimes they should fear expressing themselves), but in general, it is better for creativity.