The Smartest Things I've Heard Chefs Say
Candid quotes from local/regional chefs—and what they reveal...
I’ve interviewed and chatted with dozens of chefs and restaurateurs over the past 25 years. Some are natural storytellers—while others are happy to let their food do the talking.
It’s more work than you’d think. Getting a chef to open up can take forever—more of a slow simmer, not rolling boil. But when it finally clicks? Eureka! That one sharp insight, that offhand comment after an hour of tooth-pulling—finally, you get a crisp, clear-eyed view of their vision, their challenges, and their passions.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes—and what I feel the words reveal about each chef or restaurateur.
“Slow money, too.” — C.J. Bienert
That’s what C.J. Bienert quipped when we were talking about his commitment to artisanal products—what you might call true slow food. He was only half-joking. At The Cheese Shop and Cheese Bar, quality, craftsmanship, and the best possible ingredients come first, even if the profits don’t exactly rush in.