In the latest instalment of his oeuvre, Richard asks the big question; that which all we creatives are forced to ponder. Do we surrender to mediocrity, selling clickbait for certain profit? Or do we aspire to the greatest that is possible in our field? We are thankful that Richard took the correct path. He battled the moneymen, and his own doubts, and emerged triumphant as one of the greatest chefs of our time.
The baton of Richard’s fight for quality has now been passed to next generation, those who must face the same financial fears and the same nagging doubt that they should surrender to populism. Richard is our mentor. May we follow his lead, attracting the very best investors in the process. So help us. Become a Guerre & Shalom Founding Member. - Daniel Clarke-Serret (editor)
Introduction:
Chapter 1: Ambition // Chapter 2: Faith // Chapter 3: Loyalty //Chapter 4: Struggle // Chapter 5: Sovereignty // Chapter 6: Creativity // Chapter 7: Shame // Chapter 8: Exclusivity
Please support me in my quest for quality. Please subscribe as paid:
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE KITCHEN by Richard Neat
Chapter 8: EXCLUSIVITY
Fillet of Tuna with Cerviche of Red Snapper and Aubergine Purée
“It’s a curse, you know, to be able to look higher than you’re allowed to reach. One’s safer looking down, the farther down the safest these days.” (Rand)
Oxfordshire’s countryside was especially beautiful in the springtime and on this particular morning she was effortlessly charming her admirers. Birds lent on hedgerows, chirping to one another about their good fortune in having found such a glorious spot, while the soft light and rolling landscapes seemed so smitten with each other, they were practically amoureux. Winding roads meandered aimlessly through golden fields of rape, and along the walls of ancient stone-lined graveyards, passing through villages where cricket was played at weekends, the locals all knew everyone and drank warm beer without complaint.
Sitting proudly on a hilltop, surveying this pastoral scene, was a temple unashamedly dedicated to pleasure and good taste. The hedonistic super-rich often visited this shrine and placed black embossed, card-shaped offerings upon its altar.
The Cook sat at one of these tables as he waited for the arrival of his friend. He was taking a break from his travails in London, puffing casually on a cigarette as he gazed absent-mindedly into the beautifully manicured gardens through gaps in the stonework. This was the most expensive and arguably best restaurant in the country where the wealthy flocked at weekends to graze amongst the canapés and water themselves on ludicrously expensive bubbles. Here was a place that dared to ask the question: what was the value of a truly memorable sensory experience?
The crunching gravel alerted The Cook to the arrival of the Lawyer. He was a trouble-shooter, advisor and maybe The Cook’s conscience. He was also one of those strange creatures who genuinely revelled in the good feeling of luxury products yet ludicrously thought that such products should and could be available to the widest audience possible. He was the archetypal ‘Champagne Socialist!’
They hugged and exchanged pleasantries, with The Lawyer nonchalantly ordering a bottle of champagne. A waiter miraculously appeared at the table the moment The Cook’s wealthy friend arrived, highly attuned to knowing who was of consequence and who just made up the numbers.
“I’ve got last months figures and I’m afraid they’re not pleasant reading,” began the Lawyer. “We need more people. You should make the menu more accessible, less esoteric. Try keeping it simpler; prepare some dishes that are more recognisable,” he pleaded.
So repetitive was his argument that The Cook knew it by heart and quietly hummed the chorus of ‘Just one fillet of Beef with Béarnaise Sauce’! His restaurant manager, sommelier and non-executive directors had all become convinced that a cameo role for a well-bred bovine would be the white knight, a panacea for the perennial under-performance that had so far plagued their restaurant.
