Returning to The Garden
And so ends the culinary (and philosophical) journey of a lifetime
And so ends the culinary journey of a lifetime. The Chef has traversed the seas and fearlessly faced every philosophical idea in its full glory. He has risen to the highest heights and fall into shame and hubris. He’s been a tyrant and a student. He’s been recognised for greatness, then been torn down from his pedestal. In short, he’s lived —-and we thank Richard for sharing his adventures with Guerre and Shalom. - Daniel Clarke-Serret (editor)
BLURB: OBSERVATIONS FROM THE KITCHEN is an autobiographical adventure story that unfolds upon the metaphoric battlefield of a chess board, a place Michelin Star Chef Richard Neat uses to describe and make sense of a lifetime spent in service to gastronomy.
Set within the sweatshop kitchens that have been his home, it is a journey that takes the reader from the frenetic chaos of the London’s West End to the narcissistic playgrounds of the Cote d’Azur, through amazing India and magical Marrakech to the snow-covered domes of the Kremlin before ending in the steamy jungles of beautiful Costa Rica.
The Cook invites different companions, the people who have touched him, made his life something other than mundane, to join him ‘à table‘, where, whilst preparing his signature dishes, they discuss such themes as Ambition, Loyalty and Contentment and whether such ideas are comprehensible to anyone other than the person who utters them.
LITERARY REVIEW: “OBSERVATIONS FROM THE KITCHEN is rather wonderful. You’ve created an extraordinary work here, and a beautifully crafted one. I found myself thinking that every creative should read it regardless of what industry they’re in or skill set they’re mastering. It raises such important questions, and is so refreshingly forthright about them. This work is unique in many ways… It’s such a smart, thoughtful, brave discussion about some really difficult (dare I say unresolvable) issues. It strikes me as a meditation, a parable, an exploration of the creative journey.”
PRICE: To access the Observations from the Kitchen, you’ll need to become a paid subscriber (or better, a patron). Should you “subscribe as paid” from one of Richard’s chapters, the proceeds will be shared equally between the editor (ie me) and the author —and you will get access to all of Guerre and Shalom’s material for a year!
So sign up and I’ll see you the other side of the paywall!
Contents:
Chapter 1: Ambition // Chapter 2: Faith // Chapter 3: Loyalty //Chapter 4: Struggle // Chapter 5: Sovereignty // Chapter 6: Creativity // Chapter 7: Shame // Chapter 8: Exclusivity // Chapter 9: Recognition // Chapter 10: Tyranny // Chapter 11: Hubris
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE KITCHEN by Richard Neat
Chapter 12: CONTENTMENT
Braised Pigs Head with Pumpkin Purée
"Who said I shan't be happy anymore? Maybe it doesn't matter.
There are so many other things in the world.
Any instant is more profound and more diverse than the sea.
Life is short."
(Fernando Pessoa)
Another day was ending in Marrakech; the sun made for the exit, rambling off in the direction of the Koutoubia.
