Response 5 - "Secret Ingredients"

I have to say, the dining outsection of “Secret Ingredients” was not my favorite reading that we have hadduring this class. To me, it seemed dull and boring, lacking the vivaciousnessthat the other readings had when describing the food, taste, smell and culturethey were experiencing. To me, it sounded like the authors weren’t trying tocreate an experience for the readers, but more so lay out the facts of theitems they were talking about.

            JosephWechsberg’s article “The Finest Butter and Lots of Time” was one that stood outto me as different from the other somewhat boring ones. “I like to start my daywith a glass of champagne. I like to wind it up with champagne, too. To befrank, I also like a glass or two in between.”  I love this. He is so different than how hewas set up to be in the description by Wechsberg. Instead of being this prickwho refuses the most important people in his restaurant because he can, hewelcomes Wechsberg with open arms, explain everything to him and treating himlike royalty while still keeping a down to earth attitude. His restaurant ishis home. Not only does he want his customers to have an amazing experience,but also to feel immensely comfortable while they are dining with him. I thinkhe also helps to achieve this goal by having his family work with him, whichtruly achieves the comfort he is trying to obtain.

            As weird asthis may sounds, Restaurant de la Pyramide reminds me of the hometown Americandiner. A place where one goes and is greeted with a friendly hello and theirfirst name, where every single person is recognizable and it is obvious whensomeone is not from town. Even though M. Point has worldwide recognition andhas new patrons from around the world every day, he isn’t trying to createsomething unreal. He just wants to create delicious food. It’s a very simplemindset that has gotten him far in his career. Another thing that I enjoy aboutM. Point is that he hasn’t forgotten where he comes from, how hard he has hadto work to get where he is today. He truly is an unforgettable character fornot only his vivaciousness, but also the way he brings life into hisrestaurant.

            Whendiscussing this article, it would be a disgrace not to comment on JeanLecutiez, the archeologist. I just love that we were introduced to him as Wechsberghad us traveling to Restaurant de la Pyramide and then as he was leaving tohead back to his hotel, he runs into Lecutiez again. It was a nice, somewhatcomical conclusion to a pretty sweet story.