THREAD I realize that a lot of might not know who Joel Robuchon is because he's not really a public chef, but he's a legend. So here's his story, which leads into an anecdote.
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Rumors went around about all sorts of crap, but he was apparently rocked by chef friends dying and the stress of the damn job. So he quit. He says he knew he maybe would come back. But as far as everyone else knew... He just literally fucking disappeared.
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That's a strange way of putting it, but it was because he was always a private person. Insanely shy. Quiet. Not interested in celebrity one iota. Only the food. But he really just went off the map.
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There were all the rumors. Someone saw Robuchon in vietnam! Another rumor that we showed up in Maryland and freaked out the first time he had softshell crab! The rumors were fun.
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This went on a whole decade. Then? The rebirth. The story goes that MGM grand in vegas came to him and said "come back, do whatever you want, you don't have to make money."
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And he was like "yeah everyone says that then they freak out over how much money you lose" but MGM Grand was like "we're a fucking casino. We'll put in the contract that you DON'T have to make money."
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He said yes, but wanted something strange: He wanted two restaurants, right next to each other. One, the fanciest place he's ever done. 16 course tasting menu w/ the works.The other? "L'atelier" a casual (for him) restaurant where you sit around a bar and watch the food be made.
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They came out and were crazy successes. How could they not be? The Godfather had returned. But he particularly loved the L'atelier set-up and suddenly wanted to open them around the world. So he did.
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Enter me: young idiot who loves him more than anything, had studied his food, and we make reservations to go and spend all my money at L'atelier." (couldn't afford the mansion yet). So we go.
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It's one of the best meals of my life. I *still* think about the potatoes and quail dish. But everything about the experience is just so fucking delicious. That's the thing. He only cared if it's delicious.
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And the whole dinner we're talking with the chefs and the waiter and we're all super hitting it off, talking food, diving into the intricacies, having a grand old time.
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So we're closing the night down and ready for goodbyes and then it happens... Robuchon pokes his head out the door to look in... I go dead quiet, jaw agape. This dude is a fucking hero and... there.. he... is.
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THEN, the chef walks over to Joel and I'm half-listening, but it's akin to "you should really say hello to...." I'm basically crapping my pants, but Joel Robuchon turns his head and looks me, making dead eye contact with the person the chef's talking about... And then...
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Joel Robuchon, chef of the century, literally turtles into his shoulders, goes wide-eyed and scared, and ran away. I immediately cracked up. And I think about this moment literally time someone mentions his name. But not out of something that wants to turn it into a joke.
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Because Robuchon, like most human beings could apparently be charming and fun in the right scenarios or interview setting, especially as his passion for food is inherent to everything about him... but also dealt with things that went beyond this...
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A friend in his orbit put words to the things Robuchon never did: social anxiety, general anxiety, fears of speaking a foreign language, all the things we never think of when it comes to these larger than life gods who are really just people with real, quiet fears and battles.
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And today he died of cancer. And I hate it. He had many good years left. His empire was back at full strength. To put it simply, Robuchon had more Michelin stars than any chef in the world. And he was still teaching.
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In trying to describe his importance to you, there is no correct parallel in the world of film. Depending on how you frame Robuchon's story, he is at once Billy Wilder, Steven Spielberg, Francois Truffaut, or Terrence Malick.
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But I will always first think about him being too scared to talk to me, some random customer. And how that makes me feel nothing but empathy for all the amazing people who ever felt the same anxieties. And how passion can be the thing that leads you through. <3
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End of conversation
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