I’m not sure I’m a hophead or a foodie really, unless someone tells me but I’m definitely taking any opportunity to meet people sharing a passion for something I would call organic (#foodporn if you want). Can be music, beer, chocolate, cheese, wine, cooking…
I’m on my way back from Milano where I had a chance to talk Beer and food with Alessandro Borghese, top Italian chef.
Actually we talked Fermentation and Sourdough, Crystal malts and Roasted chestnut, Clove and Rosemary,….realizing that the best and most difficult dishes are often the one made from very few ingredients. It requires a fine selection of them combined with high skills (and a bit of magic).
I was once told that in Japan, the best chefs are judged by the quality of their Miso.
Alessandro made the analogy with one of his signature dish. Cacio e pepe ….. made from only 3 ingredients! Beer has also very few ingredients and requires the same discipline.
Chef is such a dedication and there’s no net! At every plate you need to face the consumer’s feed-back. You have a direct judgement of your art.
I did some previous collaborations with Chef David Martin in Belgium and Helene Darroze in France also, exchanging about craftmanship, passion, art and science. Every time it’s a treat.
I remember shooting a clip in Dinant with David, at the abbey of Leffe, and we had so much to share that the agency had to ask us many times to stop talking and focus on the footage. Of course It was a very long day and you know how it goes when you have beer and food in front you….
David has a deep knowledge of Japan (culture, food, ….) and it was exiting to talk koji, sake, knives… and salted plums ( which if I remember well are salted in see water which develops their umami character etc…,Umeboshi I believe ). He has tons of projects…maybe we brew a beer one day together!
Some of the most surprising beers I tried were developed by chefs themselves, crossing the line to brewing and creating culinary beers. Think Jared Rouben from Moody Tongue in Chicago. Jared was one of the judges for the Master Cicerone exam. We had an interesting conversation about the smell of “autumn” and how to describe some Brett beers flavors using a culinary language! Try his shaved black truffle pilsner or his smoked applewood gold! Forbidden Roots also has incredible culinary beers developed by Randy Mosher.
When I meet a chef it makes me want to be a chef.
