I'm a firm believer that the world should be your oyster when you're cooking. People should open themselves to other cuisines - there are a lot of hidden secrets all over the world.
Yotam OttolenghiRead
One of the troubles with food is that people take themselves too seriously. This is why I'm very happy for people to change my recipes, alter them, replace one ingredient for another.
Interpretation
People often become overly serious about food, but it's important to embrace flexibility and creativity in cooking.
In this quote, Yotam Ottolenghi expresses the idea that food should not be a source of stress or rigidity. Instead, he encourages individuals to feel free to modify recipes and ingredients as they see fit, promoting a more relaxed, personal approach to cooking where enjoyment and creativity take precedence over strict adherence to rules.
In practice
During a cooking class, you might say this quote to encourage participants to experiment with the recipes provided.
I'm a firm believer that the world should be your oyster when you're cooking. People should open themselves to other cuisines - there are a lot of hidden secrets all over the world.
Food that's served at the table in a paper parcel always creates a remarkable culinary moment when opened, because the package is full of aromatic steam from the lightly cooked ingredients inside.
I always tell people that they are really the critics. If people come three times a week to your restaurant they are the ones who find something they really love.
It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work.
Gourmandism is an act of judgment, by which we prefer things which have a pleasant taste to those which lack this quality.
Get up early and go to the local produce markets. In Latin America and Asia, those are usually great places to find delicious food stalls serving cheap, authentic and fresh specialties.
I won't eat in a restaurant with filthy bathrooms. This isn't a hard call. They let you see the bathrooms. If the restaurant can't be bothered to replace the puck in the urinal or keep the toilets and floors clean, then just imagine what their refrigeration and work spaces look like.
In an age when so many groups are rolling out restaurants faster than your local baker makes donuts, my goal is that each restaurant feels hand-crafted. That they have their own soul.
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