How Chef Eric Ripert Makes Le Bernardin Top of La Liste
In a conversation with world renowned chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin in New York City, ranked number one on La Liste, Angela Dansby stirs up his inspiration for excellence in his three-Michelin-starred restaurant of 20 years.
Tell me about the joy of cooking and eating
When I'm cooking, it's about finding the best ingredients and my mindset is to make people happy. And professionally, when I’m in my kitchen, sharing the knowledge is in my mind as well. I love great food – I never said no to a good meal – and it brings people together. The best way to interact with people is to be at a table sharing a meal.
What inspired you to become a chef?
I always had the passion because I was looking at my grandmothers and mother in the kitchen, cooking for the family and me. Every day they were trying to make me happy by making some cookies or apple tarts … I really started to appreciate the work that was going on there and the process. It was very sensual, the smell and the visuals, and it's something that really touched my heart at a young age. I wanted to help but they were afraid I would mess up the kitchen. I couldn't wait to finally go to culinary school.
Also, I always wanted to be the chef that I am today because my mother took me to very beautiful, fine-dining restaurants and I was passionate and curious about those big teams in the kitchens. I was always visiting the kitchens and I loved the ritual of the service and the beauty of the dining rooms, what was on the table ... I wanted to one day be a chef in a restaurant that would have a big team with the best equipment and ingredients and a beautiful dining room. It happened; I became what I wanted.
What makes Le Bernardin so highly ranked for so long?
It's a matter of creating a team that is passionate and understands the vision that I have, which is about creating a very special experience for our clients with the food, service and everything as a whole. And the fact that I have had this very loyal team with me for a long time helps tremendously to be consistent and evolve at the same time. New York is constantly reborn and rejuvenating itself. So we have healthy competition that makes us always try to do better. [And] we have people from every continent here. We try foods from other countries, we learn new techniques and we have the possibility to travel. As a team, we are able to create not only consistency, but move forward. That's what keeps Le Bernardin relevant.
How have technologies influenced your kitchen?
Today the ovens we use are very different from those 30 years ago. They're now very precise and allow us to do different things. Technology also allows us to receive ingredients that are extremely fresh. When we call FedEx, for example, we get some ingredients a few hours later, whereas 30-40 years ago, they would have taken a few days to arrive. For ingredients from Europe or Asia, it’s just an overnight flight. Also, the freshness of the products and way we store them is better. Technology is helping us have higher quality ingredients.
What is the future of Le Bernardin?
Our future is based on my traveling and discoveries. And of course, service has changed tremendously over the years. Fine dining, especially in America, was very formal 30 years ago. Today it is much more interactive and relaxed. But service is evolving as well. And the decor of the restaurant has to change from time to time … especially in a city like New York that reinvents itself all the time … And we work on [culinary] creativity constantly.
Have you ever thought about re-opening Le Bernardin in Paris?
No, I'm very happy with the restaurant in New York. I have the mentality of an artisan. I like to be with my team in one location and have control of what we are doing or at least interact with them. I don't see myself developing restaurants all over the planet. I like the idea, but it's not for me. Some parents have three children, some just one.
How do you inspire people to indulge in fine dining?
Everybody likes to have comfort and people attending to them, smiling around them and delivering an experience that they don't have at home … Our clientele also understands that they support sustainability because fine-dining restaurants have budgets to buy the best products. Therefore, we support farmers with good practices [and] fishermen with small boats. Fine dining also supports artisans who create beautiful objects like china, hand-blown glasses and silverware. So, by fine dining, people have the benefit of a special moment being pampered and at the same time, they feel good about helping us make a difference by inspiring the rest of the industry and [supporting] good practices, artisans and so on.
For further information, or to make a reservation, visit Le Bernardin.
*Images courtesy of Eric Ripert, from top: Chef Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin by Nigel Parry; Restaurant Le Bernardin by Daniel Krieger; Steamed Black Bass with Heirloom Tomatoes; Dungeness Crab Cake with Cardamom Emulsion by Daniel Krieger; Salmon Rillette by Lyn Hughes; Scallop Le Bernardin; Pistachio Le Bernardin & Strawberry Le Bernardin.