Balancing Act

[tigger26]

Hi Chef-

Just wondering which direction you feel influence travels more strongly in, ie does your restaurant life absolutely effect what you do creatively outside the kitchen, or are you happy enough to be involved in other things that you leave it all behind?

Or maybe the opposite is true that excellent but infrequent soujourns away from the kitchen have huge influence when you're writing new menus?

[Eric Ripert]

Travelling is great! I always get very inspired by my trips. I try not to leave for too long, but still visit the country thoroughly.

Sometimes what I see takes months of "digestion" before I use it in the kitchen. I like to take my time...but for sure whatever I learn outside the restaurant comes back in one way or another.

So, yes, travelling influences the way I create.