Kitchen Conversations With Norman Van Aken: Anita Lo
Norman Van Aken, a member of The Daily Meal Council, is a Florida-based chef–restaurateur (Norman's at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando), cooking teacher, and author. His most recent book is a memoir, No Experience Necessary: The Culinary Odyssey of Chef Norman Van Aken. This is the one in a regular series of Kitchen Conversations — informal but revealing interchanges with key culinary figures — that Van Aken will be contributing to The Daily Meal. He also writes a regular series of Kitchen Meditations for us. You can find all of Norman's contributions on his Daily Meal page.
Anita Lo, chef and owner of Annisa in New York City, and author of Cooking Without Borders, is one of the most highly regarded chefs in the country. Chef Lo is known for her contemporary American cuisine that highlights her multicultural upbringing and classic French training. She is a first generation Chinese-American who combines flavors inspired by her Asian roots, culinary travels, and the seasons to create innovative dishes that are unexpected, delicious, and impressive.
After numerous awards and accolades and 10 years in business at Annisa (whose name means ”women” in Arabic), chef Lo's restaurant unfortunately burned down. However, after taking some time to travel the world, gathering new found inspiration from all over the globe, she decided to embark on re-building Annisa. During this time Anita appeared on the first season of Top Chef Masters where she finished fourth out of 24 chefs. Annisa reopened in 2010 and the following year she released her much anticipated first cookbook, Cooking Without Borders, which showcases her passion for bringing multicultural flavors to her American kitchen. For more about chef Lo and Annisa, click here.
Norman Van Aken: What is the very first thing you remember eating and enjoying? Where were you?
Chef Annita Lo: When I was 2 years old we went on a family trip to see our relatives in Malaysia. I remember eating a very juicy, sweet orange on my aunt's back porch in KL. The juice was dripping down my chin, into my shirt and off my elbows. Then my mother came and cleaned me up.
Are you the first 'chef' in your Family?
As far as I know, yes.
When did you start cooking?
I took some cooking classes after my junior year in college while I was in Paris for the summer. I started cooking professionally right after I graduated college in 1988.
When did you realize that it was 'serious' to you?
I think as soon as I was in cooking school. I really loved everything about it.
Where were you cooking when that moment took place?
I didn't have an "aha" moment. It seemed like a really good idea from the start–by working in a French restaurant I could keep up my language skills (I was a French major in college), sleep late (I'm naturally a night owl), not dress up for work (I'm just not good at that), and work with my hands with things that I love, with people who for the most part share my interests in food and travel.
What was the first dish you made you felt proud of?
I don't really remember. But in cooking school as part of our final exams we had to do a cooking demonstration of something we created ourselves. I made a little fluted box of puff pastry and stuffed it with asparagus and langoustines and served it with beurre blanc and I think tarragon. It came out well.
Do you feel this kind of life caused you to sacrifice having a 'normal life'?
I'm not normal, so no!
Did you ever come close to quitting the business and finding something 'more sane'?
Again, no — apparently, I belong here :)
What was your arc in terms of the first kinds of cookery you loved and how it morphed over your career?
When I first started out, I was very much into French cooking of all kinds (regional, contemporary, classic...) as most of fine dining at the time was Franco-centric and I had just graduated with a degree in French. Then in the early 90's I wanted to combine French and Asian flavors. (I had a period post childhood in the Midwest suburbs where I was trying to get in touch with my Asian identity.) Then after the mid 90's I realized that French Asian was too limiting, so I began to focus on "contemporary American" which allowed me to bring all of my travels and multicultural leanings to the table.
Who is the most important American born cookbook author of the past 50 years in your estimation?
I'm not a food historian, so I don't think I can really answer this question with enough perspective. And there's so many great authors with compelling reasons to single them out.
Who is the most important chef of the past 100 years?
Alice Waters? Julia Child? Ferran Adrià? James Beard? How can you say one is more important that the other?
Who is the most 'mischievous' chef you have ever known?
That title might have to go to Mario Batali. I think all those stories about how much he can drink are true. I have one story, that I was going to tell you .... but then thought better of it...
If you could go out for drinks and dinner with an 'food person' (can be living or from the past in this hypothetical question!) who would it be and why?
Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas. I would love to hear stories of their "salons" of past, which included many of the writers I studied in college as guests.
What was the best live concert that you have ever been to?
Hard to say, but here are my top three: The Clash, front row center in a small theater in Michigan. KD Lang, at the Westhampton Theatre around two years ago. And Pink is such an amazing entertainer–saw her on long Island as well.
What band do you regret never having seen, (living or dead)?
The Who. I was obsessed in my early teens.
What food or ingredient do you adore?
Fish that I just caught.
What is your favorite "Food/Wine/Drinks Holiday"?
Thanksgiving. I love cooking and eating it. Must have a heritage turkey. Mine always has some shellfish to start, then the turkey, with black truffle, foie gras dressing, roasted chestnuts, Brussels sprouts, wild mushrooms and kabocha or yam puree. And a pecan pie
What food, drink or ingredient will never enter your body again?
I can't be 100% sure of this but I probably won't be visiting Mongolia again and I have no desire to eat blow torched, smoked in its own burning fur, marmot again. Eww...
Where in the world would you like to dine now?
Japanese seaside. That's gotta be amazing.
Do you feel culinary schools are preparing young folks for a life as a chef?
If the percentage of culinary grads that are cooking in professional kitchens in even just the first year after graduating is any indication, I'd say no. (but what you learn is regardless a skill that will enrich your life)
What is your feeling about the "reality TV cooking shows"? Are they good for the Industry? Would you sign up to do them, (or do more)?
I have competed on many of the cooking shows and enjoyed the experience. Its good for the restaurant industry in that it draws attention to what we do and helps drive business. And it has helped people become more knowledgeable about food. Would I do it again? I'll cross that bridge if I ever get to it. For now, I'm enjoying being on the other side as a judge.
What part of your body has taken the biggest beating over the years in the kitchens?
My brain? ;) I had a full knee replacement two years ago at the age of 48. The other knee isn't too far behind.
What famous guests have you enjoyed cooking for the most?
David Byrne was one of my rock heroes. (and the Talking Heads! I wish I had seen them live in concert!) Also Gerry Casale from Devo. Both became regular customers and both eat everything! I loved both of those bands. I got Gerry and some of the other band members to sign a limited edition picture record that I had of theirs. I was too awed by David Byrne to ask for an autograph.
Which guests (famous or otherwise) will not be welcomed back?
As a restaurant in New York City, we of course have a lot of stories. But we're lucky in that no one has been that bad that we've barred them.
Favorite Food Movie of all time? (or Food Scene)?
Tampopo. The scene where the gangster's girlfriend is dying from a gun shot wound in the rain and she is and her boyfriend are talking about eating grilled wild boar intestines just after the hunt, in the winter when the pigs have been feasting on sweet potatoes, so their intestines are full of that mash.
Is molecular or modernist cuisine something you feel has made cuisine better?
Yes and no. In the right hands, it can be a new adventure, and many of the new techniques can make better results. But sometimes, in the wrong hands, it can be just about showing off the technique while not making the ingredients shine. And I'm finding that some of the younger, yet experienced cooks don't really know how to cook without the new equipment.
If it all came down to the world knowing your life's work via one dish like an author via a single book they'd written what dish would be the one that you would choose you created or best became known for?
I don't think this is a fair question. I am hopefully still evolving as a chef, and a whole life's work can't be summarized in one dish. But I know I'm best known for my foie gras soup dumplings.
You've created a meal so you can sit and join your 3 chosen guests from all of history. What items did you cook? Whom are your 3 guests?
The menu would have fish that we caught, shellfish, wild mushrooms, and vegetables that we harvested, and would include some luxury ingredients such as santa barbara uni, truffles, caviar, and foie gras. My guests would be my girlfriend, Mary, my mother and my father (both of whom have passed away).
If you had not made it as a Chef and money were not an issue what profession would you choose?
A travel/food writer.
Would you want your child (or a niece or nephew) to become a chef?
No. This profession needs to choose you, you can't try to influence the younger generation to become chefs. Its a hard lifestyle. Although I think it would be wonderful to see if one of my nieces had that perfect storm of talent, drive, and various skills to become a successful chef.
If you wrote a book on advice for aspiring chefs (etc.) what would you choose for its title?
"Taste Everything".