I have been itching to get my hands on a copy of the Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman for a while. The book had caught my eye after I read his Elements of Cooking. Not necessarily a cookbook as a encyclopedia of sorts for the “essentials of good cooking” including ingredients, tools, and the science involved. I especially enjoyed the chapter on The Egg (pg. 22) where he reverently describes it’s virtues as a perfect food.
The Making of a Chef is the narrative of Ruhlman’s experience at the Culinary Institute of America which he attended in 1997 to learn what being a student was like at one of the most prestigious cooking schools in the world. In his own words “to craft a story that would be compelling even for those who have no intention of setting foot in a culinary school, but who still want to know what happens to you when you learn to cook, what it means to be a cook and a chef, and to know what the work of professional cooking has to tell us about food and cooking generally, whether in professional kitchens or at home.”
It is full of anecdotal stories and lots of references to the techniques and recipes of traditional French cuisine. Most of which went right over my head. In it’s essence though, the book explores the fundamental differences that set really good cooks above the rest.
Technique, passion, care, discipline, creativity, and attention to detail are all qualities required.
It got me thinking about preparing food. To be cooking at this high level requires a philosophy that goes hand in hand with the skills and the passion. You need have the ultimate level of respect for the ingredients. This is reflected in how they are prepared all the way up until they are plated to serve. You are always aiming for perfection. We can take it a step further and place this significance on how the ingredients are grown and raised as well.
This mindfulness with food feels lost in our modern age. We don’t know where our food comes from, we’ve forgotten the taste of fresh in-season produce, we’re content with letting others feed us. Reading this book I was reminded once again of the sacredness of preparing and eating food. The act of cooking should be pleasurable. It should be about honoring the ingredients and in turn honoring your taste buds and well-being as well as those of the people you share it with.
I love to watch cooking shows, one of my favorites is Chef’s Table on Netflix. I know I will never be able to cook at the level of the chef’s profiled or eat at their restaurants. I tend to stick with the basics: salad, fried eggs, chili, lots of lentils, that is the way I cook. As I am re-evaluating how I eat I ought to also be re-evaluating how I cook. I’m not aiming for complicated and fussy. But instead for improving taste, technique, presentation, and understanding. To focus on perfecting simple preparations to highlight the ingredients.
I have a lot to learn about growing food, preparing meals and eating well. It is my promise to you that every post, every recipe, everything I share reflects the highest level of care in their research, testing, and storytelling. Just as a good chef aims for perfection every time they send a dish out of the kitchen and to a table I aim for perfection every time I share something with you.
-Leona
Greens for Greatness 