No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsArts and Culture‘Observations from the Kitchen’ by philosopher chef Richard Neat

‘Observations from the Kitchen’ by philosopher chef Richard Neat

Courtesy of Richard Neat
Courtesy of Richard Neat

Richard Neat, the cerebral chef over at San José’s Park Café, has a penchant for chess, Russian novels, philosophy and political manifestos. Now he’s whipped up perhaps his most complex dish in the form of a self-published reminiscence centered on “life at the center of the gastronomic revolution.”

Neat weaves in tantalizing snippets of how he prepares his signature dishes, as well as vivid travelogues covering his nomadic life over four decades, from London to France to India to Morocco to Costa Rica.

The introspective, existential themes of the book are played out against the strategic framework of an ongoing chess game and fashioned after a Platonic dialogue, with the chef debating such heady topics as ambition, faith, hubris and loyalty, with various opposing interlocutors. Along the way we are also treated to scathing but entertaining rants against greedy, over-taxing governments, and — my favorite — poisonous, overweening restaurant critics.

As a non-chess player, the metaphoric strategy was lost on me. What I did enjoy were the insights Neat provides into what it takes to aspire to and reach the pinnacle of artistry and craftsmanship in any field – in his case, gastronomy, and the golden grail of Michelin stardom.

The achievement of two Michelin stars in his London restaurant Pied à Terre, along with the only Michelin star awarded to an Englishman cooking in France, for his Neat Cannes restaurant, certainly qualifies the chef as an expert in what it takes to succeed in the gastronomic world. Much of the book deals with the collision between the forces of creativity and the high-stakes economics of the restaurant business.

Each chapter features the preparation of a Neat signature dish, starting with smoked foie gras with onion purée, and ending with an incredibly complicated braised pig’s head with pumpkin purée. Neat makes it all seem so deceptively simple. But these complicated “preps” make you realize how much training, experience and talent it takes to attain Neat’s level of creativity and craftsmanship.

The pressures to “create new temptations to amuse my ever-fickle audience” and to become a “faultless, fanatical craftsman” are neatly balanced by the pleasure Neat takes in the “beasts and vegetables that were reared and grown with care,” which, he says “oblige a cook to treat them with sufficient reverence.”

There is a lot to digest in Neat’s observations, on a number of levels. As a food aficionado, the lasting impression I took away was the realization that, along with skill, a lot of thinking goes into haute cuisine. All those decades Neat has spent in the kitchen were not just about producing food to eat, but also food for thought.

“Observations From the Kitchen by Richard Neat is available on-line for $7.99 at http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000683863/Default.aspx. Or visit Neat’s blog at www.parkcafecostarica.blogspot.com.

Trending Now

UN Ocean Conference Opens with Push for Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium

The UN Ocean Conference began Monday in France with a call from Secretary-General António Guterres to prevent the ocean floor from becoming the “Wild...

Rising Seas Threaten Costa Rica’s Beaches and Communities by 2030

Costa Rica’s iconic coastlines, from Limón’s Caribbean shores to Guanacaste’s Pacific beaches, face growing threats from rising sea levels driven by climate change. The...

Costa Rica Video Footage Reveals Strange Deer-Bird Interaction

The best part about camera trapping is the moment you pull the SD card out of the camera and stick it in the laptop...

Canada’s Latest Costa Rica Travel Advisory Update

The Canadian government rolled out a fresh travel advisory for Costa Rica, urging travelers to stay sharp due to rising crime and natural risks....

Costa Rica’s New Extradition Law Faces Limits in Tackling Organized Crime

Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly passed a constitutional amendment in May, allowing the extradition of nationals for international drug trafficking and terrorism. With 44 of...

Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras Advance to Final Round of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras advanced early this Saturday to the final round of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 North American World Cup,...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica