Time Magazine: Mario Batali feature article

[Gifted Gourmet]

Time Magazine

This is Mario Batali's moment. Often it's difficult to pinpoint the instant a man becomes a brand. Typically you can identify that moment in retrospect--for instance, if you look at the other stars in the food universe....

But Batali is becoming a brand virtually as you read this. This week he will make the rounds of morning talk shows to promote his new role as the official chef of NASCAR and his new cookbook, Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style.... In July, Batali will launch 78 new items in his cookware line. All that comes after a string of New York City restaurant successes--this guy gets into the infield and is just one of the guys ... In many ways, these events are like big Woodstocks every weekend. Sometimes there are 150,000, even 200,000 people camping, cooking out, having a good time. And Mario, you know, he is capable of being at the center of any good time."

An exceptionally fine piece by Time on a remarkable chef we have all grown up with, so to speak .. read on and enjoy every moment ...

[Kevin72]

Damn, GG, ya beat me to it! Just finished reading it.

The article doesn't mention the problems that seem to have been hitting Del Posto of late that are discussed at length on the New York board (here), so it must've been beforehand.

Erm, I'll be passing on the NASCAR book. But the other one sounds fun.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I was so pleased that Time devoted so much space to Mario ... I think it is a definite "plus" in his favor ... but then he most definitely deserves this recognition by a major publication!

[srhcb]

Somehow it garners applause when one of our undisputed top chefs markets himself like this, (Official Nascar Chef ), but meets with distain when the same thing is done by Rachael Ray, who doesn't claim to be doing anything but having fun with her cooking.

Is this what they mean by "sexist"?

SB (likes both Mario and Rachael)(and Nascar too, for that matter)

[Kevin72]

I'm kinda torn on the whole thing, actually. I've been a fan of Mario's from the start, and I'm glad to see him getting his due, but it's too bad that he had to emulate the likes of Emeril, Giada, Ray, et. al to get there and market himself to this degree. As the article points out, two or three years ago, he was emphatic about not opening a restaurant outside of NYC, that he'd never market sauces in his name, and yet here we are. He's opening restaurants at such a rapid-fire rate now, and the last two have drawn less-than-stellar results, so there's a whiff of hubris creeping in.

Not to begrudge him success, and not that I blame him for taking the opportunities presented; he's certainly put in his dues and built up the credibility, in my eyes at least. But here's hoping he doesn't take the DiSpirito route to get there.

[Gifted Gourmet]

But here's hoping he doesn't take the DiSpirito route to get there.

←

It appears that Mario has put in the hard work and effort and won't offer anything back that is either shoddy or half-hearted. The man has a college degree which tells me something about him in the first place and much training/education in the field of cuisine. I honestly believe that he is "the real thing" ...

[Angela Alaimo]

But here's hoping he doesn't take the DiSpirito route to get there.

←

It appears that Mario has put in the hard work and effort and won't offer anything back that is either shoddy or half-hearted. The man has a college degree which tells me something about him in the first place and much training/education in the field of cuisine. I honestly believe that he is "the real thing" ...

←

Someone has tagged his latest book Motorin' Mario! "jumping the shark"! Oh no, I hope not.

[NYC Mike]

I think the majority of us would sell out like a two dollar floosie for the kind of income Ray or Mario are taking down. I don't begrudge them for being smart and opportunistic.

-Mike

[mtdew]

But here's hoping he doesn't take the DiSpirito route to get there.

←

It appears that Mario has put in the hard work and effort and won't offer anything back that is either shoddy or half-hearted. The man has a college degree which tells me something about him in the first place and much training/education in the field of cuisine. I honestly believe that he is "the real thing" ...

←

Someone has tagged his latest book Motorin' Mario! "jumping the shark"! Oh no, I hope not.

←

Oh my. I was hoping the NASCAR tailgating book was a joke.

[Angela Alaimo]

But here's hoping he doesn't take the DiSpirito route to get there.

←

It appears that Mario has put in the hard work and effort and won't offer anything back that is either shoddy or half-hearted. The man has a college degree which tells me something about him in the first place and much training/education in the field of cuisine. I honestly believe that he is "the real thing" ...

←

Someone has tagged his latest book Motorin' Mario! "jumping the shark"! Oh no, I hope not.

←

Oh my. I was hoping the NASCAR tailgating book was a joke.

←

Hey, I like NASCAR. I like it a lot. But I have to say I would expect I'd like tailgating more if I could do it with Mario's kind of gang, rather than with my fellow unwashed masses.

[Genny]

I enjoy Mario's work on FN almost as much as I enjoy Alton Brown. He is the real deal and this article highlighted the fact that he has *worked* his way up the ladder and didn't get there on dumb luck. That said, it also portrayed him as one becoming an obnoxious self-important bore. I enjoy the off-the-cuff remarks, seeing the "real" person, but I think one must be careful to not get too high off his own celebrity. I'm curious about "the brand" and where the line will be drawn. I have no criticism of the cookware line, pizzas and sauces, books, or Las Vegas ventures as long as it is quality that bespeaks the indegrity of the individual. So please, I don't want to see his face on his own magazine, paper towels, pre-chopped veggies or even the bottles of wine produced by his own vinyard in Italy. That just seems a bit, um, cheesy. In my estimation anyway.

Where do you think the line is?

[rich]

I don't understand why the fuss. Batali is the same as every other celebrity chef. He has been given opportunities and taken them. He realizes, just as DeSpirito, Ray, Ducasse, Flay, Lagasse and all the others before him, that they have a limited time to cash-in on their celebrity. Wish them and their ventures all the success - no one knows how long their star will shine.

And after all, I thought the whole purpose of becoming a chef was not to cook anymore except on TV or other media events. Don't you hate celebrity chefs who attempt to cook? Look at Dufresne for example - isn't it terrible he spends most of this time in the kitchen? If he keeps that up, he's going to ruin it for other CCs. Hopefully some CCs will talk to him soon - get him to stop his silly behavior.

Kitchens run more smooth when the CC is out doing a guest spot on "Animal Kingdom." In fact, I try not to eat in any restaurant when the CC is in the house because it's sure to cause chaos in the kitchen and disaster on the plate.

[Busboy]

I don't understand why the fuss. Batali is the same as every other celebrity chef. He has been given opportunities and taken them. He realizes, just as DeSpirito, Ray, Ducasse, Flay, Lagasse and all the others before him, that they have a limited time to cash-in on their celebrity. Wish them and their ventures all the success - no one knows how long their star will shine.

And after all, I thought the whole purpose of becoming a chef was not to cook anymore except on TV or other media events. Don't you hate celebrity chefs who attempt to cook? Look at Dufresne for example - isn't it terrible he spends most of this time in the kitchen? If he keeps that up, he's going to ruin it for other CCs. Hopefully some CCs will talk to him soon - get him to stop his silly behavior.

←

I once took an in-house cooking lesson at the local branch of a chain run by a celebrity chef. I asked the local chef, who taught the course, if the CC did any actually cooking any more. "He don't cook unless there's a TV camera on him," was the reply.

There are two issues here -- about Mario or anyone.

One, is he entitled to cash based on his years in the kitchen and the brilliance he showed there? Heck yes.

Two: is the product still as good as the stuff he built his reputation on? I can't say for Mario, but there are appears to be mixed reviews.

After some point, there may be a trade-off between the quantity of money and the amount of respect a chef can expect to win from their adoring fans.

[srhcb]

Hey, I like NASCAR.  I like it a lot.  But I have to say I would expect I'd like tailgating more if I could do it with Mario's kind of gang, rather than with my fellow unwashed masses.

←

Kudos to Mario et al, but when it come to stock car racing I'll stick with the masses.

SB (some combinations just weren't meant to be)

[tan319]

Where do you think the line is?

←

I think the line disappeared a long time ago.

Bobby Flay & Jean George Vongrighten had their own sauces and spice blends bottled up almost 10 years ago.

That almost seems "innocent" compared to nowadays.

But I do think that any chef has to take advantage "of the brand" when the time is right, IF that's what they want to do.

It's hard to envision a David Kinch opening a Vegas branch of Manresa but people probably never saw Thomas Keller going to Vegas 5 years ago either.

[ASM NY]

[

There are two issues here -- about Mario or anyone. 

One, is he entitled to cash based on his years in the kitchen and the brilliance he showed there?  Heck yes.

Two: is the product still as good as the stuff he built his reputation on?  I can't say for Mario, but there are appears to be mixed reviews.

After some point, there may be a trade-off between the quantity of money and the amount of respect a chef can expect to win from their adoring fans.

←

Let's be honest here. Does he deserve the cash? Yes. Is it because of his brilliance in the kitchen? not really, he has earned it because of his brilliance as a businessman. As Busboy says, at some point there has to be a trade off. How many talented chefs are there out there making very little money? I think it's not so much an issue of respect from fans. Hell, I think Emeril has the most fans, and is a respected chef by the masses (which is indeed where the REAL money is). It is about whether they want to dedicate their talent to futher developing their craft, or making more money.

It's not everyday that a chef has the window of opportunity to become a celebrity and really make a lot of dough (no pun intended). I don't think there are many chefs out there that would not "sell out" and become the official chef of NASCAR, the MLS, the Westiminster Dog Show for the right price. And that is what Mario and others have done.

I am not disputing his talent as a chef. I think the man can cook. He just doesn't do it because he's too busy promoting his cookware line, books, etc.

[dan.]

I am not disputing his talent as a chef. I think the man can cook. He just doesn't do it because he's too busy promoting his cookware line, books, etc.

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Actually, the most interesting part of that article talked of him flying back to New York to hop on his scooter and make the rounds of his restaurants. The hours he keeps and the pace he keeps are pretty staggering.

[Pontormo]

One of the most appealing things about Mario Batali is how much his life responds to his country's values and myths.

No son of a Boeing executive embodies the American Dream. Yet it is very cool that he looked back to the Old Country of his father's family and took the risk, with adequate resources, to apprentice himself without pay. The British do not have a monopoly on romanticizing Italy and its transformative powers and Italian food is the big thing here now. We admire such initiative, humility and fearlessness.

His work ethic is amazing. He achieved fame and makes megabucks but he is a family man, connected to an eminent Italian-American food-family and is fun. He's a gifted celebrity with a taste for expensive wine, yet seems down to earth: NASCAR, rock & roll, excessive drinking and a lack of fashion sense. He's very much a Guy.

[rich]

Everyone should take advantage of the presented business opportunites. Not to do so is defeatist.

Who cares if these people cook anymore? They must have been good at one time, but you probably wouldn't want them cooking in the restaurant now. It's fairly common knowledge that CCs would only get in the way if they tried to work in a "real" professional kitchen. Better they should sign autographs, then try to create signature dishes.

A CCs profession is his/her persona and the "media" business, and all the ramifications, created by it. They graduated and should leave the cooking to the real chefs.

[coquus]

bourdain you sly dog, you are such a schmoozer.

[Angela Alaimo]

Hey, I like NASCAR.  I like it a lot.  But I have to say I would expect I'd like tailgating more if I could do it with Mario's kind of gang, rather than with my fellow unwashed masses.

←

Kudos to Mario et al, but when it come to stock car racing I'll stick with the masses.

SB (some combinations just weren't meant to be)

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I would have agreed with you, but I recently discovered that Budweiser is the Official Beer of NASCAR, as in, that's all you get, Pal.

[Bill Miller]

I'd much rather see him at a college world series cooking at the various hospitality tents set up by the teams there. The last time I went I yelled for Texas but really enjoyed the Tulane tent!! Mighty good food there.

[markabauman]

As he enjoys his well-earned and deserved success, I hope he doesn't lose the ability and opportunity to pass along to us, those who just love to cook and eat (esp. Italian, of course), the knowledge, inspiration, principles, etc. that he has shown in his books & tv shows (even in the silly "Mario Eats Italy"). I loved when he would wax eloquently in front of his guests on some aspect of Italian geography, festivals, local ingredients and dishes. He's got a lot to teach the rest of us and I hope that it continues.

[srhcb]

I would have agreed with you, but I recently discovered that Budweiser is the Official Beer of NASCAR, as in, that's all you get, Pal.

←

So, by extrapolation, I can expect to find Mario's Official Nascar Linguica Crostini with Red Onion Marmaladed, Osso Buco with Toasted Pine Nut Gremolata and Gogonzola with Spiced Walnuts and Port Wine Syrup instead of brats, buffalo wings and string cheese available at Talledega this year?

SB (mmmm mmm mmm mm mmmm)

[Angela Alaimo]

I would have agreed with you, but I recently discovered that Budweiser is the Official Beer of NASCAR, as in, that's all you get, Pal.

←

So, by extrapolation, I can expect to find Mario's Official Nascar Linguica Crostini with Red Onion Marmaladed, Osso Buco with Toasted Pine Nut Gremolata and Gogonzola with Spiced Walnuts and Port Wine Syrup instead of brats, buffalo wings and string cheese available at Talledega this year?

SB (mmmm mmm mmm mm mmmm)

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Great idea! Wow, if they had some of those treats at Talladega, even the Bud would seem as if it had flavor. I'm almost curious enough to get the book, just to see what his version of racing/tailgating food is, but not yet that curious.