Alice Waters and Chez Panisse

From the recent "60 Minutes" profile:

Waters was only 27 years old in 1971 when she opened her French bistro Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., today considered one of the finest restaurants not just in the United States but in the world.

Leslie Stahl attests as well to Alice Waters' "exquisite, infallible tastebuds."

Apparently she "shows up" at the restaurant "nearly every day" to oversee the cooking, though she admits (or was this in the Charlie Rose interview?) that she herself hasn't actually cooked in the restaurant for something like 20 years.

So ... those of you who've been there - is Chez Panisse one of the finest restaurants in the world?

Does Alice Waters have exquisite, infallible tastebuds?

Or is 60 Minutes playing softball again?

for those who remember...Morley Safer-rigorous critic par excellance:

http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/23178/

yes...but, is it Art?

Waters has long hired chefs for Chez Panisse and the restaurant has had a wildly different character depending on who was there at the time. Her great contribution was nurturing the relationships with farmers that provided the great products for those chefs to use, and to a considerable degree, shaping the farmer's markets food culture of that area which has since been a model for many other regions. Some chef (was it Jeremiah Tower who worked for her?) sniffed at her by saying that she wasn't a great chef, she was a great shopper, but that's actually an extremely good way of putting what her influence and achievement has been, and ought to be taken as a high compliment.

What she brought about was a true *philosophic* change. And the end result of philosophic changes is, finally, changes in practice, all across the board. Great changes in practice, almost always, follow on re-thinking of the fundamental assumptions and principles of a way of living. In other words, great changes in practice, almost always, follow on a philosophic change. We have precisely that to thank Alice Waters for. Which is no trivial debt that we owe to her.

Geo

Mike G wrote: Some chef (was it Jeremiah Tower who worked for her?) sniffed at her by saying that she wasn't a great chef, she was a great shopper, but that's actually an extremely good way of putting what her influence and achievement has been, and ought to be taken as a high compliment.

you can read about the soap opera that is/was chez panisse in the book the united states of arugula by david kamp

Katie wrote:is Chez Panisse one of the finest restaurants in the world?

Nyet. You're definitely dining on her legacy--but the produce is excellent. The meal just happens to be pedestrian and very 1995ish.

Given the work David Kinch is doing at Manresa, CP is not even the most important restaurant in the Bay Area.

Katie wrote:Apparently she "shows up" at the restaurant "nearly every day" to oversee the cooking, though she admits (or was this in the Charlie Rose interview?) that she herself hasn't actually cooked in the restaurant for something like 20 years.

Yes, this was a softball piece. But...20 years ago she was about 45 years old. I don't think there is anything particularly strange about a head chef who is 45 years old turning over the everyday cooking duties to others. Sure, there are chefs who are older who still cook in their restaurants. But your tone (and I apologize if I'm misinterpreting) seems to indicate disapproval with the notion that Waters isn't. Also note that she doesn't just have one restaurant: she has three (Chez Panisse, Chez Panisse Cafe, Cafe Fanny), has numerous books, and a great deal of other projects. Few of these would be possible if she cooked in the restaurant.

Having said all that, I don't think it is one of the finest restaurants in the world. (I haven't been there since I lived in Berkeley in the 1990s.) It's extremely good, but as someone else pointed out, it was the "new thing" quite a while ago. I also note that the prices aren't much higher now than they were 15 years ago. Back in the 1990s, I remember that CP and Charlie Trotters were roughly the same price. Trotter's is not about twice as expensive as CP.

Although the menu at CP appears quite simple, take at look at The Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook. This is an excellent book, but it is also makes clear that she isn't just "roasting good quality stuff". The preparations in this book are quite interesting and complex. Not at the level of what Charlie Trotter was doing at the time, but clearly more involved that preparing good ingredients simply.

If you are going to Berkeley, you might want to try the Chez Panisse cafe, which is a more casual version of the restaurant but similar in spirit.

I lived in Berkeley aka "Berserkeley" from 1972-77, just down the street from Chez Panisse and it was one of my local hangs, a GNR as it were. Patty Hearst was my neighbor when she got snatched by the SLA. We heard it happening but didn't know what it was until we saw it later on TV. It was a time of Peoples Park, the Zodiac killer and Harvey Milk.

Alice Waters "revolutionary" philosophy was based squarely on the most traditional of European models. Searching out locally produced artisanal products and developing relationships with said purveyors in order to take the best advantage of eating with the seasons. Remember, this was at a time in America when even the best "Continental" restaurants routinely served overcooked frozen vegetables.

There were no kiwis or salsas or flavored hummus in the supermarket, which if you were to take a trip in the way back machine, you'd see had a fraction of the items that they currently stock. Chez Panisse was embraced by the locals early on (along with an excellent cheese shop down the street who's name is lost in my memory). We knew something special was happening in our midst and who it was we had to thank for it, even without the Food Network.

In my opinion, Alice Waters probably has had the single most lasting influence/contribution on how we as a nation eat today than any other name I can think of, including Julia and Craig and consider myself lucky to have been there. I know it influenced me as an eater and later, as a chef. We all owe her a debt of gratitude.

Jazzfood wrote:(along with an excellent cheese shop down the street who's name is lost in my memory).

Would that be The Cheese Board, which is now across the street and slightly down the block from Chez Panisse? Best cheese shop and best breads that I've ever been to. Amazing pizza also.

Yes, this was a softball piece. But...20 years ago she was about 45 years old. I don't think there is anything particularly strange about a head chef who is 45 years old turning over the everyday cooking duties to others.

Chez Panisse was opened in 1971 and Jeremiah Tower joined in 1972 and left in the late 70's. I've read his memoir, which I'm sure is biased, but it would suggest that while they cooked together for the first few years, she really focused on running the restaurant, not cheffing.

That would be it. The original one on Vine. It was a lot of brain cells ago.

chezbrad wrote:

Katie wrote:is Chez Panisse one of the finest restaurants in the world?

Nyet. You're definitely dining on her legacy--but the produce is excellent. The meal just happens to be pedestrian and very 1995ish.

Given the work David Kinch is doing at Manresa, CP is not even the most important restaurant in the Bay Area.

The food is good, I wouldn't call the restaurant fine dining, however.

I ate at Chez Panisse in the summer of 2007 and it was among the best dining experiences I've ever had. Since I have yet to save enough money to try Moschwalinea (I'm working on it), I can't compare CP to anything that people currently consider the world's best restaurants. As many have said, CP is not cutting edge and does very simple preparations. The best things I ate there were a perfectly cooked piece of fish and perfectly ripe berries.

My CP-love aside, I think David Rakoff did an excellent job of skewering the place in an essay in Don't Get too Comfortable. That portion of the essay is available here.

If I had to eat at one rest. every day ,for the rest of my life , it would be Chez Panisse !!

Katie wrote:From the recent "60 Minutes" profile:

Waters was only 27 years old in 1971 when she opened her French bistro Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., today considered one of the finest restaurants not just in the United States but in the world.

Leslie Stahl attests as well to Alice Waters' "exquisite, infallible tastebuds."

Apparently she "shows up" at the restaurant "nearly every day" to oversee the cooking, though she admits (or was this in the Charlie Rose interview?) that she herself hasn't actually cooked in the restaurant for something like 20 years.

So ... those of you who've been there - is Chez Panisse one of the finest restaurants in the world?

Does Alice Waters have exquisite, infallible tastebuds?

Or is 60 Minutes playing softball again?

As far as it being "one of the finest restaurants in the world", no, it's not a memory I've carried with me. I enjoyed eating there but that's about it. I did have an excellent cheese course at the Cafe once.