October 15, 2024 by Oceania Cruises
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Happiness on a Plate: My Childhood Favorites, Culinary Philosophy & Cooking Rituals
For me, there is no greater pleasure than gathering around the table for a homecooked meal. Fresh and seasonal ingredients, time-honored flavors and savoring the rituals of the table – to me that is happiness on a plate. Cooking in this way never goes out of style. The cuisines that I love the most are the ones that are meant to simply be savored with those you are with, gathered around the table – whether in your kitchen or at sea.
DISHES FROM CHILDHOOD: HOME, HAPPINESS & COMFORT
Food and cooking shaped my childhood and have created my path in life. The dishes that you have as a child are more than just food. There is a quote by the Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang that I really love – “What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?” And that is true. The dishes you have as a child, regardless of the culture you come from, are very visceral, very profound. They are more than just the energy you get from the food. Years later as young adults and later even when we are much older, what do you dream of when you are away from family or are in new and unfamiliar situations? It is mother’s clam chowder, mother’s fried chicken or maybe your father’s lobster roll – whatever it may be that you ate when you were a child. It is at that point that these dishes become so much more; they are home, they are comfort, they are happiness for so many.
For me, the food that means childhood is a simple roasted chicken with cream sauce and tarragon that my mother prepared. I come from a part of France called Bourg-en-Bresse, and chicken in this part of the country is like the French flag – white feathers, blue feet and red comb. It is very good, quite expensive and well-known, and this simple recipe lets it stand on its own. The cheese fondue that my father used to do is another one that always reminds me of home. The fromage we mix with garlic, white wine and cream, and it is really nice and rich with country bread. I missed these dishes when I first came to the United States from France – but not for very long because then I learned to reproduce them! And this is what I encourage people to do…carry on the recipes of their families and that lineage of cooking. It is a powerful thing.
MY RITUALS FOR COOKING
During the past year or so, I have found that it’s always those simple things that we return to that bring meaning and joy to our days. For me, of course, it’s rooted in cooking, and I have found myself in the kitchen countless times with Claudine, Rollie and Shorey preparing the evening’s meal. We fall into familiar rhythms – washing, chopping, stirring and sautéing at the stove. There’s something reassuring and so pleasurable about this. When a meal is prepared with care and attention, cooking it and sitting down to enjoy it is no longer a routine but a ritual. Food has a way of bringing people together no matter what is happening in the world.
In fact, I have many rituals and techniques that have become part of my cooking style over the years. I grew up in a family that cooked according to what was in season and that has stayed with me. The ingredients for what I cook are determined by what’s in season and what’s fresh in my garden. Culturally, many are coming back to this in the United States and it’s a beautiful change to see. It has a way of making meals more precious, making you appreciate the changes throughout the year – you can have country apple galette year-round, but if you’re making it in the spring, why not make a delicious rhubarb galette instead?
Going to the market is probably my favorite ritual. I like to look at the food, taste it, smell it, touch it – all the senses are part of the experience for a chef. When traveling, we always eat at the market. It is a wonderful way to get to know the people and traditions. I love to see what the local people and chefs are buying, what they are cooking with today.
SIMPLIFYING CREATES JOY
Many know that I also like to simplify things. I find that this invites more people to cook and it creates space to appreciate the moments of joy in cooking. This has been a guiding principle over the years. For this reason, I always prefer to make recipes simpler and get to the essence of the dish. That is what I aim to do in many of my cookbooks. I tell people to use the supermarket to your advantage – it can be your prep cook. Don’t be afraid to buy pre-cut vegetables, boneless chicken, prewashed lettuce or spinach, or other shortcuts if they are likely to encourage you to cook. Some find chopping meditative, while others might not have the time. Find what works for you and make your own rituals. What matters is that you get in the kitchen and cook.
Most important, do not worry if you make a mistake in the kitchen – drink a glass of wine and keep going! I look forward to seeing you back on board soon and, of course, in the beautiful markets of Spain, Italy, France and so many of the other wonderful places we explore together.
About Executive Culinary Director & Master Chef Jacques Pépin
Oceania Cruises’ Executive Culinary Director since 2003, Master Chef Jacques Pépin has long inspired our culinary team and our culinary passions. An internationally renowned chef, author of more than 30 cookbooks and host of 13 PBS television series, he served as personal chef to three French heads of state, including Charles de Gaulle, and is also the recipient of countless awards, including the American Public Television’s Lifetime Achievement Award and La Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest civilian honor. In 2016, Master Chef Pépin and his closest family founded the Jacques Pépin Foundation to share Jacques’ passion for cooking and mastery of technique with economically disadvantaged individuals in order to encourage them to seek pathways of success through culinary professionalism.