One day @J. Kenji López-Alt, I'm sure many people will hold you in the same high regard as you hold Jacques Pepin. Thank you for being such a great inspiration to us all, not just through your food, but your positive views in life that make the world a better place.
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 All the while he's wearing sandals or were they flip flops? Making & eating a burger vs a 5 star meal. Everyone should be able to put together a 5 course dinner....just because one nite & having Mac n Chesse the next. The former impossible for me the latter, my talent range.
Jacques has recently lost his wife Gloria (after 52 years together I think) so he must be going through a very hard time -- hopefully he sees this video and he gets some comfort from your kind words about him!
I attended French Culinary in NYC 20 years ago where Jacques was a dean and his 2 cooking demos I got to see were like a dream. I used to come home from middle school and watch Jacques religiously. Dude has so much skill but communicates how to cook simply better than anyone.
The story of jacque coming into the restaurant you were working at and giving you knowledge (as a line cook) -- fucking awesome dude. Like. Seriously fucking awesome. I like him even more now.
Jacque is such a shining example of humility and grace. I already consider him one of the great souls of the past century, in the league of Steve Irwin, Bob Ross, and Fred Rogers. The world will be a darker place when the master leaves us - but he will be cooking for God when he does.
He was the Dean at the French Culinary Institute in NY where I went in 1990 and I recall some good memories...also Julia came by and signed my copy of her most recent book...I miss those simple non internet days
My wife's genius hack, whether it's raw, grilled (our preference), sauteed, or nuked onion, is to place the onion under the cheese before melting. That way, the onion is held in place during eating (one less thing to slide off your burger).
I can't tell you how many years I spent putting capers and onions on top of the lox on a bagel, and someone suggested they go on the cream cheese and under the lox, and it blew my mind.
Jacques Pepin sounds like a really decent guy. I teach traditional, classical animation at the college level. When I went to art school in the ‘70s, many of the instructors I had were from the tough WWII generation. I found an instructor who was respectful and empathetic to his students. I studied with him privately and flourished under his approach. That’s my philosophy of teaching today. I love that you resonate with that philosophy in all your videos. I thrive under your tutelage as well!
There was a line from Pepin, in an interview with Anthony Bourdain, that has stuck with me since. "A tomato, just the right temperature, coarse salt, EVOO, perfection." Not only is it one of my favorite "recipes", it's also the very heart of Pepin - start with quality and only bring simplicity.
Jacques Pepin is my favorite as well - his voice and regular kitchen tools are so relatable and comforting! I find that you are the same way, Kenji! Thanks to both Chefs for your kindness and honesty!
I want to express so much appreciation for the casual care and love that is baked into everything you produce. It fills me up and is constantly inspiring me. I think you carry Jacques' legacy in you in an extraordinary way and are, too, a born educator. Also huge shout out for being the only channel I have witnessed give consistent visibility to NB folks. You're truly a gem.
I'll always love Jacques Pepin. I have such fond memories of getting up early on Saturdays to watch him and Julia on PBS with my dad when I was growing up.
I love that despite Jacque's incredible background he takes all the pretentiousness out of cooking. His food is simple, hearty and homey, he doesn't insist on using ridiculous ingredients, and he makes good cooking accessible to everyone. The man is an absolute legend.
I liked in, I think, a "More fast food my way" episode, he did slice a black truffle onto a very simple pasta dish, and (a) he explained a lot about truffles, (b) how the one he was using wasn't as good as the white truffle, and (c) "a friend of me gave this one to me," or something like this (I also just love when the French grammar constructions spill over into his otherwise impeccable English.)
Jacques Pepin and J. Kenji López are beautiful souls. Watching them cook and educate has inspired me in the kitchen and given me peace of mind many, many times. I have no expectation that this will be seen by Kenji, but you're a marvellous cook and online personality. Thank you for brightening my days. xx
I met Martin Yan at a cooking demo in San Jose when I was in culinary school. He was a culinary hero growing up so I was pretty stoked. Jacques Pépin was another hero. Maybe someday I will cross paths with him
Both will take a humble chicken, a sharp knife, and amaze you with their ease of butchery that comes from years of practice. I saw Pepin tourne vegetables and mushroom caps as easily as I peel a potato with a peeler. Simple tasks done with extreme skill. I aspire to make omelettes like Pepin.
I dunno if any other PBS stations are doing this, but KQED out of San Francisco has been uploading full Yan Can Cook episodes on their UA-cam channel every Sunday or Monday for a good chunk of the past year (maybe even longer).
Kenji you bring tears to my eyes...I love Jacques Pepin for the same reasons that you do, it seems. I'm an Australian and only came to Jacques via You tube and his work with Julia. But to me they were generous souls who shared; the joy was in the sharing and all that goes with it. When I discovered you... your book and your channel I was in heaven. I delight in your insight your generosity and your candor... you are not adverse to saying you don't agree and giving the reasons. I almost went to bed with your book it gave me so much comfort. Keep up the wonderful work, your honest your generosity you are up there with the best of the teachers/ cooks you are all food for our hungry need for sharers and giver who believe the more the food is good for all the greater the love and belonging.
Your my teacher from across the world I've learnt tons from watching your videos. Not just recipes but also mannerisms, I want you to know I'm a better person because of you. To me your a legend.
One thing I adore about Jacques is that he seems to have a very non-pretentious approach to food. He does make some pretty elaborate or difficult foods sometimes, but none of this trying to make the "best, greatest, most magnificent/most complex" thing ever just to show off. His goal is good food, not going "look how great I am". Also, he doesn't seem to feel the need to be an asshole while teaching so many people across the world how to cook.
To be honest Kenji Lopez I love coming to your channel not just for the food but for the values you uphold and the stories you share. You Sir are a cut above the rest.
Honestly, this is one of the reasons I love Kenji so much - he's a great people person. I'm personally very against and I guess disgusted by the Gordon Ramsay style toxicity and hardship to make you a better cook, I'm so much more a fan of the positive reinforcement styles of education. Of course you should strive to brace for hardships, to put yourself out there and face some tough times, but my God I cannot stand the Ramsay style toxicity. Kenji's curious, scientific, warm approach to cooking is what gets me hooked and interested. Though I'm not in this industry - I carry this same torch of being a compassionate human in my own area of expertise. Thank you, Kenji.
It’s very telling that your inspiration is not only a great chef but a wonderful educator. I always tell my partner I love to know the “why” of cooking, which is something that draws me to your videos and books. You’ve become a household name for us!
Jacques and Julia... Learned so much from their programs over the years and was so impressed by their skills. To this day Jacques Pepin's skills blow my mind. Very grateful for both of them and their legacies. Really cool you got to meet him, and more than once at that. I hope I have that opportunity.
"Something to strive for" Mate, I haven't met you, but you are already my Pepin. I get so much from your videos and have found cooking in a way I never had before through your approach. (Late-night POV especially haha)
Kenji, you rock. I have a very modest kitchen in the duplex we rent and I have learned more from you than watching other cooking shows and other chef channels. Thank you for helping so many and being such a good human.
I can understand that you put Pepin on a different pedestal than yourself, but you're truly (especially during this pandemic) the modern day Pepin. You inspired so many people to begin cooking and adventuring through the culinary arts that I think you might be on more even footing than you might realize.
Watching chef pepin cook a chicken in cream sauce in his home proved to me how much he inspired Kenji. "Here's a mushroom that I found in my fridge". "Just whatever cream is left in this carton". A true legend
I met Jacques at my job the other day. Just as kind and humble in person as well. Was very cool to meet somebody with such a high level of respect and exposure in the culinary world.
Thank you for the story time, I love hearing people's formative experiences. And thanks for being the Jacques Pépin to many of us through your positive role modelling and willingness to share and teach. On a somewhat related note...I've never been a fan of American cheese. It's a textural thing. I've made mac and cheese with good cheese and sodium citrate, and the resulting texture just made me sad (others thought it was great). Guess I stick to sharp cheddar and letting the excess turn into crunchy lace.
I'm with you, I think there is always a better substitute for American cheese in any situation. People rave about how it melts the best... yeah, because it isn't actually cheese and has a huge oil content. I'll take flavor over "meltiness", and for mac & cheese a chedder / parm mix is the way to go
@@stufffstufffington You cannot make a traditional ‘hockey puck’ grilled cheese without American. Just doesn’t taste right. I eat one like once every two years for nostalgia and then that’s enough for another two years. 🤣
So cool to hear you talk about Jacques. It’s evident that you look up to him not only by admiring what he does, but also by emulating his values. All the ways that you described him are ways that I would describe you. Keep up the great work Kenji, thanks for all of the entertainment and lessons.
I wrote this when I ate one of the most perfect smashburgers half a year ago. I ended up writing up a classification guide for burgers. The "Hamburger" This is basically what George Motz's has cooked countless times in varying styles on the Burger Show. The "Hamburger" can be anything from McDonald's to In and Out to any Burger joint/shack that makes a hamburger where the ratio of Burger:Bun:Garnishes are balanced where neither is over emphasized but instead working together to make it work. It is the definition of "Greater than the sum of it's parts" cooking. But the added thing is that the garnishes are also..."Hamburger Ingredients." That is basically anything that is storebought or equivalent of storebought. Mustard, pickles, American Cheese, Mayo, Ketchup. The humblest of ingredients that does not require some chef to add truffles or make it into an aioli or have comte on it because it is a superior melting cheese. The hamburger has humble beginnings and definitively it must come from such. This is not the "best ever" burger IMHO but I feel many "best" burgers fall into this category. At the end of the day, burgers are a common thing as much as Tacos, Sandwiches, Pho, Kebab etc. To make it is easy. But to be the best in this category you have to be legendary but also precise in how you manage your ratios. Because the meat is not just the focus of the burger, it is called the "Hamburger" in total. The "Diner Burger" The "next step" up for burgers and I use that term loosely. Diner burgers is what I consider burgers in their natural environment if they were not just the main thing like a burger shack. These are burgers that still have care and consideration put into making their burger part of the menu, but being a diner they are more significant. They are two handed affairs often being considered a meal (hence often being accompanied with fries with few opting to sell the burger itself.) To be honest the above previous definition could easily fit into this category but I personally feel these burgers have 3 things that make a difference to "The Hamburger" Size: Usually these being two handed affairs these burgers are larger or wider to eat. To give value to a place where it is sit down and order as opposed to a counter service place. Meatloafing/Focus on the meat: in lieu of focusing on the magical ratio of the hamburger components, Diner Burgers would focus on how they season the meat to make it delicious. The reliance on this aspect differentiates it from a The Hamburger because it forgoes celebrating the purity of beef flavour or the technique to make it good with seasonings. Garlic powder, sauteed onions, salt, pepper, pickle juice etc etc, this enters a realm where a hamburger is not being made but a meatloaf. But if basic ingredients are still used, it still resides in burger territory even if less pure. Environment: It makes the difference. When the burger is not the star and part of an ensemble cast, it loses a bit of it's character. It has to stand up to other menu items to participate otherwise it looks bad by comparison, but also it keeps humble by being a part of a menu type that has be humble to be quantified as a diner. What makes it stand above all others is lost for the safety of being among other greats. There are amazing Diner Burgers. The types that will still blow your minds but I feel this is a red-headed step middle child of categories because great ones can come from here...but few compared to the simple and gourmet groups. The "Scavenger Hunt" Hamburger IMHO this is more of a derogatory term for hamburgers than an actual category. But they are so prevalent I might as well include this. This burger is basically the result of a restaurant "weally wanting a burgwer on the menwu" but never putting in any effort to make it nice. Supplier provided frozen patties, tomatoes probably leftover from some function, sad wilty lettuce, mayo unceremoniously slathered from a bucket, half a pickle added for no reason at all or consideration. Basically a burger cobbled from whatever available products are there to make the most basic of versions. Burgers by focus group. The defining trait of a Scavenger Hunt Burger is that when you first bite into it...you taste all the components individually. Nothing tastes like a "Hamburger." It tastes like a meat patty between buns with vegetables and sauces. Each component lingers on your tastebuds as long as it needs to declare it's presence but without any consideration to it's other residents in said meal. It's like a band where the instruments are playing their own song that highlights their instruments but without any harmony in a single song. And to be honest these burgers are needed to show that how a burger is delicious is by the smallest details (that SH burgers lack) from toasting a bun properly to searing off the patty nicely to many other things. These considerations separate the good burgers from the rest. The "Menu Burger" (aka meatloaf put in between bread) The defining trait of this burger is similar to "weally wanting a burgwer on the menwu" but in this case, they want to make the burger nice. The Menu Burger is a burger that screams at you that it is a *le gasp* a BURGER on this menu. And what I emphasize "Menu Burger" is that quite often they will always emphasize what meat it is. A blend, dry aged, waygu, triple AAA, perfectly cooked, 8OZ, *to your doneness preference*. It totally focuses on the meat which (after I tasted that burger that changed my mind) is pretentious and abandons the definition of what a burger should be. These burgers would appear on the "Menu" of fine dining places, steakhouses, hipster small plate places, the brunch/lunch/happy hour/Sunday menus of fine dining/gastropubs/white napkin French restaurants. Very few return to the first category to try and make just a decent burger. But quite often many venture into the realm of caramelized onions, tomato chutneys, bacon jams, FOIE, truffle aiolis, Various cheeses, arugala and many other "non hamburger ingredients" to warrant a $15+ pricetag (either falling in between being the cheapest item on the menu or nearly the most expensive item on the menu). Half of it's appeal is it's pricetag, venturing into "This isn't your average hamburger" territory. The other half is seeing it at a place where you would have Duck L'Orange or caviar. It's a novelty and to be honest some of the best burgers ever are in this category. But like how Ron Swanson made a burger from "Meat and stuff" to master simplicity is a far more difficult endeavor than to overload the senses with complex and more high end flavours. Don't get me wrong. Some of these burgers are beautiful. But having them creates an inaccessibility to what is otherwise a food for the common folk. The barrier to consuming a great hamburger should rarely ever been financial but because of a lack of technique with what is afforded to the people. And for my final rant on this category. Fuck brioche buns. They crumble are an inferior "bread" to substitute a bun for a burger. Juice soaking capability, 0, crumble factor 0, flavour compatibility 0, distraction from the rest of the burger components 100.
It makes perfect sense that a lovely man like Kenji reveres a lovely man like Jacques. Two of my favorite chefs to watch! Thank you for sharing your videos, stories, and knowledge Kenji!!
The whole video I was like: I can't believe he forgot to season the other side like he said he would. Then at the end right before he takes a bite, he does it. My man Kenji :D
The virtues that you admire so much of Jacques Pepin you hold the same. You consistently encourage us to “do what you want’ ‘make it how you want.’ You’re a kind and naturally gifted educator who is passionate about sharing your knowledge. You’ve also mentioned more then once how you eschew the abusive brigade environment in restaurants. You are the Obi-Wan to his Qui-Gon, an equally skilled and knowledgeable Jedi as your master.
This was a fantastic video. Your respect for Jacques and Julia, and your burger knowledge (which is crazy extensive), were really engaging, the love of iceberg lettuce really fed into my confirmation bias. The one thing that I took away above all else was how great that tomato looked. I need to move outside the bland versions offered by the supermarket chains and go and get some real tomatoes. Thank you.
Yes, I love to watch you cook! But most of all, I enjoy listening to your calm voice. It's an antidote to today's stressful environment. How do you stay so calm? Especially being in the cooking industry, where stress is everywhere? Please keep doing such great work and thank you!
The fact that Kenji washes his hands after handling raw meat makes me feel so validated. Genuinely can’t stand when that is either skipped or edited out in cooking vids
This is a year old and this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this. Kenji, you embody Jacques‘ born educator style and I’m thankful for that. I learn something new every time I see one of your videos. This one? When your meat is done cooking just slide your spatula under it to prop it up from the heat source but that will keep it hot. I wish you all the best.
The part from his book I always remember is how he and his fellow apprentice cooks had to whistle while working with strawberries, on the theory that they would not be able to eat them and whistle at the same time. Of course they gotbaround this by taking turns whistling and eating. Their chef must have been related to Captain Queeg.
What a great video. I enjoy the thoughts, advice and opinions equally as much as the cooking tips on your posts. All the best for 2024 and keep on being my favourite destination for advice on delicious things.
I teared up hearing about how you got to meet your idol Jaques, but at the same time I wept in Southern tears when you said "$11/hr minimum wage at the time." I have no idea what that time was but we're still rocking $10/hr line cook spots down here lmao
This was in Boston. It was actually probably less than $11. All I know is I had a ln annual salary but every paycheck I had a little extra because after extra hours and overtime my salary didn’t meet the minimum wage threshold for hours worked (typically 80+ hours/week).
Kenji gives me major dad vibes from his positivity and educating abilities. Reminds me of cooking with my dad, he just explains why he does stuff but doesn’t disregard differences that he believes makes it better or worse, but rather explains why it’s his opinion on the matter. So positive and I learn a lot about cooking from his show, from different cooking ideas to cooking classic dishes.
I've never seen Jacques' work, but I can say personally that you have inspired me to cook more and taught me more about cooking in the past few months than my whole life so thank you Kenji :)
As famous as Julia Child is, that's largely contextual because the two had a few shows together called Julia and Jacques. In most other contexts, simply talking about a "Julia" would be confusing.
Kenji, I love this tribute to Jacques. I met him on the book tour for The Apprentice and he was just as you said: generous, helpful, and complete educator. He's like the Paul McCartney of the food world. We are blessed to have him.
Jacques and Julia was one of my favorite cooking shows of all time. Seeing a master like Jacques listen to the old master Julia was so fun. What other chef could tell Jacques how to do things and disagree with him on technique. Lol! Two of the true greats.
Many years ago I asked you for advice on learning the craftmanship of cooking, you recommended Pepin, Ruhlman and McGee. I've never looked back. Thank you.
Jacques Pepin is not only a great chef, but a top notch human being. Stark contrast to a certain british soul crushing maniac who likes to yell people into depression.
Reality TV ruined Gordon Ramsay. Watch anything that isn't made-for-shock Hell's Kitchen and you can see the glimmer of a man who truly enjoys food and loves teaching others to make it.
no cooking guy i, but i've made a few burgers and have been working on upping my game in the age of youtube i was watching this thinking, "man that burger is getting overcooked sitting in that pan while he's doing everything else, it's gonna be a tough, dry disappointment at the end then he cuts it in half and it's a beautiful _almost_ pink juicy middle with a thin crusty shell around it
I'm actually curious, could you make a video or link to an article/video that explains what type of material of pan/pot you should be using for certain types of foods/meals?
I love Pepin. And I love Kenji's videos. This is already a winner before I hit the play button. Something both share: the ability to keep it simple and skip steps that don't make a difference in a dish.
I joined the US Army right out of high school back in 2005, and long story short, I got treated like shit in training for nearly 9 months. Do I hold a grudge about it? No, not really, but I think a lot of it was unnecessary and didn't make it a better soldier at all. Its why I can't watch reality TV with abusive behavior, a lot of whats in Gordon Ramsey's shows. There's just no reason to treat people that way.
Two things: his restaurants are abusive as well. Talk to cooks who have worked for them. And more importantly, the worst part of his behavior is that he has influence on other cooks and diners, which normalizes this kind of abuse across the industry. It’s not just a harmless show when other people emulate his behavior or think that it’s OK to treat people poorly in the name of fancy fold.
The other day, my sweet wife heard me watching a Kenji video from the other room and said “Kenji, stop stealing my husband!” But she has to understand.
I have to say you are an absolutely brilliant human being, Kenji! I've only started watching your videos but I am in complete admiration and awe. I've followed a bunch of your recipes and they have always come out super tasty!
I’d ask that you consider the effects of his teaching style and the abuse that takes place in his restaurants and in the restaurants of chefs he has influenced, and whether that matters in terms of who you idolize.
One day @J. Kenji López-Alt, I'm sure many people will hold you in the same high regard as you hold Jacques Pepin. Thank you for being such a great inspiration to us all, not just through your food, but your positive views in life that make the world a better place.
Agreed
I was thinking the exact same thing the whole time he was talking! Its great to see Kenji talking about his Idols and Inspirations.
>>implying that babish doesn't already have an altar somewhere in his house dedicated to our supreme cooking overlord J. Kenji Lopez-alt
@@dokuganryuu9099 True. It's how I found this channel.
I already do, Kenji's scientific approach to food and all round great human being is why I love his channel. And Shabu and Jamon of course.
kenji is out here spitting life lessons while teaching us how to make a burger, thankyou for existing good sir
And washing his hands with Dawn because the soap is out. Bless.
Come for the recipe, stay for the sage advice, and also the recipe.
@@bryanharris5484 Best at cutting grease too.
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 All the while he's wearing sandals or were they flip flops? Making & eating a burger vs a 5 star meal. Everyone should be able to put together a 5 course dinner....just because one nite & having Mac n Chesse the next. The former impossible for me the latter, my talent range.
Jacques has recently lost his wife Gloria (after 52 years together I think) so he must be going through a very hard time -- hopefully he sees this video and he gets some comfort from your kind words about him!
😢
@R. I feel bad that I laughed..
@R. my guy 💀💀💀
@R. broooooo
Truly Japan was a true man he cared for all types of people he was good to his wife his kids his job a true guy to look up to
Kenji: You gave everything to me
Jacques Pepin: *I don't even know who you are*
Well most idols don't know you exist
Sad cook noises
Haha well he does now because he asked me to make a video for his foundation. That story was from years ago :)
Other chefs: I’m not gonna help these new aspiring chefs.
Jacques Pepin: *Fine. I’ll do it myself.*
Kenji: *You will*
Jaques is a legend. And a living one. Such a great human being
and a real hero
Thank you.
@@cracknigga a real human bean.
So is kenji
@@shamus8687 I made some pickled beans using his pickling method, I can confirm he's a real human bean.
I attended French Culinary in NYC 20 years ago where Jacques was a dean and his 2 cooking demos I got to see were like a dream. I used to come home from middle school and watch Jacques religiously. Dude has so much skill but communicates how to cook simply better than anyone.
I absolutely love Jacques. Such an inspiration. His knife skills are off the chart.
My parents got me his techniques series of videos way back when (I was a kid but yes, I am old) and I watched those SO many times and learned so much.
His boning chicken vid is awesome - I watched heaps but his methods is so easy and clever. ua-cam.com/video/nfY0lrdXar8/v-deo.html
deboning a whole chicken and stuffing it. then you got the bones and meat and fat bits for a wonderful gravy stock. a million dollar chicken recipe
The story of jacque coming into the restaurant you were working at and giving you knowledge (as a line cook) -- fucking awesome dude. Like. Seriously fucking awesome. I like him even more now.
Jacque is such a shining example of humility and grace. I already consider him one of the great souls of the past century, in the league of Steve Irwin, Bob Ross, and Fred Rogers. The world will be a darker place when the master leaves us - but he will be cooking for God when he does.
He was the Dean at the French Culinary Institute in NY where I went in 1990 and I recall some good memories...also Julia came by and signed my copy of her most recent book...I miss those simple non internet days
Regretted Anthony Bourdain was also an absolute fan of Jacques Pépin.
Just like Jacques I also think your a great educator and an inspiration Kenji. Really appreciate the knowledge you shared to us over the many years.
Been binge watching everything by Pepin last 2 days... Perfect timing, Kenji. Thank you!
My wife's genius hack, whether it's raw, grilled (our preference), sauteed, or nuked onion, is to place the onion under the cheese before melting. That way, the onion is held in place during eating (one less thing to slide off your burger).
That's... Brilliant
he does this in his recipe in the food lab
I can't tell you how many years I spent putting capers and onions on top of the lox on a bagel, and someone suggested they go on the cream cheese and under the lox, and it blew my mind.
That's the smartest thing I've ever heard!
Why haven't I thought this. Fuck I'm stupid
Jacques Pepin sounds like a really decent guy. I teach traditional, classical animation at the college level. When I went to art school in the ‘70s, many of the instructors I had were from the tough WWII generation.
I found an instructor who was respectful and empathetic to his students. I studied with him privately and flourished under his approach. That’s my philosophy of teaching today. I love that you resonate with that philosophy in all your videos. I thrive under your tutelage as well!
There was a line from Pepin, in an interview with Anthony Bourdain, that has stuck with me since. "A tomato, just the right temperature, coarse salt, EVOO, perfection." Not only is it one of my favorite "recipes", it's also the very heart of Pepin - start with quality and only bring simplicity.
Marco Pierre White once said his favourite food was a ham sandwich. 🙂
Kenji and Jacques are kindred spirits. They are both so thoughtful and kind people. We are lucky to have them.
Pepin's influence shows. I'm glad there are chefs like the two of you out there.
Jacques Pepin is my favorite as well - his voice and regular kitchen tools are so relatable and comforting! I find that you are the same way, Kenji! Thanks to both Chefs for your kindness and honesty!
I want to express so much appreciation for the casual care and love that is baked into everything you produce. It fills me up and is constantly inspiring me. I think you carry Jacques' legacy in you in an extraordinary way and are, too, a born educator. Also huge shout out for being the only channel I have witnessed give consistent visibility to NB folks. You're truly a gem.
I'll always love Jacques Pepin. I have such fond memories of getting up early on Saturdays to watch him and Julia on PBS with my dad when I was growing up.
I love that despite Jacque's incredible background he takes all the pretentiousness out of cooking. His food is simple, hearty and homey, he doesn't insist on using ridiculous ingredients, and he makes good cooking accessible to everyone. The man is an absolute legend.
I liked in, I think, a "More fast food my way" episode, he did slice a black truffle onto a very simple pasta dish, and (a) he explained a lot about truffles, (b) how the one he was using wasn't as good as the white truffle, and (c) "a friend of me gave this one to me," or something like this (I also just love when the French grammar constructions spill over into his otherwise impeccable English.)
Jacques Pepin and J. Kenji López are beautiful souls. Watching them cook and educate has inspired me in the kitchen and given me peace of mind many, many times.
I have no expectation that this will be seen by Kenji, but you're a marvellous cook and online personality. Thank you for brightening my days. xx
I met Martin Yan at a cooking demo in San Jose when I was in culinary school. He was a culinary hero growing up so I was pretty stoked. Jacques Pépin was another hero. Maybe someday I will cross paths with him
Yan Can Cook was my Sunday afternoon childhood on PBS lounging with my dad :-)
Both will take a humble chicken, a sharp knife, and amaze you with their ease of butchery that comes from years of practice.
I saw Pepin tourne vegetables and mushroom caps as easily as I peel a potato with a peeler. Simple tasks done with extreme skill.
I aspire to make omelettes like Pepin.
And if Yan can cook...
I dunno if any other PBS stations are doing this, but KQED out of San Francisco has been uploading full Yan Can Cook episodes on their UA-cam channel every Sunday or Monday for a good chunk of the past year (maybe even longer).
Martin Yan butchering a chicken is one of my fondest Yan Can Cook memories as a kid.
Kenji you bring tears to my eyes...I love Jacques Pepin for the same reasons that you do, it seems. I'm an Australian and only came to Jacques via You tube and his work with Julia. But to me they were generous souls who shared; the joy was in the sharing and all that goes with it. When I discovered you... your book and your channel I was in heaven. I delight in your insight your generosity and your candor... you are not adverse to saying you don't agree and giving the reasons. I almost went to bed with your book it gave me so much comfort. Keep up the wonderful work, your honest your generosity you are up there with the best of the teachers/ cooks you are all food for our hungry need for sharers and giver who believe the more the food is good for all the greater the love and belonging.
Kenji always coming with the respectful, humble spirit.
Your my teacher from across the world I've learnt tons from watching your videos. Not just recipes but also mannerisms, I want you to know I'm a better person because of you. To me your a legend.
One thing I adore about Jacques is that he seems to have a very non-pretentious approach to food. He does make some pretty elaborate or difficult foods sometimes, but none of this trying to make the "best, greatest, most magnificent/most complex" thing ever just to show off. His goal is good food, not going "look how great I am".
Also, he doesn't seem to feel the need to be an asshole while teaching so many people across the world how to cook.
This is also what I adore about Kenji.
Great homage to the great Pepin. Loving this channel more and more every day
"Sausage is really just meat salt and effort" is now my favorite Kenji line
To be honest Kenji Lopez I love coming to your channel not just for the food but for the values you uphold and the stories you share. You Sir are a cut above the rest.
Honestly, this is one of the reasons I love Kenji so much - he's a great people person. I'm personally very against and I guess disgusted by the Gordon Ramsay style toxicity and hardship to make you a better cook, I'm so much more a fan of the positive reinforcement styles of education. Of course you should strive to brace for hardships, to put yourself out there and face some tough times, but my God I cannot stand the Ramsay style toxicity. Kenji's curious, scientific, warm approach to cooking is what gets me hooked and interested. Though I'm not in this industry - I carry this same torch of being a compassionate human in my own area of expertise. Thank you, Kenji.
Thank you!
@@JKenjiLopezAlt No worries, much love!
The way thay Ramsay got famous for effectively glorifying workplace abuse is so disgusting
It’s very telling that your inspiration is not only a great chef but a wonderful educator. I always tell my partner I love to know the “why” of cooking, which is something that draws me to your videos and books. You’ve become a household name for us!
Jacques and Julia... Learned so much from their programs over the years and was so impressed by their skills. To this day Jacques Pepin's skills blow my mind. Very grateful for both of them and their legacies. Really cool you got to meet him, and more than once at that. I hope I have that opportunity.
All the happy little errors in this are great. It's so authentic and embodies what makes the medium of UA-cam so good
Jacques Pepin will always be the most wholesome chef. Thanks for sharing such a lovely story Kenji!
Kenji and Pepin. Great combo of humble yet deeply knowledgeable chefs.
"Something to strive for"
Mate, I haven't met you, but you are already my Pepin.
I get so much from your videos and have found cooking in a way I never had before through your approach.
(Late-night POV especially haha)
Kenji, you rock. I have a very modest kitchen in the duplex we rent and I have learned more from you than watching other cooking shows and other chef channels. Thank you for helping so many and being such a good human.
Jacques Pepin was a huge influence in my younger years - watching his 'Cooking with Claudine' was a pleasure
I can understand that you put Pepin on a different pedestal than yourself, but you're truly (especially during this pandemic) the modern day Pepin. You inspired so many people to begin cooking and adventuring through the culinary arts that I think you might be on more even footing than you might realize.
Watching chef pepin cook a chicken in cream sauce in his home proved to me how much he inspired Kenji. "Here's a mushroom that I found in my fridge". "Just whatever cream is left in this carton". A true legend
Jacques is also a major hero of mine. Love reading his books and watching his videos. Truly the master Yoda of cooking.
Good to see that Kenji is also part of the "using dishwashing detergent as hand soap" gang.
When you are handling meat and grabbing seasonings at the same time you kind of just stop caring.. lol
I've always thought it does a much better job degreasing the hands than soap does.
@@kaikaichen it’s also useful for pretreating grease stains on clothing
@@kaikaichen That's kind of the problem. Making a habit of washing your hands with dish detergent will turn your skin drier than the surface of Mars.
I assumed it was because his hand soap was empty, which made the move to dish soap all the more relatable to me 😆
I met Jacques at my job the other day. Just as kind and humble in person as well. Was very cool to meet somebody with such a high level of respect and exposure in the culinary world.
Thank you for the story time, I love hearing people's formative experiences. And thanks for being the Jacques Pépin to many of us through your positive role modelling and willingness to share and teach.
On a somewhat related note...I've never been a fan of American cheese. It's a textural thing. I've made mac and cheese with good cheese and sodium citrate, and the resulting texture just made me sad (others thought it was great). Guess I stick to sharp cheddar and letting the excess turn into crunchy lace.
I'm with you, I think there is always a better substitute for American cheese in any situation. People rave about how it melts the best... yeah, because it isn't actually cheese and has a huge oil content. I'll take flavor over "meltiness", and for mac & cheese a chedder / parm mix is the way to go
@@stufffstufffington You cannot make a traditional ‘hockey puck’ grilled cheese without American. Just doesn’t taste right. I eat one like once every two years for nostalgia and then that’s enough for another two years. 🤣
So cool to hear you talk about Jacques. It’s evident that you look up to him not only by admiring what he does, but also by emulating his values. All the ways that you described him are ways that I would describe you. Keep up the great work Kenji, thanks for all of the entertainment and lessons.
I wrote this when I ate one of the most perfect smashburgers half a year ago. I ended up writing up a classification guide for burgers.
The "Hamburger"
This is basically what George Motz's has cooked countless times in varying styles on the Burger Show. The "Hamburger" can be anything from McDonald's to In and Out to any Burger joint/shack that makes a hamburger where the ratio of Burger:Bun:Garnishes are balanced where neither is over emphasized but instead working together to make it work. It is the definition of "Greater than the sum of it's parts" cooking. But the added thing is that the garnishes are also..."Hamburger Ingredients." That is basically anything that is storebought or equivalent of storebought. Mustard, pickles, American Cheese, Mayo, Ketchup. The humblest of ingredients that does not require some chef to add truffles or make it into an aioli or have comte on it because it is a superior melting cheese. The hamburger has humble beginnings and definitively it must come from such. This is not the "best ever" burger IMHO but I feel many "best" burgers fall into this category. At the end of the day, burgers are a common thing as much as Tacos, Sandwiches, Pho, Kebab etc. To make it is easy. But to be the best in this category you have to be legendary but also precise in how you manage your ratios. Because the meat is not just the focus of the burger, it is called the "Hamburger" in total.
The "Diner Burger"
The "next step" up for burgers and I use that term loosely. Diner burgers is what I consider burgers in their natural environment if they were not just the main thing like a burger shack. These are burgers that still have care and consideration put into making their burger part of the menu, but being a diner they are more significant. They are two handed affairs often being considered a meal (hence often being accompanied with fries with few opting to sell the burger itself.) To be honest the above previous definition could easily fit into this category but I personally feel these burgers have 3 things that make a difference to "The Hamburger"
Size: Usually these being two handed affairs these burgers are larger or wider to eat. To give value to a place where it is sit down and order as opposed to a counter service place.
Meatloafing/Focus on the meat: in lieu of focusing on the magical ratio of the hamburger components, Diner Burgers would focus on how they season the meat to make it delicious. The reliance on this aspect differentiates it from a The Hamburger because it forgoes celebrating the purity of beef flavour or the technique to make it good with seasonings. Garlic powder, sauteed onions, salt, pepper, pickle juice etc etc, this enters a realm where a hamburger is not being made but a meatloaf. But if basic ingredients are still used, it still resides in burger territory even if less pure.
Environment: It makes the difference. When the burger is not the star and part of an ensemble cast, it loses a bit of it's character. It has to stand up to other menu items to participate otherwise it looks bad by comparison, but also it keeps humble by being a part of a menu type that has be humble to be quantified as a diner. What makes it stand above all others is lost for the safety of being among other greats.
There are amazing Diner Burgers. The types that will still blow your minds but I feel this is a red-headed step middle child of categories because great ones can come from here...but few compared to the simple and gourmet groups.
The "Scavenger Hunt" Hamburger
IMHO this is more of a derogatory term for hamburgers than an actual category. But they are so prevalent I might as well include this. This burger is basically the result of a restaurant "weally wanting a burgwer on the menwu" but never putting in any effort to make it nice. Supplier provided frozen patties, tomatoes probably leftover from some function, sad wilty lettuce, mayo unceremoniously slathered from a bucket, half a pickle added for no reason at all or consideration. Basically a burger cobbled from whatever available products are there to make the most basic of versions. Burgers by focus group. The defining trait of a Scavenger Hunt Burger is that when you first bite into it...you taste all the components individually. Nothing tastes like a "Hamburger." It tastes like a meat patty between buns with vegetables and sauces. Each component lingers on your tastebuds as long as it needs to declare it's presence but without any consideration to it's other residents in said meal. It's like a band where the instruments are playing their own song that highlights their instruments but without any harmony in a single song.
And to be honest these burgers are needed to show that how a burger is delicious is by the smallest details (that SH burgers lack) from toasting a bun properly to searing off the patty nicely to many other things. These considerations separate the good burgers from the rest.
The "Menu Burger" (aka meatloaf put in between bread)
The defining trait of this burger is similar to "weally wanting a burgwer on the menwu" but in this case, they want to make the burger nice. The Menu Burger is a burger that screams at you that it is a *le gasp* a BURGER on this menu. And what I emphasize "Menu Burger" is that quite often they will always emphasize what meat it is. A blend, dry aged, waygu, triple AAA, perfectly cooked, 8OZ, *to your doneness preference*. It totally focuses on the meat which (after I tasted that burger that changed my mind) is pretentious and abandons the definition of what a burger should be.
These burgers would appear on the "Menu" of fine dining places, steakhouses, hipster small plate places, the brunch/lunch/happy hour/Sunday menus of fine dining/gastropubs/white napkin French restaurants. Very few return to the first category to try and make just a decent burger. But quite often many venture into the realm of caramelized onions, tomato chutneys, bacon jams, FOIE, truffle aiolis, Various cheeses, arugala and many other "non hamburger ingredients" to warrant a $15+ pricetag (either falling in between being the cheapest item on the menu or nearly the most expensive item on the menu). Half of it's appeal is it's pricetag, venturing into "This isn't your average hamburger" territory. The other half is seeing it at a place where you would have Duck L'Orange or caviar. It's a novelty and to be honest some of the best burgers ever are in this category. But like how Ron Swanson made a burger from "Meat and stuff" to master simplicity is a far more difficult endeavor than to overload the senses with complex and more high end flavours.
Don't get me wrong. Some of these burgers are beautiful. But having them creates an inaccessibility to what is otherwise a food for the common folk. The barrier to consuming a great hamburger should rarely ever been financial but because of a lack of technique with what is afforded to the people. And for my final rant on this category. Fuck brioche buns. They crumble are an inferior "bread" to substitute a bun for a burger. Juice soaking capability, 0, crumble factor 0, flavour compatibility 0, distraction from the rest of the burger components 100.
It makes perfect sense that a lovely man like Kenji reveres a lovely man like Jacques. Two of my favorite chefs to watch!
Thank you for sharing your videos, stories, and knowledge Kenji!!
The whole video I was like: I can't believe he forgot to season the other side like he said he would.
Then at the end right before he takes a bite, he does it. My man Kenji :D
The virtues that you admire so much of Jacques Pepin you hold the same. You consistently encourage us to “do what you want’ ‘make it how you want.’ You’re a kind and naturally gifted educator who is passionate about sharing your knowledge. You’ve also mentioned more then once how you eschew the abusive brigade environment in restaurants. You are the Obi-Wan to his Qui-Gon, an equally skilled and knowledgeable Jedi as your master.
Damn dude - never noticed your sign off but that's super cool and inclusive
The power of a video series featuring Jacques and Kenji would be immeasurable.
This was a fantastic video. Your respect for Jacques and Julia, and your burger knowledge (which is crazy extensive), were really engaging, the love of iceberg lettuce really fed into my confirmation bias. The one thing that I took away above all else was how great that tomato looked. I need to move outside the bland versions offered by the supermarket chains and go and get some real tomatoes. Thank you.
Yes, I love to watch you cook! But most of all, I enjoy listening to your calm voice. It's an antidote to today's stressful environment. How do you stay so calm? Especially being in the cooking industry, where stress is everywhere? Please keep doing such great work and thank you!
_"Here's mine. It's a hamburger made out of meat, on a bun, with nothing. Add ketchup if you want. I couldn't care less."_
*_~Ron Swanson_*
I guess Ron Swanson isn't a burger lover.
@@grendelsmomsboyfriend Quite the opposite.
Exactly. Have it the way you like it.
Jacques is my favorite chef of all time, he's a true legend and a wonderful human being. He's so humble for such a talented man.
I absolutely watched all 12 minutes of this video.
I believe it
I mean....yeah
Kenji is to me what Jacques is to him.
A cooking legend and after all *the* authority in any culinary question
The fact that kenji also uses dish soap to wash his hands after handling raw meat makes me feel so validated.
Soap is soap. If I trust something to not leave my dishes covered in germs, I trust it to do the same with my hands.
cooking is sometimes about washing your hands multiple times
Why? He washed his hands. Good job. Everyone should.
The fact that Kenji washes his hands after handling raw meat makes me feel so validated. Genuinely can’t stand when that is either skipped or edited out in cooking vids
dish soap is way more powerful than hand soap, it does the job but dries out your mits!
This is a year old and this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this. Kenji, you embody Jacques‘ born educator style and I’m thankful for that. I learn something new every time I see one of your videos. This one? When your meat is done cooking just slide your spatula under it to prop it up from the heat source but that will keep it hot. I wish you all the best.
The part from his book I always remember is how he and his fellow apprentice cooks had to whistle while working with strawberries, on the theory that they would not be able to eat them and whistle at the same time. Of course they gotbaround this by taking turns whistling and eating. Their chef must have been related to Captain Queeg.
What a great video. I enjoy the thoughts, advice and opinions equally as much as the cooking tips on your posts.
All the best for 2024 and keep on being my favourite destination for advice on delicious things.
I teared up hearing about how you got to meet your idol Jaques, but at the same time I wept in Southern tears when you said "$11/hr minimum wage at the time."
I have no idea what that time was but we're still rocking $10/hr line cook spots down here lmao
This was in Boston. It was actually probably less than $11. All I know is I had a ln annual salary but every paycheck I had a little extra because after extra hours and overtime my salary didn’t meet the minimum wage threshold for hours worked (typically 80+ hours/week).
Kenji gives me major dad vibes from his positivity and educating abilities. Reminds me of cooking with my dad, he just explains why he does stuff but doesn’t disregard differences that he believes makes it better or worse, but rather explains why it’s his opinion on the matter. So positive and I learn a lot about cooking from his show, from different cooking ideas to cooking classic dishes.
So glad we got a shot of Kenji with the GoPro headshot on
I've never seen Jacques' work, but I can say personally that you have inspired me to cook more and taught me more about cooking in the past few months than my whole life so thank you Kenji :)
Kenji constantly sounds like he is on the verge of tears in this episode and it’s breaking my heart 💔
looking forward to the day i can meet you! i really appreciate all the humility you bring to your videos.
Jacques Pepin is famous, but when you are simply referenced to as “Julia” - you’re a legend
As famous as Julia Child is, that's largely contextual because the two had a few shows together called Julia and Jacques. In most other contexts, simply talking about a "Julia" would be confusing.
@@RiamsWorld If you say “chef” and “Julia” people will know who you mean.
And for me that’s only because of the movie
@@RiamsWorld eerrr
Kenji, I love this tribute to Jacques. I met him on the book tour for The Apprentice and he was just as you said: generous, helpful, and complete educator. He's like the Paul McCartney of the food world. We are blessed to have him.
9:50 in the morning and now I want burgers!
Just add a fried egg and call it a breakfast burger :D
Papa?
@AlexBeaLipton _ 🤣
Jacques and Julia was one of my favorite cooking shows of all time. Seeing a master like Jacques listen to the old master Julia was so fun. What other chef could tell Jacques how to do things and disagree with him on technique. Lol! Two of the true greats.
Kenji: my cooking hero is Jacques Pepin
Me: my cooking hero is J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Jacques and Kenji at lunch together would be *chef’s kiss*
Love this story, Kenji. Kindness always works. Thanks!
its 2am and i'm eating quesadillas while watching this. lol
I'm jealous! lol
Bruh, I’m eating cereals
Lucky
Many years ago I asked you for advice on learning the craftmanship of cooking, you recommended Pepin, Ruhlman and McGee. I've never looked back. Thank you.
New hit Netflix show based on the eponymous cookbook: "Meat, Salt and Effort"
I’d watch.
What did we do to deserve such a wholesome video on this fine day? Awesome food and such wonderful commentary on such an incredible chef.
Jacques Pepin is not only a great chef, but a top notch human being. Stark contrast to a certain british soul crushing maniac who likes to yell people into depression.
Reality TV ruined Gordon Ramsay. Watch anything that isn't made-for-shock Hell's Kitchen and you can see the glimmer of a man who truly enjoys food and loves teaching others to make it.
I honestly love you Kenji you have a good heart.
I’ve heard Eric Ripert talk about being hit during his apprentice years and how it’s affected him as a chef.
My daughter and I really love watching your videos!
Good morning Kenji
This was absolutely beautiful. Not the food, the lesson.
no cooking guy i, but i've made a few burgers and have been working on upping my game in the age of youtube
i was watching this thinking, "man that burger is getting overcooked sitting in that pan while he's doing everything else, it's gonna be a tough, dry disappointment at the end
then he cuts it in half and it's a beautiful _almost_ pink juicy middle with a thin crusty shell around it
Pretty darn cool to hear Kenji, who is an inspiration to many, gush about one of his idols and inspirations in life
I'm actually curious, could you make a video or link to an article/video that explains what type of material of pan/pot you should be using for certain types of foods/meals?
I would love to see that
Check out Kenji’s Serious Eats article, Essential Pots and Pans: The 9 Pieces of Cookware Every Kitchen Needs
He also wrote about it in his book
I’m a huge fan of Pepin and I feel like kenji nailed it on the head of what Pepin values and it’s exactly why i love Pepin.
non binary pals!!!! im screaming that just made me feel so welcome on your channel
I love Pepin. And I love Kenji's videos. This is already a winner before I hit the play button. Something both share: the ability to keep it simple and skip steps that don't make a difference in a dish.
"The chef, knowing you were a huge fan"... dude, who isn't a huge fan of Jacques ? Philistines, that's who.
Jacques is easily top 3 in my mind. Just a legend. Thanks for sharing your experience with him, confirming that for me.
I looked up "jacques pepin" and youtube gave a video with the title "list of people that can't stand gordon ramsay"
I joined the US Army right out of high school back in 2005, and long story short, I got treated like shit in training for nearly 9 months. Do I hold a grudge about it? No, not really, but I think a lot of it was unnecessary and didn't make it a better soldier at all.
Its why I can't watch reality TV with abusive behavior, a lot of whats in Gordon Ramsey's shows. There's just no reason to treat people that way.
He's still ultimately in control of his behavior. I don't care if it gets more views or not. Its still abusive behavior.
Two things: his restaurants are abusive as well. Talk to cooks who have worked for them. And more importantly, the worst part of his behavior is that he has influence on other cooks and diners, which normalizes this kind of abuse across the industry. It’s not just a harmless show when other people emulate his behavior or think that it’s OK to treat people poorly in the name of fancy fold.
Thank you for the video, and the very special Chef Pepin story from your past. That is a true sign of cook and a teacher. Thank you for sharing.
I realized that when a chef says a “little” salt, oil, butter, pepper, etc. It’s actually 5 times more than I’m thinking.
To me that look like waaay to much salt
It's large grain salt, not like table salt, so a lot will come off in the pan. Most home cooks way under season their food.
@@Kain9407 I know, I use it too. He adds salt three times of which two are after the burger was in the pan. That is most definitely oversalted
Pepin is awesome. Love his book, he's just all around fantastic. Kenji! Love you!!
The other day, my sweet wife heard me watching a Kenji video from the other room and said “Kenji, stop stealing my husband!”
But she has to understand.
I have to say you are an absolutely brilliant human being, Kenji! I've only started watching your videos but I am in complete admiration and awe. I've followed a bunch of your recipes and they have always come out super tasty!
"Guys, gals and non-binary pals" will replace ladies and gentlemen for me henceforth.
the garlic trick on the bun was awesome!!! definitely trying this out soon!
Will I get crucified if I say Gordon Ramsay is my cooking idol here?
I’d ask that you consider the effects of his teaching style and the abuse that takes place in his restaurants and in the restaurants of chefs he has influenced, and whether that matters in terms of who you idolize.
Nice and subtle placement of the t shirt! Thanks for sharing Kenji...