Interview With TOP CHEF MASTER Chef Jody Adams

How big is your staff in the kitchen at Rialto?

25

What do you have planned for 2011?

A surprise!

Are there plans for another book?

My husband, Ken Rivard, and I are starting to work on one on Italian vegetables from a New England kitchen.

Describe your experience of competing on Top Chef Masters?

I loved the experience of cooking on TCM.   With each new challenge, I felt like I was going over the top of a roller coaster with that funny feeling in my stomach.  I never knew what crazy wildcard would be thrown at me.   Weird ingredients, odd cooking venues, unexpected extra guests, shopping constraints, time limitations, we saw it all.  But that was what made it so much fun.  I was cooking against some of the most accomplished chefs in the country and we were working without those lovely "behind-the-scenes" people we depend on in our own kitchens.  It was hard.  I felt the rust in my joints.  And then there were the ever-present cameras to catch the mascara pooling under my eyes.  Every time I slipped, dumped a pot on the floor or burnt my garlic, the camera was there to ensure the world would see it.  The one thing that kept me focused was the thought that Partners In Health was depending on me.  If they could provide medical care for the poorest people in the world, I could suck it up and not worry about whether my mascara was running. 

When did you first get involved with Partners in Health?

I got to know the founders and principals of PIH, Ophelia Dahl, Paul Farmer and Jim Kim, many years ago in Rialto.  As I got to know them, heard their stories and read Tracy Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, I became convinced that the work they were doing could truly change the world.

What makes you so passionate about this organization?

At Rialto, we've supported PIH for many years and I know the money we help raise will be used compassionately and wisely. I've been to their clinic, PACT in Dorchester and seen the work they do there.  I have been to Rwanda and seen the work they do there as well. PIH's mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care using a community based system.  At Rialto right now, in response to the needs in Haiti, proceeds from sale of sides on the dinner menu are donated (100%) to the PIH Stand With Haiti Campaign. We've raised over $35,000 since January 12, 2010 when the devastating earthquake struck Haiti.  Given the nature of Rialto, we wanted to find a subtle way for guests and purveyors to contribute to PIH's Stand With Haiti. Sides were something that made sense.

One of the deciding factors for me about Top Chef Masters was that had the potential to raise dollars and awareness for PIH.  With my win's I raised $17,500 and on the days I was on the show, contributions made directly to PIH spiked.

What advise do you have for young cooks going into the culinary industry?Generally speaking, read as much as you can, travel, taste everything and cook.  After that, my advice would be pegged to your age.  If you're young, say still in high school and thinking about cooking as a career, do anything to get into a good kitchen for a year or two.  Resist the temptation to sign up for cooking school. Give yourself a chance to get up close and personal with the life and see if this is what you really want, if you've got the drive and stamina for it. If you're older, thinking about changing from your present field into cooking, consider a short, intensive program to get some skills to help you get in the door.  I've got a pair of cooks right now who switched out of completely different occupations–and short (one year) cooking programs made it possible for them to make the jump. That said, I dislike all the hype that surrounds some programs, the unrealistic expectations they raise in kids. Cooking is always hard, mostly underpaid, and not at all glamorous, at least in the beginning.  If it's for you, dive in hands first, but never forget it's a business and at the end of the day, be sure you're making money.

What specifically would you want to pass on to females going into this field?

Becoming a chef is not for the faint of heart or those afraid of competition, male or female.  To stand out, it's key to push yourself out of your comfort zone into new and unfamiliar territory, sometimes aggressively.  That new situation can be uncomfortable and unfriendly.  Moving from line cook to chef, from chef to chef/owner, competing on TCM–none of it has been easy, but I've found that at each stage I seem to grow new muscles and I end up feeling stronger for the experience.  So my advice to the next generation of female chefs is to work for chefs that you and admire and will force you to grow, whether male or female.  Look at their food, their style of mentoring and their place in the world.  Always strive for excellence in your own work and never settle for a job that is too comfortable.  Be your own best advocate, go after what you want, and remember, you don't get what you don't ask for.