According to Alléno, at some point kitchen instrumentation took over from manual skill: tweezers, probes, thermometers, and syringes became genuine barriers between the act and the product, in the constant pursuit of aesthetic perfection.
Cover photo taken from chef's instagram profile- credits: @simondetraz
The news
The debate has already divided the web in recent days, but it shows no signs of abating. It all started with a post by Yannick Alléno, in which the great French chef announced his choice to ban tweezers in the kitchen ( you can find it here, on his official page). Stirring the waters in the industry was an image of a red and white sign, symbolic of a peremptory ban, leaning against ingredient storage boxes in the restaurant. The basic idea? That of returning to “artisan” craftsmanship: no more obsession with millimeter-calibrated detail, room for emotion and recovery of pure contact with food. A turning point that is causing discussion and leading to a broader reflection on the techniques adopted in haute cuisine.
In this sense, it should be remembered that numerous centuries-old branches of food production are based in toto on the manipulation of matter; just think of bread-making, with doughs as the protagonists, or the wisdom of Japanese sushi masters, who accurately assess the temperature and texture of fish (and rice) with a simple touch; again, the art of making fresh pasta, the methods of marinating meat, and the garnishing and decoration of desserts. However, according to Alléno, at some point kitchen instrumentation took over from manual skill: tweezers, probes, thermometers, and syringes became genuine barriers between the gesture and the product, in the constant pursuit of aesthetic perfection; a phenomenon initiated by the big names of Nouvelle Cuisine and amplified by the age of social networks.
Alléno's invitation then is to rediscover the sense of touch beyond cold steel: the chef still remains a craftsman. The reaction of colleagues? Top American chef David Kinch (formerly three-starred at Manresa) speaks of a revolutionary choice, and under the post one reads many comments in favor, such as “Let's leave the tongs to the surgeons,” or “Rediscovering touch means breathing life back into the plate!” Just as many polemics, tending to point out the difficulties of the service and the support provided by the utensils (“At peak hours it's a different story...”, “And where is hygiene in all this?”).
Among Italian chefs, Davide Oldani wrote, also on social, “First the image and then the explanation. Thus, my dear friend Alléno's post caught my attention. It is a concept that is as simple as it is elevated and leads us to the question: where do we really want to go with our cuisine? A provocative idea to bring us, perhaps, back down to earth and hands on." He had, on the other hand, already expressed a similar opinion to Alléno-with the verve that distinguishes him-Marcus Wareing: in this very article we had told you his point of view, accompanied by statements to the Mail Online: "It's full of dishes prepared with tweezers. No one chops anything anymore, no one knows how to sauté." What do you guys think? The debate is open.
