# With so many new chefs on board



## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Who are your inspirations and why?

Who do you feel in America and Europe are really doing amazing things. Kinch, pacoud,Ludo?


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

Wow!Cape Chef thats a tall order to fill they are so many. I will have to think about this and get back to you....:chef:


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## botanique (Mar 23, 2005)

I don't care if I'm not a chef. I'm still going to post here!!! :bounce: This tough former kickboxing cook is not going softly....  

"My lords, I care not (so much I am happy Above a number) if my actions Were tried by ev'ry tongue, ev're eye saw 'em, Envy and base opinion set against 'em, I know my life so even." (Shakespeare)

My wish, ever since I was young and at the knee of Mrs. Feeley showing me how to "clean" a pan with salt and oil, was to meet Julia. I admired her independence and her spirit, as well as her love for her husband. I presume I selfishly felt if we ever met, she would feel a connection as well, and I would get further inspiration from her uniqueness.

It is amazing how we allow others in, as an influence or otherwise, positively or negatively....

Great question Cape.


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

I am with you Bot! Cape Chef I guess if I have to choose it would be Saki from Japan I admire him for his knife skills unreal. Pastry it would have to be Friberg and Torres. For sugarwork it would have to be Notter and Chiffers. A lot of people prefer Martin Chiffers savory to his sweet but I like em all.... I have got to start studying Martins work more I really like this guy... And lest I forget there is a fellow here on Cheftalk that though I have never met admire him to and thats PAN you are an inspiration to us all man.....


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## chef_oz (Mar 7, 2006)

Of course keller, trotter, heston from fat duck... 

There's so much talent out there "cakes" right its hard to pick.


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## botanique (Mar 23, 2005)

Whatever happened to Antoine Bouterin?

I believe in cooking fearlessly, so (and I know there is still debate about the Food Network) Mario is still tops as far as I am concerned.

Roy Yamaguchi. I would love to swap story with him.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Why Trotter?


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## botanique (Mar 23, 2005)

Charlie? He's good people. Makes a **** good pepper steak ;-)


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

With so much going on in Chicago, and with due respect for trotter, why not Tru, Avenues, Moto, or even Alenia. I think Moto may be the most intellectual cuisine in the US today.


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## chef_oz (Mar 7, 2006)

well, to me he's all about balance. 
He's a pioneer for well crafted food and marketing it to no end.
His books, restaurants, styles and cutting edge blending of foods and ingredients makes me :bounce:


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

What are your thought on Homaro Cantu?


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## botanique (Mar 23, 2005)

Moto....

I actually have not had the pleasure of visiting Chicago, therefore obviously have not personally visited any of its fine restaurants (shame on me). Perhaps I should arrange a flight for a few reviews???  

I would welcome the Moto experience. Chef Cantu, I understand, is well respected.

I think my Supermoto buddies I'll be filming on the 20th would love the irony LOL


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## chef_oz (Mar 7, 2006)

a very modern chef. But thats pretty vauge. 
He's also a pioneer of matching food, cookware, plateing types, techniques and kills it on his world known 18 course meal. I don't know too much about him or moto but... I must say from the foodie news a read from Chicago, Moto is in its own class.
:ciao:


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

chefoz
I agree chefoz its just a field full of so much awesome talent its hard to choose.Give a choice we would be like kids in a candy store.....


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I try to keep up with the newest openings and themes. I really feel deprived here in Dallas. Food is represented well, but I think the shining stars view us as meat and potatoes. Roy's put up a place but, oh well? I'm contemplating doing a rest tour this summer. It's getting more difficult to keep up with things now a days. There seems to be so much menutia to deal with before you get some info. Am I just immagining that, or losing patience? The internet seems to be filling up with "stuff".
CR you're so off. There are two different worlds within one ,in this bus.
Some take the challenging role ie competition, large houses. and some of us scale down. For pastries, I really like the style of Michele Willaume, of course I'd love just to stand next to Jean Phillipe.
For food, Moto, awesome. It's one of those styles that you can read deep things into, even if it was not meant to be. Make sence.
I stepped foot in to this mans house way back , and I can't help but wonder what he would be doing with food now, if he hadn't passed on. A giving genius.Chef Radits.


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## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

Come on Pan. What yadda mean off? Off as in no brain, or off has in my choices? Guess I am just not up with the times don't get much news about famous chefs where I am....


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I mean off ,by putting my name in the same post as those chef's. If I hadn't wasted all that time on the hot side:lol: I might have given it a run. 
You do realize by now that I speak to everyone on an even plane, eye to eye? If I thought you were off, as in no brain, you wouldn't need a ? There would be no misunderstanding :chef: That's why I like you


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## mikeb (Jun 29, 2004)

Not technically a 'chef' (depending on definitions anyway), but I'll chime in here. The chefs who inspire me most are without a doubt Alain Ducasse and Pierre Gagnaire. Hervé This is also of great inspiration (although not a chef). Gagnaire and This are doing some really neat things applying science to grand cuisine, reading their books has actually changed the way I think about cooking and my entire approach when making dishes. 

I can't say I'm into the whole El Bulli way of presenting food, I like my food to look like food. Applying science is a great thing, but to me it seems some chefs get carried away...(Cantu, Blumenthal, Achatz, Dufresne, etc...)


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Mike, 

WD-50 can be a challenge, Dufresne. Maybe less ingredient driven & more technique driven, but thought provoking in a cutting edge kind of way.

Remember we can always retreat to blue hill and Craft


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

My inspirations come seem currently to come from 100 years ago....local Steve Komerick (Trattatoria Marcella) is making old world Italian salames, lardo, boned out and stuffed piggies, Ed Neil (SLU and Cafe Provencal) has been making French charcuterie for years and I still enjoy hanging around watching him break down whole critters. Andy White is making pickles, sour kraut, preserving peppers at Harvest the combinations he puts together are fun. I'm still hunting down leaf lard preservers.....best I can come up with are grandmothers in their 90's who made pies with it and just stored it in the basement/root cellar....or premade shells and kept them in the "piesafe". 
Farmers that come in with interesting fruits/vegetables are inspiring....to play with black radishes, black raspberries, white donut peaches, garlic scapes, fraise du bois, fun peppers, great tomatoes, duck eggs (now there's something I really want to get my hands on....just think about what you could do with greater viscosity!!!), the cheese makers that make it seem so simple...oh yeah until you try it.
The food scientist guys are doing interesting experiments that may influence the way we cook....if nothing else their techniques are fun to follow and open up doors not normally there....use of jelling agents (agar agar) comes to mind immediately.
Steingarten is an inspiration, Peter Kaminsky also, they follow their passions.
Inspiration, where does the muse come from.....good question. Were we born with curiosity or was it breed into us....I tend to think a combination.


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## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

Lately, I've been inspired by Judy Rodgers of the Zuni Cafe via her cookbook. I love the delicous simplicity and lack of artsy fartsy concepts. Now, I just have to drag my butt to San Francisco and eat there.

Charlie Trotter is a big inspiration to me for his views on service and for his background. Of course, his volumes of food porn are nice too.

My other big inspiration is my mentor from school Chef Giovanni Del Rossario. He taught me what it means to be a chef, just like my dad taught me how to be a man.

As far as who is hot, I think Joachim Spiechal is doing some really cool things with the Patina Group. It's remarkable how his team can provide high level of quality across so many different operations. I think he and Mario Batalli are the closest to pulling a Alain Ducasse style feat of excellence.

(In interest of full disclosure, I did work for the Patina Group once for several months at Patinette in the Musuem of Comtempary Art. I also did my chef profile on him for school (he has a very cool chef "family tree"). I did meet him once, though Iam ashamed to admit that I wussed out and couldn't stop mumbling.)


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## irishchef (Mar 15, 2006)

Jacques Pepin...because, above all, he posesses the quality that is most lacking in almost every Chef I've met (me included)...humility. 

Bake bread. Make soup. Give it to someone who needs it. Teach them to do it themselves. 
Our motivation should not be to advance ourselves, to exhalt the food we make, but rather to feed the spirit and souls of those around us.


....or not. Just my $.02 worth. have a nice day !


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

does not need to be exclusive.....they can co-exist
Bake bread. Make soup. Give it to someone who needs it. Teach them to do it themselves. 
Our motivation should not be to advance ourselves, to exhalt the food we make, but rather to feed the spirit and souls of those around us.


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## ricib (Jun 28, 2005)

Personal experience, my main inspiration will always be my Grandfather H. I just wish I'd have paid more attention to his recipes, when cooking with him, and certainly eating them. As a young boy I just took it for granted.

Professionally, I'm heavilly influenced by Rick Bayless mostly for his ties to Latin-American food, as they are quite the same as mine are. The fact that he (as do I) actually travels to the place he is influenced by, is something that sticks with me no matter what I am cooking at the time.

As for the Food Network, I am influenced by them in the way that it re-ignited the flame that once was there in me, for the food industry. It's probably on 75% of the day and night at my house.


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## logghib (May 4, 2005)

I've been to Trotter's place in Lincoln Park - I wouldn't take the experience back, but I wouldn't go there again either. His cuisine is lacking soul, in my mind - and anyone can throw enough money at food to make it good. Charlie Trotter's talent is in getting people to actually pay for it.

Moto is a gimmick factory. I'm glad it's there, but I'm glad that I am not there.

Scott Bryan's food arouses me.

I've been keeping an eye on Geno Bahena - probably a more worthwhile watch than Rick Bayless. Has apparently migrated to LA now to rock out some more upscale Mexican fare.

Patrick O'Connell seems incapable of not looking like a major tool in every press photograph he's in, but dang if the guy doesn't make delicious food.

I expect awesome stuff from Michael Carlson, who is like the stoner of haute cuisine. And unlike other places in Chicago, I can make a reservation at Schwa sometime in this century.


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## cultalktx (Mar 29, 2006)

Hello everyone I am new to the group and wanted to share some helpful links with everyone:chef:

30mindishes.com
30minrecipes.com


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## andrew563 (Oct 12, 2005)

My inspirations? All the people I have worked with. From the chefs to the line cooks, ****, even the dishwashers. I have learned something from each and everyone.


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## travisbickle (Mar 13, 2006)

I'm going to take the first part of Capechef's question and go with that. My inspirations include every chef that I have worked for, the names won't sound familiar, but I feel I owe it to the those who have "raised" me in the wild. Patrick Brooks- Michangelo in Conyers, GA; Mike Bell- Columbus Brewing Company in Columbus, OH; John Beck- R J Snappers, Columbus, OH. I have not only met these chefs in person, but actually worked under thier close supervision and I have learned many things that no formal education is capable of providing. Thanks to my teachers for sculpting me!


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