By Joseph Temple

Earlier this month, the culinary world lost well-known television personality Anthony Bourdain. The host of CNN’s Parts Unknown, he was described as the Hunter S. Thompson of gastronomy, providing the antithesis to an industry glamorized on TV by photogenic celebrity chefs. “Of all the professions, after all, few people are less suited to be suddenly thrown into the public eye than chefs,” wrote Bourdain.  “We’re used to doing what we do in private, behind closed doors. We’re used to using language that many would find … well … offensive, to say the least.”

Although known as the host of several television shows, Bourdain first rose to stardom in 2000 after writing the book Kitchen Confidential, an extended sequel to a New Yorker article he penned in the late 90s. Speaking in a language known as Kitchenese, the book offers readers a gritty and unfiltered look at a craft that Bourdain felt was being misrepresented in the mass media. A runaway best-seller, those in the trenches could easily relate to the numerous anecdotes—many of them coarse and profane—that he described in his three decades as a chef.

Let us share ten observations he made about the restaurant industry in this classic text! While times may have changed and his opinions are certainly not universal, it’s worth noting what made Kitchen Confidential a must-read for both aspiring chefs and those with an interest in the culinary arts.

1. Never order fish on a Monday!

According to Bourdain, the best restaurants typically order seafood on Thursday for Friday delivery. Hoping to sell the bulk of their inventory on Friday and Saturday—the two busiest nights—whatever isn’t sold (and may be turning) is served the following Monday before the next shipment arrives. “If he has a little left on Sunday, he [the chef] can unload the rest of it then, as seafood salad for brunch, or as a special. Monday? It’s merchandizing night, when whatever is left over from the weekend is used up, and hopefully sold for money.”
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2. Beware of brunch

For many, Sunday brunch is a cherished ritual as diners eagerly line up to fill their plates at the various buffet stations. But not so fast says Bourdain ,who had a much different perspective: “Brunch menus are an open invitation to the cost-conscious chef, a dumping ground for the odd bits left over from Friday and Saturday nights or for the scraps generated in the normal course of business.”
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3. B-Team

Additionally, with restaurants having their starting rotation of line cooks working on Friday and Saturday nights, the walk-ons are directly sent to the bush leagues of dining: brunch service. “Brunch is demoralizing to the serious line cook. Nothing makes an aspiring Escoffier feel more like an army commissary cook … than having to slop out eggs over easy with bacon and eggs Benedict … Brunch is punishment block for the ‘B’ Team cooks.”
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4. Always check the bathroom

When walking into a restaurant for the first time, a good tip is to check the bathroom before sitting down at your table. Why? Because the bathroom serves as a microcosm for the establishment at large when it comes to cleanliness. “If the restaurant can’t be bothered to replace the puck in the urinal or keep the toilets and floors clean, then just imagine what their refrigeration and work spaces look like. Bathrooms are relatively easy to clean. Kitchens are not.”
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5. Save for well-done

If you’re someone who likes his meat well-done, then expect to be eating the absolute worst cut that the chef has pushed to the side in hopes that you enter his restaurant. “Save for well-done” Bourdain explains is food served “to some rube who prefers to eat his meat or fish incinerated into a flavorless, leathery hunk of carbon, who won’t be able t tell if what he’s eating is food or flotsam.”
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6. Recycled bread

So what happens if nobody eats the bread on your table? Does it go in trash? Yes, for some places, but others, not so much. “When it’s busy, and the busboy is crumbling tables,” writes Bourdain, “and he sees a basket full of untouched bread, most times he’s going to use it. This is a fact of life.”
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7. Just say no to hollandaise sauce

Many of us love to pour delicious creamy hollandaise sauce all over our Eggs Benedict. However, when at a restaurant, all bets are off due to it being a magnet for bacteria says Kitchen Confidential. “Hollandaise must be held at a temperature not too hot nor too cold … Unfortunately, this lukewarm holding temperature is also the favorite environment for bacteria to copulate … Nobody I know has ever made hollandaise to order. Most likely, the stuff on your eggs was made hours ago and held on station.”
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8. Keep an eye out for the delivery truck

If you have a keen attention for detail, you’ll always be on the look out for whenever a delivery truck parks behind a restaurant. The reason has to do with the sign—or lack of sign painted on its side. “If you see sinister, unmarked step-vans offloading all three [seafood, meat and produce] at once, or the big tractor trailers from one of the national outfits—you know the ones, ‘Servicing Restaurants and Institutions for Fifty Years’—remember what institutions they’re talking about: cafeterias, schools, prisons.”
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9. Observe your wait staff

When deciphering a menu that is potentially full of booby traps, the waiter or waitress could end up being your best friend. Use this person to your advantage says Bourdain as they can help guide you through some potential murky waters. “If he [the waiter] likes you, maybe he’ll stop you from ordering a piece of fish he knows is going to hurt you … Observe the body language and take note.”
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10. The best night to go out? Tuesday of course!

On the surface, it would appear that Friday and Saturday, the two busiest nights for restaurants would be the ideal time to see a seasoned chef at their very best. Not so according to Bourdain: “the food is fresh, but it’s busy, so the chef and cooks can’t pay as much attention to your food as they—and you—might like.” On the other hand, Tuesday is when the fresh product comes in, the chef is well rested from a hectic weekend, and is eager to please his diners. “Weekday diners … are the home team—potential regulars, whom all concerned want to make you happy.”
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Question: Would you please give me a Viognier wine recommendation?

Answer: I am not the best person to ask as I usually unfairly compare New World Viognier to the expensive treasures of Chateau Grillet or Condrieu Coteau de Vernon from Domaine Georges Vernay in the Rhone. The unique floral aromas of apricot and peach pit are attractive but the grapes need to be ripe enough to show those luscious elements instead of unripe vegetal notes. However it is tricky one as they should also try to harvest early enough to avoid a tendency of low acidity and with too much resulting alcohol. Yalumba in Australia has done an admirable job of delivering dry lush examples with their reasonably priced Y Series. In British Columbia a Rhone white blend including the Viognier variety with Roussanne & Marsanne is becoming most popular. Try the balanced Ava from Le Vieux Pin, aromatic Afraid of the Dark by Moon Curser Vineyards or Figaro (no Marsanne in the blend) from Terravista Vineyards – winemaker Senka Tennant suggests serving it with roasted tomato-squash soup & crème fraiche. Single variety 2016 “Rachel’s” Viognier is highly recommended from Daydreamer Wines in Naramata. Winemaker Marcus Ansems MW previously used all his Viognier in his signature Syrah but liked this 2016 one with perfectly timed picking “with some tension left” at 13 alcohol for this solo beauty.

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Hard to believe how popular Rosé has become recently. Not only on a relaxing patio during the warmer Summer months but served all year round too. Seems to be presently the go to wine for sure where ever you are. Taking smart advantage of this trend in Vancouver is Jean-Francis Quaglia Chef/Owner of restaurant provincemarinaside.ca & The Wine Bar with his forward thinking wine team. Jean-Francis has fond memories of drinking Tavel several decades ago in his home in the South of France at give away prices but his imported magnums of 2016 Tavel Prieure de Montezargues now cost a pretty penny. They have all the Cotes de Provence hot hits including despite their split Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie’s 2017 Miraval, Domaine de Carteyron: “Cuvee Malyse”, Rimaureso Cru Classe mags, and so popular Sacha Lichine Chateau d’Esclans Whispering Angel in monster Imperial size!  Also impressive Clos Cibanne Cuvee Prestige Caroline Tibouren and even Domaine Moulin des Costes from Bandol. They have 48 Rosés with 41 served by the glass and 25% off on Sunday. What a statement!

Rosés seem to be coming from everywhere in the world. Italy is expanding with many indigenous grape varieties used from several regions such as Negroamaro in Salice Salentino Puglia to Chiaretto in Bardolino. Rosados from Spain using Tempranillo and Grenache have been around for a while but other countries testing the market include Portugal, New Zealand, Greece, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Austria, Chile, and Argentina. On your scribe’s recent trip to Bordeaux there were lots of local Rosés made from Cabernet & Merlot grapes but these varieties are more difficult to get that cherished delicacy from though Clos de Soleil Winery in the Similkameen Valley BC has produced a full bodied fruity Cabernet one. IMHO the first obligation of Rosé is to be fresh, lively and most charming with the better grapes for that style outside of Provence including pinot noir, gamay, and increasingly pinot meunier. Checking out lots of worthy examples from both 2016 & 2017 consistent vintages in British Columbia. Really like the pink Sparkling Mariani Clone 509 gamay 2017 Rosé (90 cases) with 4 hours of skin contact from Jay Drysdale at Bella Wines. My 2 other favourite Rosés so far are Ann Sperling’s delicious 2016 Pinot Noir Rosé with a 24-30 hour soaking at a fresh 11.5 alcohol and Heidi Noble’s 2017 Chic Fille (50 cases from JoieFarm) interesting so charming lees character dry savoury Pinot Meunier with 8.6 total acidity and only 10.5 alcohol. Get hip and check out these outstanding Rosés!

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Question: What do you see as the major influence of global warming in the Champagne region?

Answer: Well the grapes are getting riper and there is more early picking of them. This will have a major effect ongoing. We see the benefit of warmer temperatures for English Sparkling wines and others around the world produced in cooler regions. IMHO the main change so far is the conscientious examination of grapes for their pH levels which are on the rise. Accordingly most houses that routinely put their bubbles through 100% malolactic fermentation now decide whether or not to do so or even to just do so partially. They want to ensure that their Champagne still retains outstanding bright freshness of balanced acidity levels. Check this technical modification out with the next purchase of your favourite Champagne!

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Bordeaux has seen some hotter weather recently. However 50 years ago the 1966 vintage was more typical of the times with dry cooler Summer conditions. There was the outstanding concentrated 1961s followed by excellent 1962 and 1964 but much more frequent vintage failures like 1963, 1965, 1968, and 1969. Therefore 1966 Bordeaux was received with enthusiasm as Peter A. Sichel reported in his treasured annual Vintage Report as “style of 1962s, lighter than 1964s, but with sounder balance. more finesse and even more quality.” Michael Broadbent called it “An excellent vintage. Stylish, elegant, well balanced. Lean rather than plump, though with good firm flesh…could develop from 4 star into 5 star class.” Tawfiq Khoury staged for the annual KPBS fundraiser in San Diego on November 5, 1986 a tasting of 111 Classed Growth Bordeaux from 1966 in 19 flights commented on by a panel consisting of Michael Broadbent, Bruno Borie and your scribe. Michael called them “Bordeaux style at their best”. He was concerned that leanness would prevail, yet he was encouraged by the vigour and old style quality of the fruit at 20 years of age. I remarked “at least some of these wines of 1966 had enough fruit to match their acidity, and showed the long-distance-runner sinews of the vintage.” The regions of St. Julien and Pauillac performed consistently strong. Among the many properties showing very well at 20 years of age were Latour, Palmer, La Mission Haut-Brion, Haut-Brion, Leoville-Las-Cases, Grand Puy-Lacoste, Gruaud-Larose, Trotanoy, Petrus, Pichon-Lalande, Lafleur, Cheval Blanc, Figeac, Domaine de Chevalier, Beychevelle, Branaire-Ducru and L’Angelus.

On June 5, 2018 at a tasting-dinner in Vancouver at Blue Water eight top properties of 1966 (plus a mystery wine) were assessed at over 50 years of age in three flights of 3 wines each:

1. 1966 Chateau L’Arrosee St. Emilion – Very dark still young red colour. Excellent work over the years by the Rodhain family with this fine property (with a brilliant 1961) sold in 2013 to Domaine Clarence Dillon. Fresh vigour with lots of body to handle the acidity. Classy wine.

2. 1966 Chateau La Gaffeliere St. Emilion – Quite an aged look and nose less clean with a touch of both TCA & VA (often a problem with their 1970). Disappointing bottle.

3. 1966 Chateau Figeac St. Emilion – Good deep tones with best mature nose of first flight combining drinkability with lovely delicacy and complexity.

4. 1966 Chateau Talbot St. Julien – Lighter look with prominent acidity goes better with the mushroom tart. Big sister Gruaud Larose shows much better balance and depth in 1966. Both properties made outstanding 1982s.

5. 1966 Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste Pauillac – Medium dark colour with rich full cedar character holding up well and even improving in the glass. So stylish. Underrated property even then. 1970 also delicious.

6. 1964 Chateau Ausone St. Emilion – Mystery wine with a very dark colour. Most complex bouquet of second flight. More Merlot/CF showing than GPL blend of Cab Sauv. A wonderful sweetness here and amazing surprise for this property during the sixties.

7. 1966 Chateau Gruaud Larose St. Julien – Old favourite making superb wine in the early sixties. Very dark deep colour. Big open excellent intense wine. Shows outstanding terroir of St. Julien. Impressive at 50+ years. Buy at auction.

8. 1966 Chateau Beychevelle St. Julien – Much lighter look and very mature edge. Has been drinking well for decades and holding on but needs drinking now as losing fruit. Simpler but enhanced by the beef dish.

9. 1966 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou St. Julien – A treat to have 3 St. Juliens in this last flight. Colour still dark deep and youthful helped by the acidity. Lively palate from the vintage and gravelly soil. Classic elegance on a continuing plateau.

Mature old style Bordeaux for sure. Drier with more acidity than current releases. All wines need drinking up now but experiencing them gives you a special thrill with a better insight into how balanced Bordeaux has such a marvellous capacity for surprising ageing. Have you tasted a red Bordeaux over 50 years old?

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