Interview with Alice Waters

Chef, Restaurateur, and Author

It would be hard to point to another person who has as much of an influence on the food movement in America today than Alice Waters. Employing the philosophy of using only fresh, organic, local ingredients in her cooking, from Chez Panisse in California she started a movement. As a champion of local purveyors and sustainable practices, Waters predated the current craze and has been one of its biggest proponents and supporters. With too many accolades and awards to mention, her efforts can be seen at restaurants around the country, and her Chez Panisse Foundation continues to support education about organics and sustainability.

What’s the most unique thing about your restaurant?
At Chez Panisse, we esteem good food, community, and sustainability. We have always seen the meal as a center of the human experience. We only choose ingredients that are sound, seasonal, local when possible, and appropriate to the event. Garnish and presentation play supplemental roles, not principal ones. Respect for traditions, both artisanal and sophisticated, is an equal to inventiveness and improvisation.

Which chefs do you most admire?
For as long as I’ve been cooking, I’ve admired the writers and cooks Elizabeth David and Richard Olney. And my dear friend Lulu Peyraud from the Domaine Tempier in Provénce: No one has taught me more about the value of a simple meal prepared with care. Many of the chefs I’ve worked with at Chez Panisse have inspired me. I also see a lot of hope in some young chefs, like David Chang at Momofuku, who are showing that really good food can be simple and accessible.

What's in your pantry? Garden?
At home, I keep two groups of food that are loosely defined by how often they have to be replenished: longer-lasting staples and relatively perishable produce and dairy. For instance, I always have dried beans, vinegar, and olive oil in my pantry. When I need perishable foods, I make a trip to the farmers’ market in the morning, or I plan ahead and go a day or two before. I like to see what’s fresh and what’s available that day.

In the garden, I keep an array of herbs and spices, especially rosemary and thyme, which are hearty and keep themselves. I also have a few very abundant raspberry bushes, and in the summer I always pick a handful for breakfast. If I know I won’t be traveling for awhile, I’ll keep lettuces and seasonal greens. It’s not hard to maintain a simple garden, no matter how busy you are, and the rewards of fresh produce are worth the work.