Francis Lam, a brilliant food writer and the host of the radio show The Splendid Table, interviewed the famous chef Jacques Pepin a few years ago.
Francis asked Jacques: “I noticed in your new book, the very first recipe is for a simple roast chicken: no brining, no spicing, just a hot pan and a hot oven. So, let me ask you, why is a simple roast chicken such an iconic dish for French chefs?”
Jacques answered: “For different reasons. It’s like a hard-cooked egg – something that there is no recovery from if you don’t do it right. It’s so simple, like a bread, when you have a real bread made with flour and water and yeast, and that’s it. It has to be done right. Otherwise, there is no recovery.” Read more…
You must possess cooking skills. You have to have experience in the kitchen. You should pay attention to detail. You must have intuition. It’s essential to be calm in the face of failure.
