0:00:06.220,0:00:08.288 (Jacques) Good morning! 0:00:08.478,0:00:10.452 Good morning, everybody! 0:00:10.452,0:00:11.699 (Audience) Good morning! 0:00:11.699,0:00:14.547 Claudine and I are delighted [br]to be with you this morning 0:00:14.547,0:00:16.348 to be the first one. 0:00:17.350,0:00:22.007 I left home when I was 13[br]to go to apprenticeship, 0:00:22.939,0:00:24.674 that was in 1949. 0:00:26.278,0:00:30.172 Actually, home was a restaurant[br]where my mother was the chef, 0:00:31.132,0:00:33.189 I was already in that business. 0:00:33.189,0:00:37.839 In fact, there was 12 restaurants[br]through the years in my family 0:00:38.238,0:00:40.399 and 12 of them owned by women, 0:00:40.539,0:00:44.067 I'm the first male to enter [br]that business in my family. 0:00:45.467,0:00:49.175 I went into apprenticeship from Lyon,[br]where my mother had her little restaurant 0:00:49.175,0:00:52.740 to Bourg-en-Bresse, where [br]I was born a few miles away. 0:00:53.741,0:00:57.078 Prior to that, when we were [br]about 8-9 years old, 0:00:57.078,0:00:58.798 my mother had that little restaurant 0:00:58.798,0:01:02.209 so, my brother and I, [br]before going to school, 0:01:02.209,0:01:04.759 walked with my mother to the market 0:01:04.759,0:01:08.507 - the St. Antoine market[br]along the Saône river - 0:01:09.268,0:01:14.370 and she would walk the market one way, [br]about 1/2 a mile, and buy on her way back. 0:01:14.942,0:01:17.918 Buying a case of mushrooms [br]which were getting dark 0:01:17.918,0:01:20.404 maybe for a third of the price or less. 0:01:21.079,0:01:24.630 We carried, of course,[br]we didn't have a car at the time. 0:01:24.630,0:01:28.587 She'd get home and start doing [br]her vegetables, peeling for the day. 0:01:29.779,0:01:33.171 She did not have [br]a refrigerator at that time. 0:01:33.300,0:01:37.427 She had an ice box, that is[br]a block of ice into a little cabinet, 0:01:37.728,0:01:41.504 so she'd have chicken of the day, meat, 0:01:41.921,0:01:48.127 fish, usually, whiting or mackerel [br]or skate -inexpensive fish - 0:01:48.659,0:01:51.679 and that she has to use it that day. 0:01:51.679,0:01:55.473 And again, the day after, [br]we start all over again. 0:01:55.878,0:01:58.893 Everything was organic, [br]everything was local. 0:01:59.238,0:02:01.990 The word organic did not really exist -- 0:02:02.098,0:02:06.368 well, since chemical fertilizers [br]did not exist either, 0:02:06.368,0:02:09.958 or fungicides, insecticides, pesticides,[br]all that stuff did not exist, 0:02:09.958,0:02:14.594 so everything was, you know, local and -- 0:02:14.924,0:02:17.261 (Claudine) Organic.[br](Jacques) Organic, that's it. 0:02:17.261,0:02:22.157 So, I went into apprenticeship, [br]I was 13 years old and, at that time, 0:02:23.380,0:02:27.245 it was very structured,[br]well, still is to certain extend, 0:02:28.038,0:02:30.669 you got to be there on time,[br]you got to be clean, 0:02:30.669,0:02:32.638 you have to be willing, 0:02:32.638,0:02:36.532 it's discipline, it's structure,[br]that's the way a kitchen can work. 0:02:37.029,0:02:39.819 We learn through a type of osmosis. 0:02:39.819,0:02:45.226 The chef never really explained [br]anything, he'd just say, "Do that". 0:02:45.509,0:02:49.129 And if you say, "Why?", and he'd say, [br]"Because I just told you". 0:02:49.129,0:02:51.266 That was about the end[br]of the apprenticeship. 0:02:51.948,0:02:55.958 Probably, just as good for[br]someone who's 13-14 years old. 0:02:57.268,0:03:02.468 So, we worked, repeating, and repeating,[br]and repeating those techniques ad nauseam; 0:03:03.168,0:03:06.250 we were not allowed[br]to go to the stove for a year. 0:03:06.638,0:03:09.851 So, during that year,[br]I did pluck a lot of chicken, 0:03:09.854,0:03:14.439 eviscerated a lot of chicken, [br]scaled fish, chopped parsley, 0:03:14.439,0:03:17.857 all of that type of things,[br]and then, the chef called me -- 0:03:17.857,0:03:20.049 My name was "you" at the time, 0:03:20.049,0:03:24.740 then by the time I went to the stove,[br]they called me Jacques, so I got the name. 0:03:26.240,0:03:28.268 So, he said, "You start tomorrow". 0:03:28.818,0:03:31.648 "I start tomorrow?",[br]I didn't know how to do it; 0:03:31.648,0:03:33.889 I went to the stove[br]and I knew how to do it. 0:03:33.889,0:03:38.549 So there was that type of osmosis,[br]things that you show, that you mentor. 0:03:38.549,0:03:43.083 I've got a book called, "La technique",[br]that I published in 1975, 0:03:43.083,0:03:44.590 so it's 40-year old, 0:03:45.131,0:03:48.540 and I don't cook[br]the way I did 40 years ago. 0:03:48.540,0:03:51.906 But the way I did an egg white, [br]or sharpen a knife, 0:03:52.735,0:03:55.284 or bone out a chicken, [br]to give you a sense; 0:03:55.284,0:03:58.707 it is that kind of permanence,[br]that kind of continuity, 0:03:58.707,0:04:00.797 that, you'll learn in the kitchen; 0:04:00.797,0:04:03.986 to be first a craftsman. 0:04:04.299,0:04:11.109 And it's very difficult, [br]very often, to explain in words 0:04:11.109,0:04:13.031 something that you can show -- 0:04:14.850,0:04:16.939 It's easier to show -- 0:04:21.339,0:04:23.419 than to explain 0:04:24.913,0:04:26.388 in words. 0:04:30.320,0:04:32.547 You can do that to chocolate as well. 0:04:32.547,0:04:34.972 You'd do that at exactly [br]the right temperature. 0:04:36.109,0:04:37.620 And we used to 0:04:38.670,0:04:41.103 put the butter in [br]a little container, that on top, 0:04:41.790,0:04:43.698 and now you can charge 20 bucks for it. 0:04:43.698,0:04:46.298 (Laughter) 0:04:47.258,0:04:51.802 Put that in water that's cold, [br]so we could do whatever. 0:04:51.802,0:04:54.270 (Applause) 0:04:54.270,0:04:55.430 Thank you, Titine. 0:04:55.430,0:04:58.174 For me, first you have to be a craftsman. 0:04:58.499,0:05:02.838 You have to be a craftsman, and is[br]that repeat, and repeat, and repeat, 0:05:02.838,0:05:05.368 that is very important. 0:05:06.598,0:05:08.036 Just like 0:05:08.140,0:05:13.579 you can spend a year, two years, [br]in a studio in art school 0:05:13.579,0:05:18.041 and learn the law of perspective,[br]it is perfectly fine, 0:05:18.041,0:05:20.848 and you learn how to mix [br]yellow and blue to make green, 0:05:20.848,0:05:24.238 you know what to do with your sand, [br]with your spatula, with the brush; 0:05:24.238,0:05:27.938 then you can come out and [br]do one painting after another. 0:05:27.938,0:05:30.480 So, does that make you a chef? Not really. 0:05:30.480,0:05:35.759 But you're by then, a good craftsman,[br]and that's very important. 0:05:35.759,0:05:38.349 You have, first, to know your trade, 0:05:38.349,0:05:40.061 whether you are 0:05:41.554,0:05:45.180 a shoemaker, or a cabinet maker[br]- like my father - 0:05:45.599,0:05:47.871 first, you know your trade. 0:05:47.871,0:05:58.728 So, those things that we boned out[br]I learned as a child -- 0:05:58.728,0:06:06.760 Then, I learned this from...[br]I don't remember where I learn that but 0:06:07.929,0:06:10.498 when you learn something [br]you learn it a certain way 0:06:10.498,0:06:13.569 and after a while, you don't remember [br]where it comes from, 0:06:13.569,0:06:17.031 and you do it your way, eventually. 0:06:17.031,0:06:22.129 To do a type of lollipop like that [br]as we used to do that you -- 0:06:23.798,0:06:30.018 So, those techniques, as I said,[br]first make you a craftsman, 0:06:30.018,0:06:35.198 and if you are a good craftsman[br]then you can run a restaurant. 0:06:35.198,0:06:38.312 There are about [br]20,000 restaurants in New York 0:06:38.312,0:06:45.659 and 100 are well known, maybe 200, [br]maybe 300, maybe 400 even, 0:06:45.659,0:06:52.398 but what happen to the 19,500[br]is that they are run by artisans, 0:06:52.398,0:06:57.117 people who know how to work properly, 0:06:57.117,0:07:04.861 and this is the only way if you become,[br]in my opinion, a good craftsman, 0:07:04.861,0:07:09.440 if you have that type of knowledge[br]then you can express yourself. 0:07:09.440,0:07:15.638 This is half of yourself, [br]the other half has to do with talent. 0:07:15.638,0:07:27.089 If you happen to have talent like,[br]if you have taste, a bit of a vision, 0:07:27.089,0:07:30.729 if you have a little bit of creativity, 0:07:30.729,0:07:32.270 then you can express yourself, 0:07:32.270,0:07:37.311 you now have the means[br]to express yourself, 0:07:37.679,0:07:40.638 if you've gone through those techniques. 0:07:40.638,0:07:45.028 You have to repeat those techniques,[br]as I said, long enough 0:07:45.028,0:07:48.950 so you can afford to forget it after. 0:07:52.409,0:07:55.279 Here we are, [br]half of this, now the filet -- 0:07:59.338,0:08:02.638 (Claudine) If you have any questions[br]you should shout them out, 0:08:02.638,0:08:04.598 it's a good opportunity. 0:08:04.598,0:08:09.759 There's going to be a test. 0:08:09.759,0:08:11.151 (Laughter) 0:08:12.289,0:08:13.349 (Jacques) This way -- 0:08:14.889,0:08:16.357 There's my carcass. 0:08:17.869,0:08:23.178 Now, [inaudible] filet,[br]you remove it here -- 0:08:27.828,0:08:29.160 This one here -- 0:08:34.840,0:08:38.520 So, you free your hand[br]by learning those techniques 0:08:38.520,0:08:46.369 and as I said, you can think in term [br]of texture and other things 0:08:46.369,0:08:50.539 because, as I said, you free your hand[br]by repeating and repeating. 0:08:50.539,0:08:53.298 Now, this is one part of yourself, 0:08:53.298,0:08:55.640 half of yourself is there, [br]it's the craftsman, 0:08:55.640,0:08:58.989 and the other part of yourself 0:08:59.579,0:09:02.839 will depend on whether [br]you have talent or not, 0:09:02.839,0:09:06.829 and even if you have [br]a little bit of talent, not too much, 0:09:06.829,0:09:11.410 you can still run a little restaurant[br]by being a good technician. 0:09:11.410,0:09:15.389 If you have a lot of talent,[br]then you can take it further, 0:09:15.389,0:09:24.498 but not all the chefs are René Redzepi,[br]or David Chang, or José Andrés -- 0:09:33.919,0:09:35.307 Here we are -- 0:09:35.307,0:09:37.838 (Applause) 0:09:41.308,0:09:44.311 (Jacques) At that point [br]you really don't want to cut the bone 0:09:44.311,0:09:49.470 because the skin will shrink [br]all over the place so, we break it. 0:09:50.398,0:09:53.869 And you know, the interesting part,[br]if you carve in the dining room, 0:09:53.869,0:09:57.302 or if you do a quail [br]or a pheasant or a goose, 0:09:57.302,0:09:59.442 the morphology is the same. 0:09:59.442,0:10:02.539 If you cut a chicken [br]in pieces to do a skew, 0:10:02.539,0:10:07.209 you cut exactly in the sample place,[br]at the shoulder joint, at the hip joint. 0:10:09.690,0:10:10.829 Okay. 0:10:13.158,0:10:17.968 Now, you have to be very proud [br]of what you're doing 0:10:17.968,0:10:24.537 but you also have to be humble[br]to a certain extend 0:10:24.537,0:10:27.311 because there's always someone 0:10:27.311,0:10:31.708 who can think with [br]more creativity than you, 0:10:31.708,0:10:35.248 or who can think harder than you do. 0:10:35.248,0:10:39.429 We're all limited [br]by the extent of our taste 0:10:39.429,0:10:41.048 and they are different, 0:10:41.048,0:10:47.062 and sometimes you have a food critic[br]who really doesn't know how to cook 0:10:47.062,0:10:49.699 but maybe can taste better than you do. 0:10:49.699,0:10:53.019 We follow on that [br]and sometimes it's difficult to take 0:10:53.019,0:10:55.668 but that's the way it is. 0:10:55.668,0:11:02.279 For me, a young chef should work[br]with a good chef, in a good place, 0:11:02.279,0:11:08.948 and at that point your [inaudible] is [br]to try to visualize what that chef does, 0:11:08.948,0:11:15.818 if he or she works with you[br]then you try to see -- 0:11:16.300,0:11:18.999 Yeah, where there's no bones -- 0:11:19.339,0:11:20.669 a little bit here -- 0:11:21.488,0:11:25.578 you try to see the food through[br]his or her sense of aesthetic, 0:11:25.578,0:11:27.630 their sense of taste, 0:11:27.630,0:11:33.147 and even if it doesn't coincide with you, 0:11:33.147,0:11:33.900 most of the time 0:11:33.900,0:11:37.089 it won't coincide with your sense of taste[br]or your sense of aesthetic, 0:11:37.089,0:11:39.559 but it doesn't really matter [br]at that point, 0:11:39.559,0:11:42.377 you have to look at it through that, 0:11:42.377,0:11:45.759 and you do it for a year or two, 0:11:45.759,0:11:47.928 then you work with another chef[br]for a year or two, 0:11:47.928,0:11:52.858 and again looking at things[br]from a different point of view, 0:11:52.858,0:11:56.729 different sense of aesthetic, 0:11:57.021,0:12:00.949 and then maybe with a third one[br]a few more times, 0:12:00.949,0:12:05.338 then at some point [br]you're going to give it back. 0:12:05.338,0:12:11.633 You're going to give it back, 0:12:11.633,0:12:13.978 and now you're going to filter it[br]through your sense of taste, 0:12:13.978,0:12:15.088 through your sense of aesthetic, 0:12:15.088,0:12:16.079 that's how it works 0:12:16.079,0:12:18.997 because ultimately, at some point,[br]you cannot escape yourself, 0:12:18.997,0:12:22.372 you are who you are, and that's the way[br]how you are going to do it. 0:12:22.372,0:12:26.281 It's always a bit of a paradox for me 0:12:26.281,0:12:29.060 because I work with young chefs[br]at Boston University 0:12:29.060,0:12:34.100 and everyone wants to do [br]something special and different. 0:12:34.100,0:12:37.281 I do a class which I call a perfect meal, 0:12:37.281,0:12:41.890 which is a roast chicken,[br]a bol of potatoes and a salad. 0:12:41.890,0:12:43.679 It used to be this way -- 0:12:43.679,0:12:48.289 they all go to the stove[br]to do the same type of things 0:12:48.289,0:12:54.928 and I say, "Don't try to blew my mind[br]because I know that I have 12 people here 0:12:54.928,0:12:57.112 and I'm going to have [br]12 different chicken." 0:12:57.112,0:12:58.520 That's the way it is so -- 0:12:58.520,0:13:01.239 you don't really have to [br]torture yourself to be different, 0:13:01.239,0:13:02.190 you are different, 0:13:02.190,0:13:04.050 there's no way that you can do 0:13:04.050,0:13:07.968 exactly the same thing[br]than the person next to you. 0:13:09.219,0:13:13.339 This is a good beef stuffing but -- 0:13:13.339,0:13:14.738 just to give you an idea. 0:13:22.399,0:13:23.571 Okay, Titine -- 0:13:27.468,0:13:33.698 We have our galantine,[br]that is if we poach it, 0:13:33.698,0:13:35.678 and our ballotine if we roast it. 0:13:36.359,0:13:37.740 Thank you. 0:13:38.208,0:13:40.051 So, we put it this way -- 0:13:52.869,0:13:55.488 (Claudine) No questions? 0:14:09.758,0:14:11.760 (Jacques) Okay. 0:14:21.569,0:14:24.600 - (Jacques) Very quiet here --[br]- (Claudine) I know -- 0:14:25.229,0:14:26.699 (Claudine) Do you want some wine? 0:14:28.418,0:14:31.388 (Jacques) Ah, my daughter knows me --[br](Laughter) 0:14:33.669,0:14:36.109 (Jacques) Our galantine, so -- 0:14:36.109,0:14:42.088 (Applause and cheering) 0:14:45.440,0:14:48.551 (Jacques) Up to that point --[br](Claudine) You have five minutes -- 0:14:48.551,0:14:50.348 (Jacques) Oh yeah... okay. 0:14:50.348,0:14:56.998 the technique to do something[br]remain fairly constant -- 0:15:00.348,0:15:03.539 but at that point[br]this is what it'll change, 0:15:03.539,0:15:07.149 when you're happy with the way [br]how you cook it, what you do with it, 0:15:07.149,0:15:09.998 the seasoning and all of that [br]become your own. 0:15:11.631,0:15:13.448 Okay --[br](Eggs cracking) 0:15:18.491,0:15:21.468 - (Jacques) Pepper, Titine?[br]- (Claudine) Yep -- 0:15:21.910,0:15:25.178 - (Jacques) That's your salt --[br]- (Pepper mill grinding) 0:15:29.067,0:15:32.281 (Claudine) Everyone needs one of me [br]in the kitchen, you all need me -- 0:15:32.281,0:15:34.161 (Laughter) 0:15:35.449,0:15:38.929 (Jacques) Now I cook with[br]my granddaughter as well. 0:15:39.730,0:15:41.210 (Claudine) She's twelve. 0:15:42.908,0:15:49.250 (Jacques) Yes, when I did a TV show [br]with Claudine many years ago -- 0:15:51.399,0:15:53.579 (Jacques) Why did you [br]give me two of those? 0:15:53.891,0:15:56.339 (Claudine) I get... I offer[br]whatever you want it -- 0:15:56.649,0:15:58.249 (Jacques) Okay, good. 0:15:58.798,0:16:04.741 (Jacques) I learned to make [br]three different types of omelettes. 0:16:05.140,0:16:13.308 A flat omelette, à la piperade[br]or omelette basquaise and so forth -- 0:16:13.308,0:16:15.349 Western omelette or in the US, 0:16:15.349,0:16:17.779 and then we did an omelette[br]that my mother would do 0:16:17.779,0:16:20.980 with very large curd, brown, 0:16:20.980,0:16:29.298 and then we did a more [br]classic omelette - like this one - 0:16:31.667,0:16:37.579 and loose, we want to make [br]very small curds like scramble egg -- 0:16:52.061,0:16:55.060 Now there are three different [br]types of omelettes that I would do, 0:16:55.060,0:16:58.888 one is not better than the other,[br]it's just different 0:16:58.888,0:17:01.328 A few weeks ago I did that for television, 0:17:01.328,0:17:04.401 they came to my house and wanted me[br]to do the three types of omelettes, 0:17:04.401,0:17:06.468 which I did -- 0:17:06.920,0:17:10.668 and then they realized they only have [br]a minute and a half when they edited, 0:17:10.668,0:17:13.579 so they just took some stuff [br]from one omelette to the other, 0:17:13.579,0:17:16.118 to the other, and mix [br]the whole thing together -- 0:17:16.118,0:17:17.208 (Laughter) 0:17:17.208,0:17:18.448 (Jacques) What a waste! 0:17:18.448,0:17:20.893 Here you bring it back here 0:17:20.893,0:17:23.731 which you're rolling[br]really like a carpet -- 0:17:23.731,0:17:26.579 so you're just bringing one lid -- 0:17:27.200,0:17:28.858 one lid here and a half moon -- 0:17:30.049,0:17:34.160 nice half moon... [br]bring that here -- 0:17:34.798,0:17:37.470 bring the other lid on top -- 0:17:38.259,0:17:39.918 this is the time [br]when you want to stuff it, 0:17:41.158,0:17:42.670 change hands, 0:17:42.670,0:17:44.950 and that omelette should be -- 0:17:46.219,0:17:47.758 to the edge -- 0:17:49.578,0:17:52.370 Ooooh! 0:17:52.708,0:17:55.829 - The chefs in my kitchen --[br]- (Applause) 0:18:01.550,0:18:04.469 The chef in my kitchen [br]would have seen the pleads on top 0:18:04.469,0:18:08.599 and he would have done some reference[br]to the behind of his grandmother -- 0:18:08.599,0:18:10.261 (Laughter) 0:18:10.261,0:18:17.418 As you can see it should be pale [br]right on top, very creamy, 0:18:17.418,0:18:20.278 very soft inside, like scramble eggs, 0:18:20.278,0:18:24.438 and that's what a classic omelette is. 0:18:25.539,0:18:27.661 (Jacques) Yes, Claudine?[br](Claudine) Yes, papa! 0:18:28.618,0:18:30.130 (Jacques) Ok, will you drink to that?[br](Claudine) I will! 0:18:30.441,0:18:37.993 (Applause) 0:18:40.458,0:18:45.827 (Claudine) Whatever [br]you take away from here, I hope -- 0:18:46.448,0:18:49.018 and it's so wonderful that [br]you're taking the time to be here, 0:18:49.018,0:18:53.211 I hope you share [br]your knowledge with everyone 0:18:53.211,0:18:56.669 because that's how the craft continues, 0:18:56.669,0:18:59.469 that's how our trade continues,[br]that's how it gets better. 0:18:59.469,0:19:03.982 (Jacques) Yeah, I realized quite well,[br]all of you know those techniques, 0:19:03.982,0:19:09.468 some better than me, [br]yet I thank you for coming 0:19:09.468,0:19:13.589 and listening to me, but for me[br]the permanence is there, 0:19:13.589,0:19:19.498 to teach, to explain and to show[br]at least the basic structure, 0:19:19.498,0:19:22.629 and at that point, when you have[br]that type of manual dexterity 0:19:22.629,0:19:24.508 or technical knowledge, 0:19:24.508,0:19:26.798 then you can run a kitchen quite well. 0:19:26.798,0:19:29.600 As I said, if you happen to have talent, 0:19:29.600,0:19:31.919 then you bring it to a another level 0:19:31.919,0:19:38.149 and, like the person who works [br]in a studio for a couple of years, 0:19:38.149,0:19:40.992 as I said, after that, you know [br]how to mix all your paintings 0:19:40.992,0:19:42.632 and know what you can do with a brush, 0:19:42.632,0:19:45.348 then you step outside you do[br]one painting after another -- 0:19:45.348,0:19:47.379 Does that make you an artist? 0:19:47.379,0:19:50.059 Not really, at that point [br]you're a good craftsman. 0:19:50.059,0:19:52.518 If, however, you have talent, 0:19:52.518,0:19:55.379 now you have the means [br]to express that talent 0:19:55.379,0:19:57.010 and take it somewhere. 0:19:57.010,0:20:00.049 As I said, you do [br]have to transcend that level 0:20:00.049,0:20:04.246 in which you have to concentrate[br]on the manual task that you're at. 0:20:04.246,0:20:08.019 You see a beginner coming around[br]and you said: "Do you have any parsley?" 0:20:08.019,0:20:10.860 and he sayd: "Don't disturb me"[br]- someone is slicing something - 0:20:10.860,0:20:13.900 So you have to transcend that level[br]you don't have to think about it, 0:20:13.900,0:20:17.389 things are there so you can think[br]in terms of texture, 0:20:17.389,0:20:20.572 combination of ingredients,[br]or things like that. 0:20:20.572,0:20:21.617 - Right, Titine? 0:20:21.617,0:20:23.820 (Claudine) Right. [br]Do you have any questions? 0:20:23.820,0:20:26.538 (Jacques) I think I was there at [br]one and a half minute, 0:20:26.538,0:20:27.758 now I'm back to seven minutes? 0:20:27.758,0:20:29.408 (Laughter) 0:20:30.448,0:20:31.728 (Claudine) Oh, okay. 0:20:32.828,0:20:39.239 (Jacques) Yes, any questions?[br]No questions... Yes, sir? 0:20:39.900,0:20:42.549 (inaudible speaking from the audience) 0:20:42.898,0:20:44.499 (Claudine) Oh, yeah --[br](Jacques) Do I know that man here? 0:20:44.499,0:20:47.629 (Claudine) I gave him 20 bucks before [br]to say that. Thank you, Michelle! 0:20:48.809,0:20:49.898 (Claudine blowing a kiss) 0:20:50.169,0:20:51.630 (Jacques) Thank you, Michelle. 0:20:51.977,0:20:56.699 Yes, I know that there are [br]great, fantastic chefs here -- 0:20:56.699,0:21:00.402 we had an extraordinary, [br]extraordinary meal at Noma, 0:21:00.402,0:21:03.079 I'm gratified to be here, 0:21:03.079,0:21:05.929 I know I'm the oldest of the group 0:21:05.929,0:21:10.169 and now that I'm passed 80 years old[br]I'm supposed to be wise -- 0:21:10.169,0:21:12.800 I don't think that I'm wiser[br]than when I was 30 years old 0:21:12.800,0:21:16.601 but this is what happens when you get old. 0:21:16.939,0:21:17.858 You think I'm wise, Claudine? 0:21:17.858,0:21:19.769 (Claudine) Yes, yes, yes... [br]of course, you are! 0:21:19.769,0:21:20.898 (Jacques) Ok, that's a good daughter. 0:21:20.898,0:21:23.788 (Laughter) 0:21:23.788,0:21:27.131 (Jacques) Now I'm doing a show[br]with my granddaughter, Shorey, 0:21:27.131,0:21:29.538 which we called "Lesson of a grandfather". 0:21:29.538,0:21:32.749 So, little things, [br]even how to set up a table, 0:21:32.749,0:21:36.369 eat properly at the table or -- 0:21:36.369,0:21:38.948 but no, not enjoying wine yet -- 0:21:38.948,0:21:41.368 (Claudine) No, no, no wine yet,[br]it's just to give us show, so -- 0:21:41.368,0:21:43.481 (Laughter) 0:21:43.481,0:21:44.829 (Claudine) Yes, sir? 0:21:44.829,0:21:49.178 (inaudible speaking from the audience) 0:21:53.118,0:21:57.259 It's a very interesting question...[br]Do you want to repeat the question? 0:21:57.259,0:22:00.728 (Claudine) The question is how [br]are the kitchens today different than 0:22:00.728,0:22:04.319 the kitchens my father[br]was an apprentice in. 0:22:04.319,0:22:05.888 Pretty dramatic? 0:22:05.888,0:22:10.158 - Yes, well, no... but, yes![br]- (Laughter) 0:22:10.158,0:22:12.429 There is a permanence there,[br]the point is that 0:22:12.429,0:22:14.409 you still have to come on time, 0:22:14.409,0:22:16.289 you still have to be ready to work, 0:22:16.289,0:22:20.499 you still work in a place which is [br]very structured, very disciplined, 0:22:20.499,0:22:21.539 like in the army, 0:22:21.539,0:22:23.989 you don't say, "Yes, captain!",[br]but you say, "Yes, chef!", 0:22:23.989,0:22:26.668 it's about the same thing[br]and you have to -- 0:22:26.668,0:22:29.660 you have to so that [br]the kitchen works properly. 0:22:29.660,0:22:31.158 You're a member of a team, 0:22:31.158,0:22:34.079 and if you're late or you don't show up[br]to be part of that team, 0:22:34.079,0:22:35.698 you're going to destroy the structure, 0:22:35.698,0:22:37.708 so that remains the same. 0:22:37.708,0:22:40.411 That being said, when I was a kid, 0:22:40.411,0:22:45.949 when we cut a tomato[br]we only cut it in one direction, 0:22:45.949,0:22:49.339 we never alternate to the other side[br]when I worked at the Plaza and in Paris, 0:22:49.339,0:22:50.729 or whatever in the fifties. 0:22:50.729,0:22:53.307 Now, there's a much greater deal 0:22:53.307,0:22:55.861 and innovation is part of yourself too. 0:22:55.861,0:23:00.188 And, of course, [br]we, up to 20-30 years ago -- 0:23:00.188,0:23:05.898 I've been in the kitchen 65-67 years -- 0:23:05.898,0:23:08.440 the cook were at the bottom[br]of the social scale. 0:23:08.440,0:23:12.828 Any good mother would have wanted[br]her child to marry a doctor, an architect, 0:23:12.828,0:23:17.029 certainly not a cook. 0:23:17.029,0:23:20.298 Now we are genius! I don't know [br]exactly what happened but -- 0:23:20.298,0:23:21.089 (Laughter 0:23:21.089,0:23:22.901 this is great, this is terrific, so -- 0:23:22.901,0:23:24.309 (Claudine) Papa, he has a question. 0:23:24.309,0:23:25.441 (René) I have a question for you.[br](Jacques) Yes. 0:23:25.441,0:23:33.888 (René) You said [br]you're more than 80, right? 0:23:33.888,0:23:35.098 (Jacques) Yes.[br](René) Yes. 0:23:35.098,0:23:43.088 (René) So, I'm 39 [br]and I think a lot of cooks 0:23:43.088,0:23:48.629 that deal with this... [br]what can I say, like, guilt, sometimes -- 0:23:48.629,0:23:51.892 they feel like they should be yearning[br]for something in the past, 0:23:51.892,0:23:53.889 that in the past [br]things were better, kind of -- 0:23:53.889,0:24:01.309 Can you please tell us[br]how it used to be in the kitchen 0:24:01.309,0:24:04.799 in whether you think [br]the life in the kitchen is better today, 0:24:04.799,0:24:08.949 and actually, do you think [br]that food has become better 0:24:08.949,0:24:10.301 and is becoming better? 0:24:10.301,0:24:14.275 Or, is it better back in the old days? 0:24:14.275,0:24:17.308 (Jacques) No, it is better (but)[br]there's a cycle also; 0:24:17.308,0:24:20.152 certainly as I said, my mother used [br]only organic products too 0:24:20.152,0:24:22.368 but that's what we have,[br]we didn't have anything else, 0:24:22.368,0:24:25.667 and we're going back to that,[br]which is a great thing, of course, 0:24:25.667,0:24:27.598 to be in communion with the Earth, 0:24:27.598,0:24:29.379 to be in communion with where you work 0:24:29.379,0:24:31.060 and be local, and so forth. 0:24:31.060,0:24:32.501 Yes, absolutely. 0:24:32.501,0:24:36.279 The cooks now that the same structure[br]that we used to have 0:24:36.279,0:24:41.128 but you have much more freedom[br]than we ever had before. 0:24:41.128,0:24:45.570 Certainly, I got kicked in the rear end[br]a few times by my chefs, 0:24:45.570,0:24:49.813 I mean it was the type of things[br]that it was supposed at that time -- 0:24:49.813,0:24:50.979 it was supposed to be difficult, 0:24:50.979,0:24:53.411 you were supposed to go [br]to a rite of passage and all of that, 0:24:53.411,0:24:55.010 which is not really necessary, 0:24:55.010,0:24:57.112 you don't need to be yelled at -- 0:24:57.112,0:25:04.762 I've seen a lot of show on television,[br]certainly, reality show, 0:25:04.762,0:25:09.279 and the kitchen is like mayhem and [br]the chef is yelling all over the place. 0:25:09.279,0:25:12.789 This is not conducive [br]to good work, certainly. 0:25:12.789,0:25:16.708 There's a great deal of love, a great deal[br]of yourself that you put in that food, 0:25:16.708,0:25:20.989 and the yelling [br]and other people's lack of respect, 0:25:20.989,0:25:25.152 those things are not conducive,[br]in my opinion, to learning well 0:25:25.152,0:25:27.598 and teaching people how to cook. 0:25:27.598,0:25:30.088 At a certain age, when I was 12-13,[br]the best way of learning 0:25:30.088,0:25:35.189 was probably through [br]that kind of osmotic way: 0:25:35.189,0:25:37.809 you look, you repeat, [br]you look, you repeat, and so forth. 0:25:37.809,0:25:39.608 We passed that level now. 0:25:39.608,0:25:43.248 Chefs come from cooking schools, 0:25:43.248,0:25:46.490 they come out from college[br]to their older time, 0:25:46.490,0:25:49.051 they want to know how to do it,[br]they want us to explain, 0:25:49.051,0:25:52.409 so it's a different way of teaching[br]than what we're used to; 0:25:52.409,0:25:55.809 and people are much more in a hurry[br]than how we were too; 0:25:55.809,0:25:58.612 we had at least three other apprenticeship[br]without paid or anything, 0:25:58.612,0:26:03.379 so, you know, there are six other[br]apprentices in front of you -- 0:26:03.379,0:26:04.797 so, this is much better now. 0:26:04.797,0:26:08.779 A much greater respect for the chef,[br]for what we do for our tradition, 0:26:08.779,0:26:10.819 and this is why, I mean, [br]we're here today -- 0:26:10.819,0:26:13.669 - Yes?[br]- (Claudine) Wrap it up. 0:26:13.669,0:26:15.928 (Jacques) Wrap it up. Yes, ma'm, okay.[br]But I still see one minute -- 0:26:15.928,0:26:18.900 - (Claudine) Trust me.[br]- (Laughter) 0:26:18.900,0:26:21.791 (Jacques) I don't know whether [br]that's the right answer to your question, 0:26:21.791,0:26:26.020 or if it's specific enough but -- 0:26:26.020,0:26:27.669 (René) Can you just say in a yes or no?[br] 0:26:27.669,0:26:30.678 (Laughter) 0:26:30.678,0:26:33.989 (Claudine) You'll be the first one[br]to ever get that answer, if it's possible. 0:26:33.989,0:26:36.597 If you look back when you were 30 0:26:36.597,0:26:40.448 and you look at kitchens [br]and chefs and cooking now, 0:26:40.448,0:26:42.220 do you believe that is better now? 0:26:42.220,0:26:44.500 (Jacques) Oh yes, absolutely, [br]no question at all -- 0:26:44.500,0:26:45.509 (René) Thank you! 0:26:45.509,0:26:46.642 (Applause) 0:26:46.642,0:26:53.949 (Jacques) No question at all. 0:26:53.949,0:26:56.841 (Claudine) Thank you, of course,[br]to the MAD team for working there, 0:26:56.841,0:27:01.010 took us all to the extend [br]that I find extraordinary 0:27:01.010,0:27:03.988 and rather inspiring so, 0:27:03.988,0:27:05.698 I hope that everyone feels really good[br]about the work here, 0:27:05.698,0:27:09.948 but, of course, thanks to all of you[br]for caring so much about what we do 0:27:09.948,0:27:12.938 and about what you do [br]and bringing it to the next level 0:27:12.938,0:27:15.599 We hope you have a wonderful,[br]wonderful couple of days. 0:27:15.599,0:27:16.799 - Thank you![br]- (Jacques) We are! 0:27:16.799,0:27:18.309 And drink a lot of wine! 0:27:18.309,0:27:24.509 (Cheering and Applause) 0:27:24.852,0:27:25.739 Thank you very much! 0:27:25.739,0:27:26.819 (Cheering and Applause) 0:27:26.819,0:27:29.569 My daughter, Claudine! 0:27:30.360,0:27:32.568 (Cheering and Applause) 0:27:32.998,0:27:35.108 (Claudine) I'm going [br]to bring this in the back for [inaudible] 0:27:35.108,0:27:36.349 (Jacques) Okay, good. 0:27:38.818,0:27:39.829 (Jacques) Hi Michelle! 0:27:43.098,0:27:45.541 (Jacque) Jose is not here?[br](René) He's here -- 0:27:47.770,0:27:51.448 (Jacques) Okay. Everything I know,[br]I learned from him, you know. 0:27:51.448,0:27:53.548 (Laughter)