In this out-take from the PSFK Conference New York, Michelin Star awarded chef Eric Ripert talks about how he gets inspiration for his business and how that impacts his food, service and offering.
Notes from Transcriber:
It’s not like you push a button and from 8-9 you’re creative. Creativity comes sporadically and in waves. Sometimes I’m extremely creative when I’m in a plane. Not because of the food, but because I’m relaxed (when I travel the world and the US for fun and business reasons) – I just came back from India and so far, nothing. Not like the food wasn’t interesting. I try to not force my mind to create when I’m not feeling it. Lately our menu is very Asian. I went to Hong Kong and Japan a few years ago. And from day one, it came in very subtle ways. 80% of the main course is Asian influenced. 10 years ago 80% was Italian. I storage ideas, feelings mixed with the food and then it comes back and it bombards me. Sometimes it’s in the middle of the night. I always have a pen and paper and make notes, then I make listings of those notes, and then from those ideas we test it. Most of the time we discard it and end up with a small percentage.
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I loved Eric’s response to the audience question “Do you rely on your dinner guests tastes and their input to help create your new menus?” His response: “No, my inspiration comes from within. I know what I like, so I rely on my own tastes and wiles.” (Okay, I paraphrased, but you get the point.) He’s a true believer in his art.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:33 am