Jun 12, 2014

Chef Collection by Samsung

"You have to really share your heart in the dish when you're preparing it," says Éric Fréchon (well, says his translator), chef of the restaurant at the Hôtel Le Bristol in Paris. And "butter", he declares without hesitation when I ask what is the one thing he always has in his fridge. I can get behind that, of course. Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with some of the chefs who collaborated with Samsung on their new collection of premium kitchen appliances which include a dual-temperature oven, fridge, and dishwasher. It was an intimate chat session just for me and three other bloggers/photographers (Tiffany of Offbeat and Inspired, Byron Talbott, and Jeanine of Love and Lemons).

Later that evening, we watched these chefs in action in the Samsung Living Atelier "test kitchen" where they prepared little treats for a much larger press group. It was really like a game of "how many Michelin-starred chefs can you fit in one kitchen?"




Alongside Chef Fréchon, Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa, Michel Troisgros of La Maison Troisgros in Roanne, and newcomer of the Club des Chefs, Daniel Boulud of too many restaurants to name, chatted with us about their cooking philosophies, inspirations, home cooking life, and involvement with Samsung. While we were on the topic of how little details can make a big difference, Chef Kostow mentioned how important it is to make every member of your team realize their importance and impact on a guests's experience as a whole, so the demands don't just feel arbitrary. I really liked that sentiment. Meanwhile, I admired his striped socks.



Above, Samsung CEO BK Yoon pins Chef Boulud with the Club Des Chefs badge during the evening session. Then the fun part began. And finally, a benefit of being petite! I elbowed my way through crowds of press photographers who were armed with telephoto lenses, and managed to sneak in some shots with my tiny camera and iPhone. Even when they have a million cameras and flashes in their face, the chefs work with a neurotic precision. I'm sure it's just in their blood now, but I could not help but notice it.








The four of us walked away with the kindest parting gift - signed aprons! The best part had to be when Michel Troisgros (who is such a rock star) was about to write my name and didn't quite understand me. Then his eyes lit up as he said, "Ah! Like Alice Waters?" Yes, I'll take that. (The second best was my selfie with Daniel Boulud.)



Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Samsung.

8 comments :

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Ahh, everything looks so delicious and beautiful! You're an amazing photographer. :)

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  3. Stunning photography!

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  4. What kind of lens did you use for the kitchen shots? Thanks in advance for your answer!

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    1. I shot most of these with a 35mm and did some cropping.

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  5. I really love your photos and how your photographs of something so simple can bring up some kind of feeling. My favorite in this set is the asparagus!

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