Career Choice?

[robert40]

I'll never forget watching you cut fresh herb's at a cooking demonstration at Broadway Panhandler a few year's ago, it was a poetic experience that I must have told every cook who has worked with me since.

After the unfortunate death of Gilbert Le Coze it seems to me you must have faced a major career decision, “do I stay on and take the chance the critics may say that without the master Gilbert Le Coze the great seafood temple of Le Bernardin is a memory? Or, do I move on to another restaurant where my career surely would not be at such odds?”

It seems to me the later would have been a safer bet. How did you decide? Also, when the New York Times review came out and it was Extraordinary did it seem like the stress was off your shoulders?

Thank you for taking the time to share with us.

[Eric Ripert]

After Gilbert's death, Le Bernardin needed all our efforts and talent to survive. We had about 90 employees at the time and I was the Chef de Cuisine. Have you ever seen the captain of the boat leaving first? My duty was to stay and maintain the restaurant on top. So I did it with Maguy (Gilbert's sister).

I had no doubts and no fears, I focussed on my job 100%. I didn't feel any pressure at all until 2 weeks before the NYT review. I guess I was naiive, and that saved me. After the review I did the same: just worked hard.