Celebrity chef Eric Ripert working on memoir
Eric Ripert, chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Bernardin in New York, is penning a memoir about his life.
The details are sparse. For now, the only information available is that the as-of-yet untitled book will be published next spring by Random House.
The hardcover book will also run 306 pages.
Though Ripert has penned five cookbooks, the newest book will mark the first to chronicle his trajectory to fame.
The journey started in Antibes, France where he was born and moved on to Andorra and Paris, where he cooked in the kitchens of the legendary La Tour D’Argent, a historic 16th century landmark located along the Seine where the ‘fork’ first made its debut in France.
He also trained with Joel Robuchon before moving to New York where he found celebrity ‘chefdom’ for Le Bernardin, a triple Michelin-starred eatery considered the standard bearer and one of the best seafood restaurants in the city.
Ripert is also likely to write about finding Buddhism later in life, a powerful influence that also governs the way he cooks.
In an interview with Lion’s Roar, a magazine for Buddhists, he said he tries to pay homage to the ingredients used, be it vegetable or animal. Moreover, he pointed out that Buddhism has made him rethink the traditional way of managing his kitchen staff.
“In the past, we managed the kitchen from a very dogmatic and borderline violent way, teaching through humiliation instead of positive reinforcement (actually an old tradition in my industry, especially in France). Today I promote kindness and respect,” he said.
Look out for the Ripert memoir April 12, 2016.
