Response to “Culture of the Kitchen: David Chang”

Everest’s first light saber

I’m not a Star Wars expert, but with the latest episode in theaters now, and with Chef David’s description of his dark side vs. light side battle of how he would behave as the chef in his own restaurants, I attempted to keep up with the comparisons.

In August, Chef David’s close chef friend, Rene Redzepi, wrote an article about how the need for change in the kitchen culture lands on chefs and cooks growing up in the industry. It was insightful, but it also seemed a little like “Sure, you can say this, but you’re at the pinnacle of the culinary world.”

Chef David’s article sort of feels that way, too, because he also shares the coveted spotlight and wealth that only a few chefs know.

“As my years in the profession stack up, I find myself caring less about cutting-edge cooking and more about the well-being of my employees and how my customers feel,” he writes.

I wonder, can a chef really succeed if she is as worried about the experience and environment for her cooks as she is about the cutting-edge quality of her food and menus? Can she really get to the top – I mean the household-name level – and still keep an empathetic perspective?

Chef-readers, what do you think? Let us know, and share your thoughts with us.

Chef David Chang’s response to Chef Rene Redzepi’s article: The Culture of the Kitchen.

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