What would you serve a famous chef?

[Jenise]

On this topic, a guy I know who had never cooked in his life suddenly got interested in it in his 40's. And he went big, from barely being able to butter toast to making his own butter in about two years' time. He spent every weekend in the kitchen. I've never seen anyone learn so much so fast. Anyway, he moved from his suburban location into downtown Chicago and enrolled his youngest son in a private school there where, at a parents night, he met another parent, a guy, who was going through a divorce. Their kids were tight, and my friend and this other guy really hit it off so he invited this man and his kid to dinner "real soon". Only THEN did he realize who his new friends was: Charlie Trotter. No pressure!

I'm answering this not as a "famous" chef, but just as a chef. I think all the chefs I've known over the years would agree with me.

Fame is in the eye -- or is that the mind? -- of the beholder, Chef. Apropos this topic, the mother of my best friend is a very skilled home cook of the Italian-American persuasion. Once, when we were in high school, she had Narsai David (I imagine that you know him, Chef) over for dinner and pulled out all the stops. I heard that the dinner went well, but the household was as tense as Mexican standoff for the week prior. NFW I'm doing that to myself or my family!

Mark Lipton

I'm answering this not as a "famous" chef, but just as a chef. I think all the chefs I've known over the years would agree with me.

Fame is in the eye -- or is that the mind? -- of the beholder, Chef. Apropos this topic, the mother of my best friend is a very skilled home cook of the Italian-American persuasion. Once, when we were in high school, she had Narsai David (I imagine that you know him, Chef) over for dinner and pulled out all the stops. I heard that the dinner went well, but the household was as tense as Mexican standoff for the week prior. NFW I'm doing that to myself or my family!

Mark Lipton

Yes, I've known Narsai David since he was at The Pot Luck in Berkeley. I used to eat there all the time. Went to his new joint in Kensington a few times, as well.

Over the years folks have been afraid to ask me to dinner, but once we got past that first time everything was fine.

Most of the meals were fine and uneventful. There was one funny incident. These two guys who had taken evening classes from me invited me to dinner. One was an attorney and the other owned a video company.

The meal was quite good with some great wines, including a very old sherry (I don't normally drink sherry) and it was more port-like (I love vintage ports) than any sherry I've ever experienced).

With the sherry they trotted out some meringues they had made. Well, I call them meringues...but, they could easily have been cement. There were eight of us around the table. I tried cutting mine with a fork. No go. I still had my knife so I went at it again. Couldn't make a dent in it. I looked around and everybody was having the same problem.

I said, "Marshall and Ray I have an idea for the next time you want to make meringues."

"Great, Chef, what's that?" they said almost in unison.

"I suggest you put a miniature chainsaw at each guest's place."

We all laughed.