OPPOSITEPAGE: TIMEWARNER; THISPAGE:GABRIELESTABILE
fromhischildhood intothediningroom
atChicago’sAlineaby literallypairing
burning leaveswithpheasantandcider.
Whilebothbecamesignaturedishes10
yearsago, theyhavegoneonto inspireeven
morechefstotelldeeplypersonalstories
ontheplate. “There-examinationof the
immigrantexperience,whatchefs likeRoy
ChoiandEdwardLeearedoing,”Bourdain
says, referencingtworelativenewcomers
who’ve foundsuccess, “it’sgoingtobethe
transformative factor [that]redefineswhat
American food is in20years.Whatwe
defineasAmerican food isgoingtochange.
It’llchange inbiganddeliciousways.”
BourdainputsdownhisLaguioleknife
asthewaitermakestablespace foran
unannounced,extracourse:atriangleof
foldedand frieddoughknown inTunisia
asbrik. It’sstuedwithtunaconfit, capers,
Gruyèreandanegg.Likethebright-green,
herb-and-chickpea falafel thatwasdeliv-
eredearlier, itprovesBourdain’spoint:25
yearsago,Bouludwasprobablybestknown
fordishes liketheone inwhichhewrapped
alternating layersofblacktrueslices
andseascallopswithdemi-glaceandpu
pastry.HestillcooksornateFrenchdishes
likethis,buthealsodoesafine jobwith
lowbrowpolenta friesandharissa.
Thefuture,Bourdainhopes, isan
ever-broadeningpalateandbetter-tasting
food.“Look,we likefermentedstu
now,”hesays,gesturingatthepolentaand
Moroccan-stylegarlic-chilesauce,asign
thatwe’vedriftedfarfromthedaysofplain
oldketchupandmashedpotatoes.“We in-
creasingly likefunkycheese,kimchee,aged
meats,spicierfood,”saysBourdain,refer-
ringtothemorecomplexflavorsAmericans
onceturnedawayfrom,whichhavenow
becomemainstream, thanksto influential
chefs likeChang,Lee,Choiandothers.
Theirhyperpersonalcooking ischanging
the landscapeofAmericancuisine,winning
peopleoverwithstrongflavors.
¡¢¢£¤¡¡¥¦§
wearingablueblazerandawidesmile.His
wiferecentlygavebirthtoababyboy,and
hewantstosharesome iPhonephotos. “I
seeyouall thetimeonTV,”hetellsBour-
dain. “NowthatI’mhome.”
“Ahh,beautiful,”saysBourdain, scroll-
ingthroughthesnapshots. “Awesome.”
Thetwomaketentativeplanstomeet
up,andBouludasks ifwehaveroom for
dessert.Bourdainexplainshe isdueat
jujitsupractice,butmoments lateraserver
bringsoversomegrapefruitsorbetwitha
tangleofcottoncandy-likesesamehalvah
and fragrantcubesofrosewater loukoum,
harkeningbacktotheever-humbleTurk-
ishDelight.
Bourdain looksover intotheopen
kitchen,wherecooksplatethe last few
lunchorders. Iaskhim ifheevergoesback
tothestoveswhenheeatsatrestaurants.
“Itrytoavoid it. Iseeall theyoungcooks
sweating,andI feel likeatraitor,”hesays.
“They’veread
KitchenConfidential
andI feel
likeI’mnotworthytobe inthere.They’re
workingsomuchharderthanIam.”
It’s inkitchenssuchasthese, though,
thattheenginesofgastronomywillburn
intonewphases. IfBourdain’stheory is
correct,Americancuisinewillhave likely
renovatedandrestocked its larderallover
againbythetimetheseyoungcooksare
runningtheirownrestaurants.
Excusinghimselfsothathecanheadto
his jujitsuclass,Bourdainbeginstowalk
away.Atthedoor,heturnsbackwitha
final thoughtbeforedisappearingontothe
bustlingManhattanstreet.
“Ithinkwe’reallawork inprogressas
eaters,”hesays. “I feel Iam.”
“THERE EXAMINATIONOF
THE IMMIGRANTEXPERIENCE
… IT’SGOINGTOBETHE
TRANSFORMATIVEFACTOR
[THAT]REDEFINESWHAT
AMERICANFOOD IS IN20
YEARS.WHATWEDEFINEAS
AMERICANFOOD ISGOINGTO
CHANGE. IT’LLCHANGE INBIG
ANDDELICIOUSWAYS.”
HUGHMERWIN
is the senior editor at
NewYorkMaga-
zine
’s Grub Street blog. He worked in restaurants for
15years and currently lives inRedHook, Brooklyn, N.Y.
STIRRINGTHE
POT:
According to
AnthonyBourdain
(opposite), in-
novative chefs like
DavidChangofNew
York’sMomofuku
are contributing
to thenew faceof
Americandining.
AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING
AUTUMN
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