Lacroix is gone, is Georges next... who takes over

[shawng]

My question is can Lee keep it up an train his people enough to produce a consistent product to maintain his possible claim to the philly thrown? Is he really the next JML or George is he here to stay or just passing by like Morimoto?

[shawng]

Lets go juice is that you.. If it is you know the topic

[philadining]

Now, how does everyone feel about "George" in the title as opposed to "Georges" 

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Well, his name is "Georges."

www.georgesperriergroup.com/

[mrbigjas]

OK, I must say, it's really entertaining, and enlightening, to be able to eavesdrop on this very inside conversation.  It would usually take buying a lot of drinks for a bunch of half-dead, sauce-stained guys at a dingy, smoky after-hours joint to get good dirt like this! 

i've been rather enjoying the wink-wink aspect of it too, but it still doesn't make me feel better about using this gift certificate for lacroix that i have.

[matthewj]

You know. I was thinking a lot about the past blogs. The problem is that not just Chef but George, or Georges what ever did not leave room for his successors, it is only recently have you heard about Chris. I think it is a French thing. When people think about JML's food at the Fountain. They think JML. I think Martin Hammond. Chef never properly set up Martin for the passing of the torch. Same goes for his Lacroix restaurant. If people think that chef was cooking everyday, and writing menus and coming up with the concepts of the restaurant. They are mistaken. the dinner menu concept of the small plates was not his, the brunch concept was not his, none of the menus, the organization the supplier contacts, the outlined enforced standards were not his. But he gladly took credit for all of it. All of it. He may have done it at the Four Seasons, but not There.

The hotel supported that, why not this was their golden goose. But they were not prepared for the onslaught of meticulous standards his crew brought with them, and their many times misplaced loyalties to him. Being a line cook at Lacroix was probably difficult. He purposely kept things from the Sous chefs and created in fighting amongst the sous chefs to maintain control. But it backfired. He lost control, and a lot of good people, line cooks included left.

As for what needs to change In Philadelphia. I believe Philadelphia can surpass most not if not all of the restaurant cities in the country. But it will take work and a network of support through out the restaurant community.

Start using Local products. Not just Branch creek. In New York's Green Market 50% or higher are farmers from PA. Do you know why, because there is no market, or they are pushed out by staid competition. Two the reading terminal is great, but if it is not open later than 5 at night, how can they compete for the local crowd against Whole Foods. It also needs to be open on Sunday's. I mean come on, a major tourist day, and it is closed. HuH? Support the farmers market at the Square, it is expensive for them to be there. How do you think the organic eggs landed on Lacroix's menu 4 years ago.

The liquor laws need to be adapted to a more restaurant friendly, and cost effective venue.

People need to venture outside the center city realm during the day. Fishtown, and Northern liberties are great, but it is no Soho if no one goes for lunch.

The chefs need a stronger network. Too few chefs are competing for the same nut, and not working together. You should see the chef network in Atlanta it is amazing.

I think investors need to back their chefs up more, and not compete with Stephen Starr. Just be better than him. He got it right he told the public what they wanted and they bought it.

It is key to bring this evolution to a head. It can happen.

[matthewj]

did I really spell Chef's name wrong? Opps

[Vadouvan]

But I have to ask, is "shoemaker" a widely-understood slang in the biz? I like it...

Hi uncle Phil ?

Seems like you had a great time at Susur-Lee eh ?

Yes shoemaker is a term widely used for half ass cooks and behaviour in restaurants.

Examples :

Moving fish in pans with tongs instead of a fish spatula.

Using another pan to hold a fish down while it's sauteeing so it doesnt curl.

The prescence of any concave bottomed pans which were initially flat.

Using any pans but Sitram (just kidding)

Pre firing anything that hasnt been actually ordered yet.

Sauces held in the bain marie without reheating

same veg for every entree

saying the word "demiglace" on your menu.

Even worse saying "demiglaze" on your menu.

making your mashed potato in any other way from "the man who at everything"....ha ha

Misuse of language that displays a lack of fundamental understanding of food and cookery....

such as...

Basil Pesto

shrimp scampi

Ahi Tuna

cavatelli Pasta

Marketing wagyu as kobe

"DIVER" scallops...........nobody dives for scallops.

The overuse of the term "PEI"....big effing deal do the mussels are from prince edward island.

Florida Snapper

ec ect

.

Filthy Aprons

Standing outside the restaurant chain smoking in whites.

Drinking soda on the line thus eliminating perception of salt, sugar and acidity

and just generally bad behaviour that can be sublimated into the phrase...

"I dont give a SH** about the customers.

Edited June 13, 2006 by Vadouvan (log)

[Vadouvan]

My question is can Lee keep it up an train his people enough to produce a consistent product to maintain his possible claim to the philly thrown? Is he really the next JML or George is he here to stay or just passing by like Morimoto?

He would be a dummy to leave now unless he is offered an absurd amount of money to.

Few people have those kind of deep pockets, deeper than Starrs.

Marlon Abela

Jeff Chodorow

Danny Meyer

Emeril Lagasse

Wolfie Puck

Joachim Splichal/Patina group.

[matthewj]

A shoemaker knows the right way to do things, but does the easier way because they are too lazy or just do not care.

[Vadouvan]

You know. I was thinking a lot about the past blogs. The problem is that not just Chef but George, or Georges what ever did not leave room for his successors, it is only recently have you heard about Chris. I think it is a French thing.

It isnt a French thing, its a Georges thing.

Granted there was an extreme amount of the requisite French Kitchen asshollery (new verb) at LBF

The problem was Georges ego.

I always laugh when people say "the food is better when Georges was cooking"

Georges doesnt cook the food ever, not in the last 10 years.

He had a great team of cooks and he could have respected them more instead of treating them like stepkids.

Le bec fin was run by..

Peter Gilmore (Gilmores)

Greg Gable (Donneckers)

Sam Sheridan (Basil,Tango)

James Howard (Orchard Kennet Square)

Bobbeee Bennet (ex Miel)

and his annoying brother Bernard...

where is my Brohzzzah ???

[matthewj]

Will he stay is the question Shawn I think Meant to convey. Open a place in Philly or go back to New York?

[Holly Moore]

Let me explain further, I think what we are saying when we say fine dining is dying (as I hope it does) is that the Ultra formal places with white tablecloths, name like "Le_XXXX", "La-xxx" or "Chez_xxxx" are done. Silly requirements like formal dress codes, expenditure on flower bouquets, fish spoons, 3 hr dinners,

I hope true fine dining, with flower budgets that exceed my annual income, formal dress codes and fish spoons never disappears from Philadelphia, or the world.

So Holly, will we be seeing fish spoon stains soon as opposed to grease stains ? wink.gif

OK. It's been bothering me for a few days. I'm familiar with a fish knife and a fish fork in a formal dining setting, but what is a fish spoon?

[Vadouvan]

A shoemaker knows the right way to do things, but does the easier way because they are too lazy or just do not care.

Like deep frying proteins to temp because your timing is off ?

[Vadouvan]

OK. It's been bothering me for a few days. I'm familiar with a fish knife and a fish fork in a formal dining setting, but what is a fish spoon?

It was an embellishment Holly.

Just to highlight the balance of detail and pretense....

[Vadouvan]

Will he stay is the question Shawn I think Meant to convey. Open a place in Philly or go back to New York?

Neither, definitely not his own place.

His job right now is easy since all he does is draw a salary and isnt under the pressure of satisfying investors. He can order and cook whatever he wants with as much staff and Bernadaud plates he can buy. Who would give that up ?

[Mummer]

...but what is a fish spoon?

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Something from a tackle box.

Fish spoons

[matthewj]

I Love chicken Fried Steak. Hey i am in the South right now

[philadining]

Seems like you had a great time at Susur-Lee  eh ?

I did, rocking good meal, which makes me wonder how unique this topic's phenomenon is to Philly. Susur Lee might be very supportive and nurturing to his sous chefs and line cooks, he seemed like a cool guy to me, but it's not like he's likely to pass-on the restaurant "Susur" to someone else, nor his place next door, "Lee." I guess he could, but like with Lacroix, the place is so tied to a particular chef/persona that it just would seem odd...

But who knows, of course there are plenty of precedents, maybe Susur will open a SLNY, or Jean-marie will get bored and arrange a JMLNY, or JMLLV.

But I'm curious, is this dissolution of the classic mentoring/succession model especially bad in Philly kitchens, or is it getting like that everywhere?

[Vadouvan]

But I'm curious, is this dissolution of the classic mentoring/succession model especially bad in Philly kitchens, or is it getting like that everywhere?

There never really has been any classic mentoring in Philly period, nobody is really expecting a handout or special treatment. I think those who have made it past thier mentors have done so on thier own merits. I would define mentorship/sucession as having a positive relationship between the mentor and mentee post employment.

Under that criteria, the only person who can credibly make a case of haven mentored anyone in philadelphia in Jean Marie Lacroix.

Several of his past Chefs have gone on to make names for themselves locally as you know...

Francesco Martoralla

Bruce Lim

Tony Clark

Martin Hamman

ect ect.

In the case of lebec fin, it's just strange that Perrier 86's any chef who eclipses him at LBF.

Remember the Phillymag article "Move over Georges, here are the next chefs in Philadelphia"....starring Daniel Stern.

Guess whose head rolled a few days later ???

[matthewj]

Susur is quite a different story. He started with Lotus, himself, then came Susur. It is his restaurant, his style of food unique to him. I would think it strange for him to hand over his restaurant. But on other hand you Know who Thomas Keller is, but you also know who Johnathan Benno is and the other chef D cuisines are. He realized that he could not and did not do it on his own, although he had a major role to play. Chef and George on the other hand knowingly or unknowingly have kept there most loyal people down instead of bringing them up with them. Hell Georges just fired them. The Food at Lacroix and Four Seasons was not the Chef. He did spell check a lot, but hey. He took credit for introducing food to the public that he did not want on the menu in the first place. When it became success then and only then did he take credit. I am not so sure Martin really wants to be attached to JML anymore. He stayed with him for the longest time.

[Vadouvan]

You would be amazed at the similarities between some of the dishes at le bec back then and Issues of Art Culinaire/opt art if you actually take the time to look.....

[shawng]

Will he stay is the question Shawn I think  Meant to convey.  Open a place in Philly or go back to New York?

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This is more like my question does he stay open his own place own control and where in philly where he is a big fish or NYC where there's more going on? I don't know him personally maybe he is very happy or maybe this is just a stepping stone for him to do something grander...

[shawng]

But I'm curious, is this dissolution of the classic mentoring/succession model especially bad in Philly kitchens, or is it getting like that everywhere?

There never really has been any classic mentoring in Philly period, nobody is really expecting a handout or special treatment. I think those who have made it past thier mentors have done so on thier own merits. I would define mentorship/sucession as having a positive relationship between the mentor and mentee post employment.

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I don't think Mattj is inferring that some special treatment was expected but when you are planning to leave it would help to set something up. What I mean is alot of chefs don't understand how many people they really know and how much a phone call or a simple introduction could do for someone who has been loyal to them.

[shawng]

When a cook, sous or chef de cuisine is loyal and takes there job as more than just a job and a paycheck it is nice to see every now and then some recognition given or simply the chef returning the same jesture... of loyalty

[shawng]

What up BB workin a half day?