What do Bernard Loiseau and Zinedine Zidane have in common?

One thing we know, besides being both French, is that both men were very famous. They built their talent and reputation on activities that made them icons and role models for a generation that has always looked for heroes to admire.

Obviously, these two men are very different. Bernard Loiseau, who probably most of you have heard as being one of the most talented French chefs of his generation, tragically put an end to his life a couple of years ago. Zinedine Zidane, on the other end, built his fame by becoming one of the best soccer players of the last ten years but who put an end to his career with very disgraceful behavior. What it shows is that after all, "icons" are human beings like we are and sometimes carrying all this pressure and constantly displaying the perfect image can take a toll on even those with the strongest character. Both men have shown they were not immune to suffering the consequences of their actions, and for a split of second, made an irreversible mistake. Bernard Loiseau's act of despair carries more weight than Zidane who still has many more years to live but has quite shattered his image for ever. I will leave the comparison at that.

One question that has troubled me for quite a while and one I would like to share with you is: "Is a chef an artist?" Before responding directly to this question it would be helpful to first define what an artist is: a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination. Following this definition, we can acknowledge that some chefs are true artists. The difficulty is to identify those artists. Many talented chefs, not necessarily the most famous ones, can be excellent technicians but not necessarily good artists, and vice versa. You need both to excel at what you do. The challenge for many chefs is to combine the fragile balance between letting their art guide their inspiration through their work and the reality of running a business where making money or surviving is a priority. You can be a dreamer, usually artists are, but you also have to think smart which is sometimes contradictory. A chef can express his art by the creativity and originality of the dishes prepared, and of course in the presentation of the plates. Very often it is the detail that makes the difference. Two identical dishes prepared the same way but presented differently can have a tremendous impact on the eyes of an observer. However, I like to think that a chef is before all, someone who has a passion for preparing food for others, and from that passion, has developed a personal style that reflects his sensitivity and emotions. I would say that most of the chefs are artists and most of them are not on the front page of Gourmet or Bon Appetit magazine. The hardest part for an artist is to deal with critics. I am sure you have heard, like me, people observing a piece of art, making negative and sometimes cruel comments. It hurts because the artist puts so much into it and any critique is taken very personally. So, next time you go to a restaurant and you are ready to criticize a dish for a matter of taste or presentation, ask yourself if your comment is personal or a general consensus. We all know everybody has different opinions with senses more or less developed to fully appreciate the passion and work put into a dish. The question is - don't you like a dish because of a technical reason such as being overcooked, poorly seasoned, tasteless, lack of texture, etc. or because you simply don't like it the way it is. In that case, it is more a spontaneous criticism targeted at the artist: "I don't like it!" In both situations your critiques are legitimate but the impact is more devastating when directed at the artistic side of the person.

To me, there can only be one chef artist in a kitchen and that same chef's sensitivity and imagination can only be attributed to him or her. In addition, to being qualified as an artist, a chef is also required to have a personality. People will go to your restaurant not necessarily because of the food served but more likely because of who you are. For example I have some difficulties when a chef becomes famous (must be an artist), and decides to expand the number of his restaurants. Don't you feel a little bit cheated when you go to a restaurant because of the reputation of the chef and realize that the chef is actually a "clone" of the master chef? It cannot be the same even if the plates served look similar to the one that would have been prepared by the master chef. Art is the personal expression of each person and we all have a different sensitivity and imagination in our interpretation of creative work. Sure, art can be copied, but we all know the difference.

Have a great Summer!