#29 - 10 February 2009 - "Habits" - Aristotle

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." – Aristotle

The Greeks have had a civilized culture far longer than most societies and the quote above was certainly not intended for use in my web blog – but here it is appropriately titling this stream of conscious thought. Btw, one blog reader noted that “I do tend to ramble on”... What! Me? I’ll try to stay on course.

I absolutely am having passionate nirvana in my position as a stage at The French Laundry. The food, the plates, the staff…all top-shelf embodiments of our business. Yet, the small details are constantly finding me dumbstruck in the complete acceptance and performance of tasks from Chef to dishwasher. Complete and unwavering adherence to the fact that the details matter. Did I say complete adherence...? Yes. The habitual refinement of not only the food but the careful proclivity to be organized and to maintain their mise en place is paramount. I have been practicing these “concepts” of mise en place, organization and cleanliness for what seems like a lifetime. In my culinary school days I was duely noted as being clean and organized. I have letters of recommendation stating and confirming my adeptness at maintaining those standards. In the culinary classroom and kitchens I am always preaching and guiding students through the concept and practice that “Good cooking is the accumulation of small details done to perfection” - which absolutely includes the concerted practice of “WORKING CLEAN”. I work in private homes with my business, 12 Seasons Personal Chef and Sommelier Services, and we are always effecting our abilities to do all of the above... Fast forward to now. Yountville, California. 2009. The French Laundry kitchen! I am an invited visitor into the gastronomic temple of food in America and some of my own “attention to detail" is just not enough! It’s their home and I need to remember that I am a temporary holder, and passer, of their torch. So, in my quest for perfection (and to quote Emeril), it is time to “kick it up a notch”! Thank you Chef Johnny for helping to unknowingly clarify the lesson. The issue is not important – although, it had to do with cleaning the rendered Wagyu fat container. My standard - my habit, as Aristotle admonishes - my par excellence was not good enough. Small beans? No! My own arrogance betrayed me and I realized that I’m not in charge here, but a temporay guest. It is a huge learning lesson. Being a stage has allowed me to look at the kitchen and the restaurant from a totally different perspective. A perspective that had I publicly acknowledged might happen, has happened. I learned patience as a Culinary Instructor and I am learning to be humble as a stagier… Yet the profundity of it all is cleansing. There is no greater personal lesson, for me, the seeker of perfection. As Chef Keller has stated “the closer one comes to perfecting something the farther away perfection becomes”.

Finally a quote from the 20th century Italian writer Cesare Pavese; "We do not remember days, we remember moments". Peace

~R

P.S.
Thank you, JoAnna, for the inspiration in all that I do.

P.P.S.
I will be documenting an entire service and Chef’s Tasting Menu on Wednesday, the 11th of February. I’m looking forward to sharing that experience with you… Stay tuned.