Whenever I have worked with other chefs, it's almost most always been me as the student or observer. Cooking tends to be competitive, and there isn't much time for making friends when you're trying to climb the so-called "ladder."
But recently, begun in travels to Turkey, I've had the chance to "play" with friends in the kitchen. Starting with my good friend, Dilara in Istanbul, I have met and interacted with cooks in a less stress filled setting. In such a setting, these chefs, like me, seemed inspired by our surroundings and product.
On my last visit just this past summer, I met and worked with Kenji Kume. Formerly a sushi chef, who worked in Japan, London and currently in Istanbul, Kenji has fused his various experiences to create a more holistic, global view of cooking and food. He balances past training in classic cuisines (which include French,Italian, Japanese and now Turkish cooking), using them as building blocks for anything he does in the kitchen.
Together we collaborated at Abracadabra, creating an impromptu food lab, and then experimenting in Garp, where we fed people with bare bone ingredients. In truth we only worked a short time together. But for me, it was highly memorable. Fun. Working in a primitive kitchen, we both realized that, though from different places in the world, cooking can bring you so close together.
Cliche as it sounds, food speaks all sorts of languages. We still keep in touch and Kenji still asks me when I am moving to Istanbul to join him on his current project. I will see, my friend. The offer is awfully attractive. In the mean time I am going to twist his arm and get him to talk to me about his fascinating experiences and great story of how he got into this food thing!
Amazing fish, Jeremy. And wonderful story. 🙂
Thanks Karen,
Kenji is a really exceptional individual, not only talented, but incredibly friendly and a great human being! That fish was awesome, fresh isn’t the word, we prepared it once in the oven and tea smoked it as an appetizer one night, great!
Stop by more often and leave a comment!
Jeremy
oo jeremy,
so romantic! yes kenji is a hero, big brother of my son, we all love him and do exiting project together, we wish you join to the trois mousquetaires..
love
d.
D! Good to see you looking at the site! Kenji promised to write something in Japanese, still waiting!
The guy has so much to offer and is like a magnet with great ideas, etc… As for the project, leave me some space in there if I decide to come in with you two, would be so much fun, if we don’t drive each other crazy!!
Abrazo’s J!
My gawd, what a huge fish! And what a very fun time that looks like, cooking with friends like that in the great outdoors with a big ol’ fire going.
Great to hear about this journey Jeremy. All the best mate! Graham’s firing a wood fired oven as we speak, preparing to bake for the markets.