Sometimes I pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming! Just a few days ago we began shooting our new series, Chef Abroad. If you’re a fan of Chef at Large you’ll love the new show as we show off culinary adventures all over
the world. Before Christmas I’ll be in Egypt, Jordan, California, Tokyo
and somewhere in the Pacific Ocean on an aircraft carrier.
Unbelievable. And it all started in my own backyard…
Our first
shoot this week was in North Lake, Prince Edward Island. After living
here for 15 years I finally got a chance to go fishing for a Bluefin
tuna. After 14 hours, 14 miles off shore, 5 different boats and an epic
struggle we landed one. Simply one of the most amazing things I have
ever seen. Our story will now follow the 880-pound tuna to the worlds
largest fish market in Tokyo, Japan and ultimately onto the tables of a
nearby sushi market. A real adventure, but I have mixed feelings about
the fish.
The Bluefin tuna we caught fought hard for three hours.
It circled our boat underwater at the end of a 1500-foot line that
eventually became a 10-foot line. I’ll never forget seeing the first
glimpse of the majestic fish appearing 30 feet or so down as a giant
silver shape swimming in the deeps. Or the adrenaline once we got it
along side, as it’s powerful tail splashed up a 12-foot wall of water
before we managed to land it.
I have always advocated
respect for ingredients as an integral part of cooking in general. By
the time we got that fish wharf-side I felt like I really knew it. It
had spirit, determination and personality. All of which seemed to
disappear with just a few cuts of a chain saw as it’s tail, head and
fins were trimmed away to fit into an airfreight container. It was
unexpectedly demoralizing to see the fish stripped of its identity and
reduced to a commodity. I still enjoyed a good feed of sashimi from its
head meat though - perhaps feeling a little guilty.
I guess what
I’m saying is that as I head off on the adventure of a lifetime over
the next few years, visiting every continent for Chef Abroad, I expect to reveal a deeper side to our food every step of the way. I
won’t shy away from the reality behind the obvious and I invite you to
join me next fall when the show goes to air. I’m sure there will be
lots to learn about food and ultimately about ourselves.