Food of La Familia
This is story about how my little family fell in love with food.
Naturally our mothers and grandmothers were sources of inspiration, with their favoured offerings being passed from generation to generation. For some you can adapt them and improve them, but ‘sometimes you have to just leave them the fuck alone’. Thanks Anthony Bourdain.
I grew up being aware of food, without really understanding it. Our Grandmothers would stick to traditional Scottish recipes, post-War frugality being a significant influence, but also husbands who didn’t like change. Dad thought Spag Bol was foreign muck. Mum was much more creative and inventive and had a poetic lightness when it came to desserts. I wouldn’t say that I learned about food from my Mums apron, though I do kind of wish I had paid more attention.
Through their formative years, our children endured food and travel programmes constantly, and there have been some huge influences on us all as we grew up.
Anthony Bourdain – The one and only, truly immortal, author of Kitchen Confidential and hundreds of shows with Parts Unknown and No Reservations. At his happiest when eating at a beach with sand between his toes and a cold beer in his hand. We cried at the news of his suicide in 2018. He remains the unequivocal food and travel presenter. An oracle of social commentary.
‘Eat well, travel often’
‘Your body is not a temple, it is an amusement ride’
‘An egg in anything, makes it better’
RIP Tony.
Ken Hom – when you get brought up on pretty average British Chinese takeaway in the 1980’s , this was a revelation to see how healthy it could be. But…
‘First you have to get your wok, really , really hot !
Gordon Ramsay – the lunatic, ex-footballer from Greenock who burst on to the cooking scene, swearing incessantly and the master of the insults.
‘My gran could do better ! And she is dead….’
To be fair the boy can cook, you don’t get 16 Michelin Stars in your career if you cannot.
Marco Pierre White – Rock and roll god and enfant terrible. Name sounded French, but he just sounded pure Yorkshire.
Jamie Oliver – Self-taught young chef when he burst on to the scene in the Naked Chef. His use of pukka seemed to annoy everyone, but we loved the fact that you could include cool indie music on a food programme. To be fair the man is prolific with his work rate, and should get more recognition for being a food evangelist for the young.
‘Every child should be taught how to cook in school’
Keith Floyd – The eccentric Keith, travelled the world dressed very dapper, and always with a glass of wine in hand. He loved cooking, and never really minded if he messed it up. He gave you permission to be flawed both with cooking and your life.
‘Cooking is an art, and patience is a virtue’
‘Love for food, and love for those that you invite to your table – with a combination of these you can be an artist’.
Rick Stein – The man who owns Padstow, who opened our eyes to seafood. On a family holiday he inspired us to visit the Canal du Midi. We made our own French Odyssey to Castlenaudry, on his recommendation to eat the best cassoulet in France. Sadly, it was shut, so we made do with a French version of Greggs.
And not just cooking shows on Television, but sometimes on the big screen, so I can give you my top three.
Dinner Rush – The most perfect little, short film if you like food and Italian mafia genre films. The story unfolds during one long night in an Italian restaurant in Tribeca. I love the scene when the power goes out and they keep serving the food under candlelight.
The Big Night – The film that really launched the career of Stanley Tucci. The story of Primo and Secondo, who try to save their struggling restaurant business. The scene where he cooks the omelette is immaculate, and should be used to train hotel breakfast staff everywhere. It has been said that Stanley Tucci could read the phone book and he would still sound sexy.
Ratatoullie – The film that best captures a restaurant is an animated one, following the adventures of a rat called Remy, blessed with a wonderful palate. The film is a love letter to food, and is about the courage you need in the kitchen
Edit : Sept 2023. I have just finished binging both seasons of the Bear. Its on Disney+, set in a Chicago family sandwich shop. It is tremendous and comes straight in to my list.
If I reflect back on the list that I have given you, I can see a pattern emerge. I have not put some of the biggest names in the culinary world on my list of influencers. There is no Thomas Keller, or Alain Ducasse, Ferran Adra, Heinz Beck. I am sure their food is amazing, but that sterile molecular-gastronomy doesn’t really do it for me.
I once had the pleasure to eat and experience La Pergola at the Waldorf Astoria in Rome. It is a proud owner of Three Michelin Stars. The ten course tasting menu became 12 courses once you added the inevitable amuse bouche. The food was really excellent, and every course was dutiful photographed for Instagram.
My difficulty with it was centred around the experience. It has ‘male’ menus which showed prices, and ‘female’ menus which did not, the water menu ran to over 12 pages, the wine menu was two leather-bound books. You had to wear a jacket throughout, and if you didn’t have one, then they would loan you one. I think these days are in the past, how can you enjoy food, when there are so many rules to obey.
I must confess that I woke up with the food sweats at 4am in the morning. At the end of the day it all comes out the same way.
My list of influencers like to have lots of passion, lots of raucous noise, great music, probably some swearing, loud music, and realise that food can be a joyful experience, which shouldn’t be taken too serious. It should be totally inclusive, everyone should have the same right, not just the exclusively wealthy. You should be able to wear whatever you want, lose your shoes. The only rules are that you respect your fellow guests and thank those that have prepared your food. And if that so happens to be in someones home, then you do the dishes.
Enjoy,
Johnny GG