The Doctor is IN

[bourdain]

Took two visiting friends from the UK to Le Bernardin on Friday. Sat down, started hitting the champagne and salmon rillettes hard and a waiter tells me "The Chef would like to see you in the kitchen."

I walk upstairs to the banquet kitchen where Ripert introduces me to a gentleman in full chef regalia, (forget his name) as the country's "premier heart surgeon". He and Eric have "traded jobs" for the week, he announces. Eric has been working at the hospital observing, learning how to suture heart valves (working with pig's hearts). "I am good now," he says . "One hand!" while the doc learns to filet fish and cook. "Is he any good?" I ask. "Yes," says Eric. "Very good". ( The doc was making neat work of a rouget while we talked) Then he opens the door of a convection oven and shows me what they've been collaborating on: a calf's heart, stuffed with foie gras and sweetbreads, neatly sutured. It's slow roasting in a braising pan with mirepoix and fresh herb.

Back at the table, we had an astonishing selection of seafood dishes--the very best of which was the famous pasta with sea urchin and caviar. My Brit friends--one of whom is a notoriously (some say poisonously) acerbic food critic were, of course, blown away.

But the wacky highlight of the evening was the "extra course" of calf's heart. A pink and wonderful slice of tender, juicy and delicious meat, with the above filling. Not at all like the tasty but chewier, cooked-through ox hearts I've had previously. Even those reluctant to delve into the wonderful world of offal would, I think, have found it alluring. Not "livery" or "kidneyish" at all--in every way a delight.

I'd say more, but there was a magazine journo in residence, chronicling this bold experiment--and I don't want to step on his story.

Sad to say I doubt this promising item will be appearing on the fish-centric Le Bernardin menu anytime soon. But I think Ripert is really onto something good.

[Fat Guy]

Tony, how come you let Eric trade with a cardiac surgeon but you always make me trade with the transvestite hookers on Ninth Avenue? That's totally not fair, though some of those girls can really write.

[bourdain]

Sorry, Girth Guy.

And I got more bad news for you. The "girls" are telling me they are "soo over" Mix. You better get them that table at Per Se soon--or you won't be able to work their corner no more.

[srhcb]

I walk upstairs to the banquet kitchen where Ripert introduces me to a gentleman in full chef regalia, (forget his name) as the country's "premier heart surgeon". He and Eric have "traded jobs" for the week, he announces. Eric has been working at the hospital observing, learning how to suture heart valves (working with pig's hearts).

I have often eaten at restaurants where I suspected the chef was involved in some sort of "walking in another's shoes" experience broadening experiments with members of other professions.

The most common must be for the chef to have traded places with their automobile serviceman, resulting, of course, in greasy food.

I'm not surprised the heart surgeon chose to prepare a heart dish, but I would like to be forewarned before dining when a urologist or proctologist takes their turn at the stove!

[Katherine]

Eric has been working at the hospital observing, learning how to suture heart valves (working with pig's hearts).

Mmm, stuffed pig heart.

[Chris Cognac]

But who gets to be the unlucky schlub that has to have his heart surgery done by a chef!

[balmagowry]

I'm not surprised the heart surgeon chose to prepare a heart dish, but I would like to be forewarned before dining when a urologist or proctologist takes their turn at the stove!

Mmmmmmm.... steak and kidney pud...!

[bloviatrix]

Was the surgeon Mehmet Oz?

[mnebergall]

I'm not surprised the heart surgeon chose to prepare a heart dish, but I would like to be forewarned before dining when a urologist or proctologist takes their turn at the stove!

That's easy, hot dogs. Their nothing but lips and assholes anyway.

[sml311]

As someone who has had 6 surgeries with the top neurosurgeons in the country, I don't know if I'm read to eat their brain dishes. Nor am I ready to have a top chef sit in on my surgery. (Although I did hear there was standing room only when I had the first of a particular type of surgery performed at Duke U Medical Center.) But maybe that's why there was a bit of my hole in my last set of sutchers--we don't have any Riperts down here!

SML

[Louisa Chu]

I'm feeling very Dead Ringers. Imagine a set of Ripert kitchen/surgical tools.

[Fat Guy]

Jason Perlow is going to trade places with Carrot Top next week.

[Michael Laiskonis]

I almost thought this thread was going to be in reference to Eric's cheesy "Love Tea" mailing for V-Day. Anyone else see that?

[bourdain]

He's getting some serious ballbusting for that. Believe me.

[Keith Talent]

as the country's "premier heart surgeon".

Why does everyone feel the need to claim their doctor is the very best in their field. My dad is notorious for this and it gives me vast satisfaction and amusement to query his assesment of his medical professionals' skills. Everyone I've ever known to need any type of specialist whatsoever has been fortunate to get attention from the very top practioner in their field. Statistically speaking, alot of you must be receiving substandard care, because I know for a fact that I've never spoken to an average doctor in my life, nope, only the very best and brightest for me.

In fact, I've never talked to a receiptionist in a medical office that wasn't at the very top of their field. The cahier in the hospital cafeteria last time I was there was perhaps the best cashier in the world.

[Marrow Margin]

Jesus...talk about straight out of left field.

[sml311]

as the country's "premier heart surgeon".

Why does everyone feel the need to claim their doctor is the very best in their field. My dad is notorious for this and it gives me vast satisfaction and amusement to query his assesment of his medical professionals' skills. Everyone I've ever known to need any type of specialist whatsoever has been fortunate to get attention from the very top practioner in their field. Statistically speaking, alot of you must be receiving substandard care, because I know for a fact that I've never spoken to an average doctor in my life, nope, only the very best and brightest for me.

In fact, I've never talked to a receiptionist in a medical office that wasn't at the very top of their field. The cahier in the hospital cafeteria last time I was there was perhaps the best cashier in the world.

Definitely a good point. As with restaurants, "the best" is dependant on many factors--peer opinion, # and quality of publications, difficulty and number of surgeries, national recogintion through media outlets, reputation and standing of hospital in which the doctor practices, patient care--and different people find different ones important. There are many chef who are arguably "the best" in their field, but there is, at some point, a drop off where no matter what criteria you use, the quality goes down. Much the same with surgeons. There are several who are arguably the best in a field, but after a point it drops off. Plus there are many many subspecialties. For example I wouldn't want a peipherial nerve surgeon doing a spinal fusion, no matter how good he was at the former.

SML

[Andy Lynes]

My Brit friends--one of whom is a notoriously (some say poisonously) acerbic food critic were

You know Michael Winner!? (Is he going to direct the film version of "Kitchen Confidential"?)

[bourdain]

The doctor's name was Mehmet Oz.. I hear he's pretty good.

[srhcb]

as the country's "premier heart surgeon".

Why does everyone feel the need to claim their doctor is the very best in their field. ....In fact, I've never talked to a receiptionist in a medical office that wasn't at the very top of their field. The cahier in the hospital cafeteria last time I was there was perhaps the best cashier in the world.

To try and avoid the risk of running afoul of eG's topicality rules, let me state that the subject of my story, my friend David, was partner in a restaurant operation and maybe the best bartender I ever knew.

David always spoke in positive superlatives. Every new cook in the kitchen was "the greatest chef we ever hired", each new menu item was "the tastiest" and "the best value" to boot. Our beer was "the coldest", and every lunch rush was "the busiest we ever had".

If you came into the bar on any given day you might be amazed to find, all seated there at once, the world's most beautiful girl, the smartest accountant, the best softball pitcher, and fastest waitress, (taking a much deserved break).

Once I asked David what he would say if he needed to refer to somebody who really was the tops in their field, and he replied, "If they really are the best, they don't need me to tell anybody".

[bourdain]

as the country's "premier heart surgeon".

Why does everyone feel the need to claim their doctor is the very best in their field. My dad is notorious for this and it gives me vast satisfaction and amusement to query his assesment of his medical professionals' skills. Everyone I've ever known to need any type of specialist whatsoever has been fortunate to get attention from the very top practioner in their field. Statistically speaking, alot of you must be receiving substandard care, because I know for a fact that I've never spoken to an average doctor in my life, nope, only the very best and brightest for me.

I suggest a cursory Google of the good doctor.

Edited February 17, 2004 by bourdain (log)

[lala]

"Why does everyone feel the need to claim their doctor is the very best in their field. My dad is notorious for this and it gives me vast satisfaction and amusement to query his assesment of his medical professionals' skills. Everyone I've ever known to need any type of specialist whatsoever has been fortunate to get attention from the very top practioner in their field. Statistically speaking, alot of you must be receiving substandard care, because I know for a fact that I've never spoken to an average doctor in my life, nope, only the very best and brightest for me."

Well, would you want to admit that you had an average, or worse doctor? No, I bet not! My guess is that your Dad and others you know want to a) impress you with the doctors at their command b) reassure themselves that they are getting the best care that they can. I sure as heck wouldn't want to say "Well, I got this guy, he graduated at the bottom of his class from a podunk med school, and he's gonna open me up and muck around inside me! Yahoo!"

I think it would be fascinating to switch jobs with someone of Dr. Oz's caliber. I bet his knife skills were amazing!

Edited February 17, 2004 by lala (log)

[Keith Talent]

Why, are there doctor rankings now? Do groups of heart patients sit around and debate the merits of their surgeon until a consensus is reached and a "power ranking" number is assigned to each?

Anyway, it was merely an offhand comment, I'm not privvy to surgery stats anymore anyways since I took all my Cardiovascular Surgeons trading cards and stuck them in the spokes of my bike so that it would make that cool twacka twaka sound as I rode to school.

In all seriousness though, if you keep your ears open, you'll constantly hear every medical professional in trhe land refered to as the best by their patients. I'm not a psycologist, but that doesn't stop me from some two bit theorizing on the internet, and I suspect that if someone is going to cut you open, it's in your best interests mentally speaking to coinvince yourself that you are being cut by the most brilliant practioneer in the world.

Now pass the heart, please.

[Keith Talent]

Probably should have used the fast reply button instead of the regular

[bloviatrix]

From what I've heard about Oz, it doesn't suprise me that he's spending time in a professional kitchen. The guy is a total polymath. I think that's what makes him so good as his profession.

Anyway, to get back on topic -- what did they use to suture the calf's heart back up in the dish you ate?