Is there a fundamental difference between home cooks and restaurant chefs (except for the differences in resources and skill)? Charles Krautkramer in this book on
Tag: aesthetics of food
When a Chef Becomes an Artist
Just as Van Gogh revealed the secrets of the landscapes near Arles in his paintings of Southern France, culinary artists reveal hidden dimensions of ingredients
Le Calandre and the Challenge of Fine Dining
For me, the biggest challenge in fully appreciating tasting menus is the pace, even in dining rooms where the wait staff and kitchen are sensitive
A Bad Argument for Why Food Cannot Be Art
There are some serious although mistaken arguments for why some food preparations cannot be works of art. Then there are some really bad arguments for
Why Not Just Admit It? Flavor is About Pleasure, Not Survival
Most cuisines can be identified by the characteristic flavors they use to enhance their dishes: Chili peppers, tomato, and lime in Mexico; soy sauce, rice
Cuisine Has Reached It’s Postmodern Moment
My recent visit to Alinea, the temple of modernist cuisine in the U.S., prompted some thoughts about whether molecular gastronomy is maintaining it’s radical edge.