15

Its not in my nature to deconstruct food and reconstruct it in into another form but chefs do if every day in restaurants around the world. I have a passion for food like any other who has passion for their crafts. To me its a way of life. I believe food is not just nourishment but educational in many ways. Not only does it keep us alive but it teaches us structure, organization and community among others and most importantly culture. Food comes in many forms in many places in many layers.

During my brief time in the this world I have found a multitude of challenges that pair with many layers of skill. It takes years from beginner to expert never to become a true master but some do achieve expert status more quickly than others. Its the passion and dedication that leads to trial and error basis until perfection can be attained.

I have randomly photographed a 5 day mise en place for 15 course dinner along with normal everyday mise just to show how mirthful this life is. With enjoyment, creativity, passion, and an unending learning experience I achieve complete satisfaction, gratitude and respect for it all. This is why I feel deconstruction and reconstructing is a form of art and being creative with it builds another layer and adds to the repertoire of experience and knowledge.

We are what our food eats

I truly believe if people eat organic food they will live happier, healthier, stronger and longer lives. To know where your food is coming from is so important for our health; what we eat is what we are. Its not about what we eat, as its about what we eat eats or how it is grown. My wife calls herself a Santévore, when I met her she was a vegetarian and like most vegetarians it was an easy decision to make considering the way the conventional (USA style of feed / mass lot production) animals are raised and treated. Through all my attempts to share this juicy beautiful peace of meat that I was enjoying so much I never succeeded. Not because the meat didn't taste good but for the deep roots of disgust, shame, and embarrassment of what America is doing to our food. After a year or so of trying to convert my beautiful wife to a meat eater again I decided to try a different approach. This approach was still trying to get her to eat meat but a different kind of meat, meat that you couldnt buy in the stores, meat that is hormone, steroid and antibiotics free, meat that was naturally raised, grass fed, organic vegetable and grain fed, left to roam, mate, play and do all it wishes as its raised for nourishment. At first I thought she might not care about this humanely raised meat to eat but I was wrong she totally embraced the idea that if I could find this kind of meat she would try it. WOW it worked I brought home a locally farmed naturally raised Berkshire pork chop and cooked mid rare for us and she tried it. She liked it and decided if ever to eat meat it will be raised this way. OK I thought now I am on a journey to find some naturally raised meat purveyors, in Oregon this was easy but in Spokane where meat and potatoes are easy to find nobody had naturally raised beef or pork and if they did they would make it hard to get. So naturally I look to the local farmers and spent the next five years developing my philosophy. You may know it as Santé...

Click the links to view my inspiration for my brief rant......

Dan Barber, Fois Gras