![]() Was he leading me to the secret French Laundry closet where they locked up underdressed patrons? The drumming in my ears gave way to the sounds of kitchen life - sizzling meat, clattering plates, the call and response between expeditor and line cook.Īs we sat down in "the box," a small, closet-like room with a high director's chair looking out into the kitchen, I got my first glimpse of this world-renowned kitchen. Here's a flute of Champagne and some caviar"? Whatever my imagined scenario, it wasn't happening.Īfter a long beat during which I stood, mute, he said, "Follow me." We walked down a narrow hallway. Had I hoped, subconsciously, that Keller would come to my prep station, introduce himself and say, "Such a sharp peeler! And clean kitchen clogs! Come into my inner circle. In preparation for my "real" day, I'd ironed my black pants, scrubbed the bottom of my kitchen clogs, in storage since I last worked the line, and even sharpened my peeler. When I found out he'd be at the restaurant that very night, I dropped what I was doing - eating a burger in St. But, on my drive to Yountville I received a call saying that Chef Keller had to fly back East, some scheduling mix-up. I'd been scheduled to spend the next day in the kitchen with him, helping the cooks prep while observing a day in the life of the restaurant, research for a story I was writing about what goes on the behind the scenes of four-star restaurants in the Bay Area. ![]() I wanted to explain that I hadn't been prepared to meet him, the only American-born chef awarded multiple three-star Michelin ratings simultaneously. Standing there in jeans and a striped T-shirt as patrons in suits and gowns dined on the meal of a lifetime, I panicked. I couldn't tell if this was a question or a statement. My heart pounded audibly in my ears, like some distant funereal drum procession. ![]() "You're not supposed to be wearing jeans. ![]()
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