Aren’t you wiser?
Hi Ray,
Marco Pierre White is the wrong example for your statement, because he is that rare professional chef who gave up his three stars and fame to basically become a home cook again. If you look at below video you will see a home cook. Like you, he is just having fun, but in his own way, as someone with extremely honed cooking skills. (Look at extreme knife skills from 3.00 min on)
2 Likes
Well, I never made that particular bread again, so maybe I learned from my mistake. Wiser, well, some might say wise-assier, but I’m okay with that😂
2 Likes
Hi damiano,
I only commented on Marco’s video as a “how to” for cutting up an onion, but I don’t think he’s really gotten into the world of the home cook–yet. His knife skill exhibitions are not very good models for home cooks in this video, either.
His Piperade as described is impossible for even a very talented home cook to make at home with home equipment.
Not that he’s not a great cook . . .
I love his spirit–which is way above chef level–but he has a lot to learn about home cooking around the world
It was extraordinarily instructive for me. Of course, I think it helps in understanding the knife technique if you know what a brunoise is, and why it is used, especially its cooking properties, not just as an attractive garnish (although I remember an appetizer of house-smoked salmon years ago - and the tiny dice of onions next to the salmon - each piece of onion was perfect! Like a cut jewel! I was amazed … still am, but I just got a new clue from that video. And when I saw what happened when I sweated the tiny, tiny dice I’d created I had to retire to my meditation recliner. 
1 Like
Why?
1 Like
Hi Chem,
A “beater knife” is really a term that I think comes from the pros–and super enthusiasts. I prefer the term “backup.” My backup knives are softer steel knives less likely to chip that I use for higher risk situations. I’ve now got them centralized in a separate storage area.
What ? The way he is doing it is not that different how a home cook (including myself) would cook a piperade. What is impossible for a home cook ?
1 Like
Hi honkman,
I didn’t say that some form of Piperade isn’t achievable by a home cook. I said he’s not thinking like a home cook–yet.
See his description at 2:20. He’s still thinking about a professional kitchen.
He mentions the blitzer.
The blitzer? A home cook doesn’t have a blender? The Chinois? I have one, but you can use a fine mesh strainer, or cheese cloth. What you need to think about is, what is he doing and why is he doing it. With the “blitzer” he is basically making an uncooked sauce or purée. Then he’s straining it.
Or an immersion blender in a blender cup. Before I owned an immersion blender, I semi blitzed my split pea soup by using a rotary egg beater immersed down into the pot and cranked.
Everything he describes is easily doable for an home cook. Everything he has done I would do the same in my home kitchen. I start to wonder if you are setting your standards for home cooks way too low (or, no offense, you might be an inexperienced home cook). Marco really captures the essence of home cooking with this video/recipe
1 Like
Hi Chem,
I don’t know how one gets credentialed to teach in culinary schools, but I have helped candidate culinary instructors meet standards and develop curriculum a few times. He would need to meet pedagogical standards.
He’s still a professional polished knife “performer” for sure. Just not a home cook–quite yet.
And
I strongly doubt he’d want to visit homes to find out about us.
Hi honkman,
I can see your POV.
It’s not my main point. I’m commenting on knife skills specifically, and more generally on whether or not he’s really a home cook–yet.
I wonder how many homes he’s visited around the world to get informed . . .
But your comment on him not being a home cook (yet) seems to be not aligned a lot with other posters and your opinion seems to be the outlier. It might be necessary to adjust your standards of home cooking as they seem to be far from what many home cooks are doing in a day-to-day basis
2 Likes
I’m a home cook. Ray does not speak for me.
2 Likes
Hi honkman,
Who has “standards of home cooking”? I certainly don’t.
You are certainly free to consider Marco as a fellow home cook.
What??
1 Like
OK, CCE,
I take it back.
Sorry Ray - I was taking the thread in order and hadn’t seen that others had given you essentially the same reply.
1 Like
OK, Meehah,
I’m convinced.
You could clearly do it in your home.
