I have spent time traveling through parts of Spain, Italy, France, UK and decent amounts of North America. One of my greatest food memories is eating at a small place on the edge of a cliff in Positanto, IT having what could describe as thick hand made pasta in a simple tomato sauce with fresh herbs. Simply the best pasta I have ever had, EVER. Or the amazing and diabolical creation of poutine in Montreal.
I was born in Las Vegas and grew up in California, but when I began cooking when I was 20, I wanted New York or France. No other place mattered in my life, "if I cant cook in NY or France, I will never be good enough" and to be honest I mildly still feel this way..
But to be a "true" American chef, you training should come from regions of America. California cuisine, Pacific North West, Maine and that whole north atlantic stuff, southern and Finally Los Angeles. The longer I work in LA the more and more I notice it has much like NY or Chicago its own cuisine... and it sad to me that most disregard it.
Los Angeles simply has everything.. unlike any where else in the world. You can find some of the most delicious cooking off a truck (not talking popular food trucks) or in a small strip mall that serves one great dish. In LA there are no rules, if what your mom taught you is this Duck noodle soup and its amazing, do it cause I promise you will be found and people will come.
The ethic food in Los Angeles is so diverse and exciting it boarders on ridiculous. If I had to say "what is LA best at?" Simple, Asian food (from every culture), Latin food and Simple food created by Chef's with no real agenda... just what looks good lets do it. Now our chefs or culture may not be know to the people out side of LA and some who do say its "average" thats not fair, cause I fucking know where those people eat and they only eat at the "Bazzar" or "Mozza" and guess fucking what, yea by now with chefs changing that place is fucking average.
If you want to eat in 10 regional Italian places that all serve the same stuff and have great reviews... go to San Francisco, If you want molecular or modern cooking mixed with old school blue collard fare check out Chicago, If simple Farm to Table and real relationship to land owners check out Charleston, SC or If you really like dashi and the main sauce NY is for you... But if you want to search through a city and be ok with "casual" Los Angeles is all you will ever need, I think my real journey begins here ... thank you Los Angeles
