Doug Psaltis

[FistFullaRoux]

Oh. My. God. All of this over one statement, or lack of a statement.

In the words of William Shatner on Saturday Night Live, when confronted with Trekkies who questioned the timing of certain things in the series, and mixed up stardates....

"Get a life."

I'm all for a rousing dustup over minutiae, but please...

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Like with the Canseco steroid tell-all, if the man's lying, why hasn't anyone sued? ...

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... I wonder how much harder it is to prove that you've been slandered if your name is changed in the account.

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Maybe instead of suing, they'd rather just spend their time on their own lives, and $$$ on eating out?

I don't know why someone would change a name in the book if they are telling the truth.

I'm only interested in hearing more from Psaltis if he wakes up one day, slaps himself on the forehead and yells, "Man, that was NOT cool!" and starts trying to make amends. Like a culinary version of "My Name is Earl."

-Fabby,

who is not so much a "circle-and-dart" type, than a "I have other stuff to do than this" type.

[worldtoughmilkman]

I have certainly enjoyed reading every post on this topic (as well as others) but here is my OPINION! I worked at the original Bouley up until closing. Dan Barber is an outstanding chef. No question. He busts his ass every day and turns out great food whether at Blue Hill or Stone Barns. Case closed. Alex Urena is a witch in the galley as well (although he has not come under fire). I don't remember Doug at all but it does not matter. The restaurant business is comprised of gossip and innuendo so I will read the book and form my own opinion. Please rememer that this fantastic site is all about opinion. Believe it or don't. Use your head and figure it out. I can't wait to buy the book (tomorrow) I will read it, Enjoy it, and take it with a grain of salt. It is an insiders view no matter how subjective it is. (and it is). Good work Doug. Check out all the posts!! Mission accomplished, no matter the goal!

[Tricia Cunningham]

I'm looking forward to participating in discussions with my fellow eGullet Society members, and will try to respond to as many questions as I can. Right now we're in the final stages of opening Country, the restaurant in Manhattan at which I'll be the executive chef, so I'm on the construction site more than I can be on the website. Please forgive me if there's a couple of day turnaround on answers and follow-ups -- I can only get online a couple of times a day, and not necessarily every day.

I appreciate the great interest that The Seasoning of a Chef has received, as well as the strong reactions. I hope that everyone will understand that this is just my story as I saw it, and I in no way intended my perspective to be considered final judgment on anyone or any place. In particular, there are several comments about my time at The French Laundry. Let me preface any such note with this: I have absolute respect for Thomas Keller. Being out in Yountville was a difficult time for me for many reasons, as varied as my being a New Yorker and having a tough time living in the country, but mostly because of where I felt I was in my career versus the opportunity I had in the restaurant. As for the incident that has been alluded to, I will say this: I was very frustrated with the restaurant and I’m fairly certain that others were frustrated with me. On a particular night, not my last night at all, a young runner was leaning on the pass and wouldn’t remove his hand from the pass. For a chef, this is a sign of serious disrespect. After asking a few times, I slapped his hand away. It was stupid of me to allow myself to be baited into crossing that line, but to me it was a very light slap and when things calmed down I apologized for doing it and I meant it. Was it not the right thing to do, yes. But it was hardly the dramatic event it is being made out to be. I was several steps out the door when this happened, and this helped me to realize that I needed to get out of there. As I wrote in the book, I appreciate having had the opportunity to work at The French Laundry. It just wasn't the right time in my career to be out there.

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I have just finished your book and I must say that it is a truly inspiring tale for anyone who has ever set a goal, beat the odds, and paved their own road to grasp achievement. Having worked the front end in restaurants through my college years, I have a fresh regard and admiration for what it took to deliver cuisine. Anyone in the business will benefit from this volume.

Tricia Cunningham

[Carolyn Tillie]

Oh. My. God. All of this over one statement, or lack of a statement.

In the words of William Shatner on Saturday Night Live, when confronted with Trekkies who questioned the timing of certain things in the series, and mixed up stardates....

"Get a life."

I'm all for a rousing dustup over minutiae, but please...

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Or, from the Bard...

it is a tale

told by an idiot

full of sound and fury

signifying nothing.

[artisanbaker]

the walk in at the TFL is kept clean and the kitchen in general is kept remarkably clean

[robert40]

Rocco talks to Psaltis.

Rocco: So, you're referring to Anthony Bourdain.

Doug: Yes -

Rocco: Well he is of a different generation than you and I, we both grew up in Queens, we are a little younger than he is.

Doug: That's true - we grew up a little tougher right?

Link.

http://www.roccodispirito.com/data/recipesection.data.html

[bergerka]

Rocco talks to Psaltis.

Rocco: So, you're referring to Anthony Bourdain.

Doug: Yes -

Rocco: Well he is of a different generation than you and I, we both grew up in Queens, we are a little younger than he is.

Doug: That's true - we grew up a little tougher right?

Link.

http://www.roccodispirito.com/data/recipesection.data.html

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Please tell me this is a joke/parody site.

[zilla369]

Rocco talks to Psaltis.

Rocco: So, you're referring to Anthony Bourdain.

Doug: Yes -

Rocco: Well he is of a different generation than you and I, we both grew up in Queens, we are a little younger than he is.

Doug: That's true - we grew up a little tougher right?

Link.

http://www.roccodispirito.com/data/recipesection.data.html

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Cage match: Rocco vs Bourdain. To the death with Parisian scoops.

[M.X.Hassett]

Cage match:  Rocco vs Bourdain.  To the death with Parisian scoops.

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Tag Team cage match: Bourdain and Ruhlman vs. Rocco and Psaltis

[Stone]

Doug: That's true - we grew up a little tougher right?

Rocco: Yes. When did you realize cooking was a career for you?

Doug: Right around 18 or 19 -

Well, he did grow up in Queens.

[TrishCT]

I think Rocco was just tweaking Tony a little for the time Tony said Rocco's food "blows" on The Restaurant.

[Bux]

Why is it so hard for you to accept that "the tale" is close to true?

As close as these things get?

For sure, Psaltis makes it read like he's Dudley Do-right but what else seems false to you?

That Barber would never use someone elses shortribs recipe?

That he wouldn't have had cookbooks out in the kitchen?

That he wouldn't put "the squeeze" on a cook he didn't care for, that didn't care for him?

What I can't figure out is how come this is still vexing you.

. . . .

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I can't figure out your defense, but neither of those things are important to others. It's not that Dan Barber would never make use of someone else's recipes, Daniel Boulud's most famous dish is one for which he gives credit to another chef.

Paul Bocuse's Rouget en Écailles de Pomme de Terre inspired this exquisite dish of tender fish fillets wrapped in a crisp crust of sliced potatoes. . . . .

What seems false to me is to make an issue over an intellectual chef having cook books and using them as if that somehow proves he has nothing of his own to say or teach. What sort of squeeze are you referring to?

[Andy Lynes]

Batali and Pepin can't take two hours out of their time to read a book by one of their industry peers so they can sound intelligent and with finality in their assessment of it? What the hell is the problem?

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I agree. Its not as if it's the latest Harold McGee opus is it? I reviewed the book and it didn't take me long to finish the thing at all. I'm sure they're really busy but everyone has to read something on the loo don't they?

[robert40]

Batali and Pepin can't take two hours out of their time to read a book by one of their industry peers so they can sound intelligent and with finality in their assessment of it? What the hell is the problem?

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I agree. Its not as if it's the latest Harold McGee opus is it? I reviewed the book and it didn't take me long to finish the thing at all. I'm sure they're really busy but everyone has to read something on the loo don't they?

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Andy Rooney also agrees.

http://www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/sub...d=67&catid=1054

[ludja]

Batali and Pepin can't take two hours out of their time to read a book by one of their industry peers so they can sound intelligent and with finality in their assessment of it? What the hell is the problem?

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I agree. Its not as if it's the latest Harold McGee opus is it? I reviewed the book and it didn't take me long to finish the thing at all. I'm sure they're really busy but everyone has to read something on the loo don't they?

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Andy Rooney also agrees.

http://www.tmsfeatures.com/tmsfeatures/sub...d=67&catid=1054

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quote from Andy Rooney:

...

It turns out that a lot of other chefs are mad at what Psaltis said about them, and now the ones who wrote the blurbs are admitting that they hadn't read the book when they wrote their comments.

This amuses me because a lot of publishers ask me to write jacket blurbs and I always refuse, even if the author is a friend of mine. I refuse because I wouldn't do it without really reading the book first, and I don't have time to read a lot of books. Jacket blurbs often strike me as false and foolish.

[TrishCT]

I think Andy really nailed this one. Be careful with the logrolling...sooner or later you'll get splinters.

[reachej]

Guess that's what happens when you turn into a Blurb-O-Mat.

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[Mimi Sheraton]

Was anyone reading this present at the dinner Psaltis cooked at the Beard House on Tuesday night? It honored Pat Adrian, editor in chief of BMOC's Good Cookbook Club. That means the place was full of food writers, editors, publishers and agents and so, one assumes, the seasoned chef put his best foot forward. That's the horrifying thought. Hate to think what he might have done if he didn't want to impress his audience. It was a completely insipid meal showing no understanding of ingredients and their flavor or textural relationships to each other - almost a DADA cuisine but without the wit or intellect. If it had been prepared by an 8-year-old for Mommy on Mother's Day, it might have been considered cute. But even a 8-year-old would have known enough to remove the unshelled pumpkin seeds from the so-called pumpkin gratin that underlined a totally banal, a dry roasted boneless chicken breast. Would love to hear opinions from anyone else who was there.

[Carolyn Tillie]

It was a completely insipid meal showing no understanding of ingredients and their flavor or textural relationships to each other - almost a DADA cuisine but without the wit or intellect. If it had been prepared by an 8-year-old for Mommy on Mother's Day, it might have been considered cute. But even a 8-year-old would have known enough to remove the unshelled pumpkin seeds from the so-called pumpkin gratin that underlined a totally banal, a dry roasted boneless chicken breast. Would love to hear opinions from anyone else who was there.

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Ouch! I would have given anything to be there and can't wait to hear the rumble of the repercussions from the guests who did attend! Thank you for sharing.

[Jinmyo]

Mimi, snap!

[rich]

Mimi, please tell us what you really thought of the dinner - don't hold anything back.

A refreshing, honest post - thanks

[touaregsand]

It was a completely insipid meal showing no understanding of ingredients and their flavor or textural relationships to each other - almost a DADA cuisine but without the wit or intellect. If it had been prepared by an 8-year-old for Mommy on Mother's Day, it might have been considered cute. But even a 8-year-old would have known enough to remove the unshelled pumpkin seeds from the so-called pumpkin gratin that underlined a totally banal, a dry roasted boneless chicken breast. Would love to hear opinions from anyone else who was there.

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Ouch! I would have given anything to be there and can't wait to hear the rumble of the repercussions from the guests who did attend! Thank you for sharing.

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Didn't Ducasse call him, "the best cook in my kitchen"?

Or is that like a book blurb that can be taken back?

I'm interested a bit in the reviews from other attendees. As for broad characterizations of Chef D.P. cookings skills I believe Ducasse sincerely meant "best cook in my kitchen"

[Jmahl]

Folks:

Lets give Psaltis some credit. Look at the BUZZ he has gotten. Who ever heard of him before the book? A lot of success is about BUZZ. No Buzz no Biz.

Concerning Dan Barber, Andre Soltner said, " I myself never devised a recipe. I simply cook French food." So face it, Barber has gotten some buzz and good for him. He is obviously a very smart guy.

Now, the fire at Per Se - there was patently a mini crisis in the Keller organization. They were spread thin, off their stride. Perhaps they made some decisions that would have been made differently in different times. Anyhow, Per Se is booked solid - Keller definity has buzz. And it is well desired.

Anyway I am enjoying the blow by blow. Keep it up.

[slkinsey]

This is by no means a defense of Psaltis and his cooking at the Beard House dinner. Indeed, I have little trouble imagining that it was not very good. That said, I am given to understand that mediocre is par for the course at Beard House dinners, regardless of who is in the kitchen.

This post by Fat Guy in the Beard House thread back in August may offer some perspective:

It would also be interesting to hear perspectives from those cooking at the events.

I've cooked at a Beard House event. A few years ago, I was invited to participate in a latke competition there. I had to prepare latkes for 70 people. . . .The Beard House kitchen is a disgrace by the standards of the contemporary upscale restaurants the Foundation seeks to represent at its events. The equipment is second-rate, the design is poor and it's extremely difficult to work cleanly and efficiently. It would have been much easier to produce latkes for 70 in my mediocre kitchen at home than it was in the Beard House's disaster of a kitchen. . . I've had some good and some bad dinners at the Beard House. Mostly mediocre to bad. Some chefs can pull it off.

This suggests to me that Psaltis has some pretty good company in making bad food for a Beard House dinner.

FG's impression of the typical Beard House dinner attendees is also an interesting counterpoint to Mimi's characterization:

. . . The attendees at Beard House dinners are not some magical distillation of the tastemaker class. Indeed, whenever I've been to Beard House dinners, I've looked around and said, "Who the hell are these people?" They seem mostly to be secretaries and assistants from companies that support the organization, rounded out by a group of older folks whose primary distinction seems to be that they go to a lot of Beard House dinners. The journalists who attend are mostly second-tier people (like me!) and they almost never write about the dinners (I've written about a few, which is probably a world record).

Of course, I'm sure some dinners have more "important people" at the tables than others -- and that may have been the case on Tuesday.