I Interviewed Fergus Henderson

Yes, I interviewed Fergus Henderson, the genius chef of St. John Restaurant, where I recently ate the best meal ever. Well, not in person. And I didn’t actually conduct the interview.

Ryan Adams, who is documenting his effort to cook his way through Nose to Tail: The Whole Beast at Nose to Tail at Home, managed to submit ten questions to Henderson. During an email exchange about cross-posting our St. John’s entries, he asked me to submit a question for the interview, and it made the cut. So here it is, my question for “An Interview with Fergus Henderson:”

David Shaw from Belm Blog – Your plates always seem to have exactly enough on them to highlight the main ingredient. How do you know when to stop adding components to a dish?

Don’t start adding components, say farewell to garnish David, and just make sure your slice of whatever it is on the plate is as it should be.

Thanks, Fergus, for justifying my neglect of garnishes. I’m seriously considering printing your answer and framing it for display in my kitchen, not unlike the definition of “finesse” that graces a wall of the kitchen at the French Laundry. And thanks, Ryan, for letting me ask the question.