1 00:00:02,002 --> 00:00:04,004 * 2 00:00:14,848 --> 00:00:16,617 [car horn honking] 3 00:00:52,353 --> 00:00:54,021 [speaking French] 4 00:00:58,826 --> 00:01:02,230 - Mr. Chef, how are ya, buddy? 5 00:01:02,263 --> 00:01:04,665 Bonjorno! How are you? Good to see you. 6 00:01:05,433 --> 00:01:07,168 - Hey. 7 00:01:07,201 --> 00:01:08,869 How yoose doin'? 8 00:01:09,703 --> 00:01:10,671 - Jason! 9 00:01:12,273 --> 00:01:14,007 - Jason, the chef's up front. 10 00:01:15,943 --> 00:01:16,810 - Bonjour monsieur! 11 00:01:32,793 --> 00:01:34,362 - You're not walkin' away. 12 00:01:36,964 --> 00:01:38,632 [indistinct chatter] 13 00:01:45,173 --> 00:01:46,474 - Not green enough? 14 00:01:52,313 --> 00:01:53,981 I don't think anybody's ready for this cold weather. 15 00:02:20,608 --> 00:02:22,276 - Yeah, we'll get through it though. 16 00:02:38,459 --> 00:02:40,394 [instrumental music] 17 00:02:50,871 --> 00:02:53,541 - Georges was one of the pioneers of French chefs 18 00:02:53,574 --> 00:02:57,278 to come to the US more than 40 years ago. 19 00:02:57,311 --> 00:02:59,513 But we can say 20 so he looks younger. 20 00:02:59,547 --> 00:03:00,581 - Tell us about your restaurant, Georges 21 00:03:00,614 --> 00:03:02,115 what's it like? 22 00:03:02,149 --> 00:03:04,184 - Georges is a legend here in America. 23 00:03:04,218 --> 00:03:06,854 He put Philadelphia on the map from the minute 24 00:03:06,887 --> 00:03:08,622 he opened the restaurant. 25 00:03:08,656 --> 00:03:10,624 - For the experienced traveler, it may come as 26 00:03:10,658 --> 00:03:12,560 no surprise that Philadelphia has 27 00:03:12,593 --> 00:03:15,429 the best restaurant in the country. 28 00:03:15,463 --> 00:03:17,130 [instrumental music] 29 00:03:19,166 --> 00:03:22,102 - Georges epitomized the bravado of a chef. 30 00:03:28,008 --> 00:03:30,110 - He'll still tell you today that he is, not was 31 00:03:30,143 --> 00:03:32,179 he is, the best saucier ever. 32 00:03:36,083 --> 00:03:38,552 - He's a demanding perfectionist 33 00:03:38,586 --> 00:03:40,921 in a world that's horribly imperfect. 34 00:03:42,656 --> 00:03:44,758 - King in the 80s. King in the 90s. 35 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,028 - How many years can you do that? 36 00:03:49,697 --> 00:03:51,064 When you're at the top 37 00:03:51,098 --> 00:03:54,134 it's very hard to go anywhere else. 38 00:03:54,167 --> 00:03:56,804 - Look at the restaurants in New York that didn't last. 39 00:03:56,837 --> 00:03:59,239 - They were all facing the same 40 00:03:59,273 --> 00:04:01,842 change in people's tastes. 41 00:04:01,875 --> 00:04:04,812 - He has a young chef now. Nick. 42 00:04:04,845 --> 00:04:06,246 The guy is a magician. 43 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,115 - People walk in the door at Le Bec-Fin. 44 00:04:08,148 --> 00:04:10,117 They're expecting the stars. 45 00:04:10,150 --> 00:04:11,319 - The fish was wonderful. - Oh, wonderful. 46 00:04:11,352 --> 00:04:12,486 - Thank you. 47 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,722 - You better kill it every single time. 48 00:04:27,668 --> 00:04:29,337 [instrumental music] 49 00:04:54,362 --> 00:04:57,698 - French cuisine is the root 50 00:04:57,731 --> 00:04:59,166 of everything that gets cooked 51 00:04:59,199 --> 00:05:00,868 in American restaurants. 52 00:05:04,271 --> 00:05:06,840 Making your own stock. 53 00:05:06,874 --> 00:05:09,910 The idea of building flavors that become sauces. 54 00:05:13,614 --> 00:05:16,149 Sauce making is a really 55 00:05:16,183 --> 00:05:18,085 French pursuit 56 00:05:18,118 --> 00:05:19,787 and it's something that's dying. 57 00:06:35,863 --> 00:06:37,531 - Is it time for tomato? 58 00:06:42,269 --> 00:06:43,837 - Yes, I do. 59 00:06:43,871 --> 00:06:44,838 - Yes. 60 00:06:52,980 --> 00:06:54,882 - Uh, 50, Chef. 61 00:07:01,188 --> 00:07:03,323 - Shrimp shells.. 62 00:07:03,356 --> 00:07:05,025 - Oh, the galangal. 63 00:07:23,076 --> 00:07:24,044 - No. 64 00:07:29,382 --> 00:07:31,051 - Yeah, I've got to finish it today. 65 00:07:38,859 --> 00:07:40,761 [crowd applauding] 66 00:07:46,233 --> 00:07:50,070 - I want you to pay close attention now because, even you. 67 00:07:50,103 --> 00:07:51,572 'Cause you're gonna learn something here, this is one 68 00:07:51,605 --> 00:07:53,841 of the featured dishes at a beautiful restaurant 69 00:07:53,874 --> 00:07:55,876 in Philadelphia called Le Bec-Fin. 70 00:07:55,909 --> 00:07:57,377 Would you like to introduce 71 00:07:57,410 --> 00:07:58,746 the gentleman who's gonna do it for us? 72 00:07:58,779 --> 00:08:00,748 - Can I explain first that I went to Philadelphia 73 00:08:00,781 --> 00:08:02,650 about three years ago and had believed 74 00:08:02,683 --> 00:08:04,652 that old legend that it was closed. 75 00:08:04,685 --> 00:08:07,420 Uh, when I got there however, I went to one of the -- 76 00:08:07,454 --> 00:08:10,658 To my great and astonishment, I found one of the best 77 00:08:10,691 --> 00:08:12,860 restaurants I'd ever eaten in outside of New York 78 00:08:12,893 --> 00:08:15,696 and could compare with the best restaurants of New York. 79 00:08:15,729 --> 00:08:18,832 I found it's run by a young 31-year-old chef from Lyon 80 00:08:18,866 --> 00:08:21,001 which is the capital of Gastronomy in France. 81 00:08:21,034 --> 00:08:23,036 And all those chef believe it and it's true 82 00:08:23,070 --> 00:08:24,872 and here is Georges Perrier of Le Bec-Fin. 83 00:08:24,905 --> 00:08:26,607 [crowd applauding] 84 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:28,441 - Welcome. 85 00:08:28,475 --> 00:08:31,511 - Bienvenue. - Bienvenue. 86 00:08:31,545 --> 00:08:34,381 - Philadelphia for a relatively big city is also 87 00:08:34,414 --> 00:08:37,217 a little bit of a small town. 88 00:08:37,250 --> 00:08:39,352 We were always a great junk food capital. 89 00:08:39,386 --> 00:08:42,590 The cheesesteak, the soft pretzel. 90 00:08:42,623 --> 00:08:44,925 But we had no restaurant culture to speak of. 91 00:09:05,412 --> 00:09:09,149 - Walnut Street was very dark at night it was not that much activity. 92 00:09:09,182 --> 00:09:12,485 There were hookers and Georges didn't know. 93 00:09:12,519 --> 00:09:14,287 They would come in and say, "Can we use the restroom?" 94 00:09:14,321 --> 00:09:16,423 He'd go "Of course, of course," and he'd see them in 95 00:09:16,456 --> 00:09:17,658 the sequins and all this and that.. 96 00:09:17,691 --> 00:09:20,761 [laughing] 97 00:09:20,794 --> 00:09:22,830 And finally when we told him, he was outraged. 98 00:09:22,863 --> 00:09:24,464 He would say, "Prostitui." 99 00:09:24,497 --> 00:09:27,334 "Prostituis in front of my restaurant." 100 00:09:27,367 --> 00:09:30,503 [instrumental music] 101 00:09:30,537 --> 00:09:33,941 - When you walk into Le Bec-Fin, it was about this 102 00:09:33,974 --> 00:09:35,809 beautiful things passing by. 103 00:09:39,112 --> 00:09:42,082 The patisserie, the soufflee 104 00:09:42,115 --> 00:09:44,618 always higher, taller 105 00:09:44,652 --> 00:09:46,553 better than anyone else. 106 00:09:48,155 --> 00:09:50,924 - It was like a Faberge egg. 107 00:09:50,958 --> 00:09:54,427 - Chandeliers, the room, the lighting, the candles. 108 00:09:54,461 --> 00:09:56,196 You know, you felt like you were in France. 109 00:10:02,569 --> 00:10:04,772 - Even the physical appearance of the restaurant 110 00:10:04,805 --> 00:10:07,474 reflected him. 111 00:10:07,507 --> 00:10:10,477 - Georges was like, you know, the Sun King. 112 00:10:10,510 --> 00:10:13,814 - I remember the first time I ate there, there were 7 or 8 of us. 113 00:10:13,847 --> 00:10:16,684 And they put the food down and it has these, uh, brass 114 00:10:16,717 --> 00:10:19,853 containers over the plate to keep the food hot 115 00:10:19,887 --> 00:10:22,355 and I was about to take mine off and the waiter said 116 00:10:22,389 --> 00:10:24,858 "Oh, no, no, no, no," and -- and all of a sudden 117 00:10:24,892 --> 00:10:27,661 8 people appear and they each take off 118 00:10:27,695 --> 00:10:31,131 the plates at the same time, it was ceremonial. 119 00:10:31,164 --> 00:10:34,067 It was pretty intimidating. 120 00:10:34,101 --> 00:10:35,769 But people liked that. 121 00:10:48,081 --> 00:10:50,317 - Now, one of your signature dishes is a crab cake 122 00:10:50,350 --> 00:10:52,452 with light mustard sauce, would you describe that for us? 123 00:11:02,529 --> 00:11:05,365 - Craig Claiborne did a review in the New York Times 124 00:11:05,398 --> 00:11:07,768 and he raved about Georges' food. 125 00:11:07,801 --> 00:11:10,103 Suddenly, we're getting New Yorkers and suddenly 126 00:11:10,137 --> 00:11:13,373 our tables were booked way ahead of time. 127 00:11:13,406 --> 00:11:16,243 People would come in with the reviews in their hands 128 00:11:16,276 --> 00:11:18,245 so they would remember what to order. 129 00:11:18,278 --> 00:11:20,213 [instrumental music] 130 00:11:30,891 --> 00:11:33,226 - When I graduated school, I was fortunate enough 131 00:11:33,260 --> 00:11:36,263 to get a job at Lutece. 132 00:11:36,296 --> 00:11:38,732 Lutece was, you know, to New York City I think 133 00:11:38,766 --> 00:11:41,701 what Le Bec-Fin is to Philadelphia. 134 00:11:41,735 --> 00:11:45,072 I was there for...a month and a half 135 00:11:45,105 --> 00:11:46,974 before they announced that they're closing. 136 00:11:47,007 --> 00:11:50,310 We were doing 13 covers a night, 20 covers a night 137 00:11:50,343 --> 00:11:53,380 and you can't sustain a restaurant on that. 138 00:11:53,413 --> 00:11:55,949 We were nervous for a while at Le Bec cause, you know 139 00:11:55,983 --> 00:11:58,151 you see a lot of the same signs. 140 00:11:58,185 --> 00:12:01,388 - You have to constantly renew your clientele. 141 00:12:01,421 --> 00:12:06,059 And every ten years you destroy and change everything. 142 00:12:06,093 --> 00:12:08,495 Because it's a theater, it's a place where people go 143 00:12:08,528 --> 00:12:11,631 to be carried away. 144 00:12:11,664 --> 00:12:13,433 [indistinct chatter] 145 00:12:15,368 --> 00:12:18,638 - What happens to you inside when you open a magazine 146 00:12:18,671 --> 00:12:21,775 or something and there's an article that says 147 00:12:21,809 --> 00:12:24,211 "Fine dining in America is dead?" 148 00:12:41,028 --> 00:12:41,995 - Yeah. 149 00:12:55,843 --> 00:12:58,445 - But everybody's had to change menus 150 00:12:58,478 --> 00:13:00,147 and watch their food costs and -- 151 00:13:45,692 --> 00:13:47,360 [instrumental music] 152 00:14:17,157 --> 00:14:19,092 [speaking in French] 153 00:14:25,632 --> 00:14:28,168 Voila, voila. 154 00:14:31,471 --> 00:14:33,406 [speaking French] 155 00:14:58,165 --> 00:14:59,832 [speaking French] 156 00:15:43,743 --> 00:15:45,445 - He tells a story of like being held down 157 00:15:45,478 --> 00:15:48,548 and somebody pouring liquor in his mouth. 158 00:15:48,581 --> 00:15:50,950 - The idea was to take a young person 159 00:15:50,984 --> 00:15:52,819 and to break that person 160 00:15:52,852 --> 00:15:56,289 to rebuild that person into a Superman 161 00:15:56,323 --> 00:15:58,291 a super chef. 162 00:15:58,325 --> 00:15:59,993 [speaking French] 163 00:16:04,998 --> 00:16:06,566 Oh, I can't speak English. 164 00:16:06,599 --> 00:16:09,469 - You speak better than Georges. - Oh. 165 00:16:09,502 --> 00:16:13,440 - I said to Georges, you speak English like a Spanish cow. 166 00:16:14,774 --> 00:16:16,943 But you know American women are.. 167 00:16:18,778 --> 00:16:19,912 ...they love that. 168 00:16:19,946 --> 00:16:21,014 [laughs] 169 00:16:43,603 --> 00:16:45,538 [indistinct chatter] 170 00:17:00,220 --> 00:17:01,888 [indistinct chatter] 171 00:17:05,458 --> 00:17:07,127 - He's downstairs, sir. 172 00:17:09,496 --> 00:17:11,164 - Chestnut and milk. 173 00:17:12,632 --> 00:17:15,034 - Chestnut cream.. 174 00:17:15,068 --> 00:17:16,136 - For bouche. 175 00:17:28,848 --> 00:17:31,284 Can you throw me a fish back please? 176 00:17:32,852 --> 00:17:34,787 - Truffle sauce is beautiful. 177 00:17:35,922 --> 00:17:37,590 [indistinct chatter] 178 00:17:57,344 --> 00:17:59,579 - You're not supposed to know which ones is which. 179 00:17:59,612 --> 00:18:01,281 - Okay? It's a fine taste.. 180 00:18:10,657 --> 00:18:12,559 - I don't have 300 bucks. 181 00:18:18,198 --> 00:18:19,299 - Alright, but I don't have $300. 182 00:18:19,332 --> 00:18:21,501 So if I win, I get $300, but if I lose 183 00:18:21,534 --> 00:18:23,870 I don't have to pay anything. 184 00:18:23,903 --> 00:18:25,838 [indistinct chatter] 185 00:18:30,677 --> 00:18:33,380 - When people think about classic French food 186 00:18:33,413 --> 00:18:36,816 they think of cream and butter and heaviness. 187 00:18:36,849 --> 00:18:38,851 It can still be really healthy and still be French food. 188 00:18:45,024 --> 00:18:48,395 - When I first started there, we were fighting about like 189 00:18:48,428 --> 00:18:50,897 how much butter to put in sauces and you know 190 00:18:50,930 --> 00:18:52,732 if we're not gonna put butter in sauce, what are we gonna substitute for? 191 00:18:52,765 --> 00:18:54,000 If we're not gonna put cream in our sauce 192 00:18:54,033 --> 00:18:56,068 what are we gonna substitute for? 193 00:18:56,102 --> 00:18:57,237 - Yeah. 194 00:18:59,071 --> 00:19:02,542 Don't put in more salt. 195 00:19:02,575 --> 00:19:03,710 It's fine. 196 00:19:08,781 --> 00:19:10,917 - He'll always tell us, you know, something feel it's perfect 197 00:19:10,950 --> 00:19:13,220 it's perfect, it's great. No, don't change anything about it 198 00:19:13,253 --> 00:19:15,054 and then I'll turn around, he'll be pouring cream in it and I'm like 199 00:19:15,087 --> 00:19:17,390 "Son of a bitch, man, why don't you just tell me 200 00:19:17,424 --> 00:19:18,991 to put a little cream in it, I don't mind." 201 00:19:19,025 --> 00:19:21,428 But, I mean, we still fight about it 202 00:19:21,461 --> 00:19:22,895 but it's not as bad as when I first started. 203 00:19:26,266 --> 00:19:30,069 It's a learning process between him and myself. 204 00:19:30,102 --> 00:19:31,871 - Well, now, we're on a fairly different compromise. 205 00:19:40,780 --> 00:19:42,682 - You going to the game tonight? 206 00:19:42,715 --> 00:19:43,650 Why? 207 00:19:49,489 --> 00:19:50,923 [laughing] 208 00:19:53,726 --> 00:19:55,462 - Alright, thank you so much, chef. 209 00:19:57,397 --> 00:19:58,231 - Good. 210 00:20:02,302 --> 00:20:03,603 Someone has to. 211 00:20:31,498 --> 00:20:33,433 [indistinct chatter] 212 00:20:41,508 --> 00:20:43,410 - I need like a minute and a half. 213 00:20:43,443 --> 00:20:45,345 [indistinct] 214 00:20:49,682 --> 00:20:52,285 - Three right now, I need three galettes right now. 215 00:20:52,319 --> 00:20:53,986 How long on the three galettes? 216 00:20:56,289 --> 00:20:57,957 [indistinct chatter] 217 00:21:06,165 --> 00:21:07,834 - Fifteen is two galettes and a -- and a.. 218 00:21:11,471 --> 00:21:13,139 - No, 15 is not done. 219 00:21:15,241 --> 00:21:17,510 - Let me toss it up. - Yes, chef. 220 00:21:19,346 --> 00:21:20,046 - No. 221 00:21:25,418 --> 00:21:28,455 - Can I make sure I get a nice hors d'oevres tray for this? 222 00:21:28,488 --> 00:21:29,255 Thanks. 223 00:21:42,435 --> 00:21:44,103 [indistinct chatter] 224 00:22:12,432 --> 00:22:13,265 [plate clanking] 225 00:22:44,931 --> 00:22:46,833 [indistinct chatter] 226 00:22:51,003 --> 00:22:53,973 - In the old restaurant, when the people were 227 00:22:54,006 --> 00:22:56,275 in the dining room and they could hear Georges 228 00:22:56,308 --> 00:22:59,311 people back then used to think it was cute. 229 00:22:59,345 --> 00:23:01,080 They'd go, "Oh my God, a French chef." 230 00:23:01,113 --> 00:23:04,083 Now, yelling and screaming is not kosher. 231 00:23:10,256 --> 00:23:11,958 - Eddie, you need three all day. 232 00:23:11,991 --> 00:23:14,160 - I have two right now and then one more and I'm good? 233 00:23:14,193 --> 00:23:16,929 - Yeah, but that's-that's all you have. - Got it. 234 00:23:16,963 --> 00:23:18,631 - That's all I have. 86.. 235 00:23:34,881 --> 00:23:36,816 [instrumental music] 236 00:24:34,674 --> 00:24:36,342 [instrumental music] 237 00:25:05,972 --> 00:25:07,640 [indistinct chatter] 238 00:25:35,902 --> 00:25:36,836 [chuckles] 239 00:25:39,772 --> 00:25:40,940 - Thank you. 240 00:25:49,015 --> 00:25:51,751 [instrumental music] 241 00:26:46,405 --> 00:26:48,975 - All those great Le and La restaurants 242 00:26:49,008 --> 00:26:51,343 of that period are gone. 243 00:26:56,515 --> 00:27:00,352 - This is the only restaurant left of this generation. 244 00:27:08,027 --> 00:27:10,562 - Georges Perrier from Le Bec-Fin 245 00:27:10,596 --> 00:27:13,733 uh, had an amazing summer, I hear, Georges. 246 00:27:13,766 --> 00:27:16,635 Welcome back to the 10 Show. Always great to have you here. 247 00:27:16,669 --> 00:27:18,370 Georges, we need to talk about something too because you've been the master 248 00:27:18,404 --> 00:27:20,840 of Philadelphia for 40 years, and you've got 249 00:27:20,873 --> 00:27:24,310 a special menu coming up, uh, uh, to celebrate your 40 years. 250 00:27:24,343 --> 00:27:25,712 And you also had a big announcement 251 00:27:25,745 --> 00:27:29,048 since the last time you were on the show. 252 00:27:29,081 --> 00:27:30,983 - You're closing Le Bec-Fin. - No. 253 00:27:31,017 --> 00:27:32,351 - Which must have been a very difficult decision. 254 00:27:36,255 --> 00:27:39,025 - When I heard that, uh, Le Bec-Fin was on the market 255 00:27:39,058 --> 00:27:41,560 and I could actually get it confirmed 256 00:27:41,593 --> 00:27:44,764 um, you know, I told my editors and they were aghast, you know? 257 00:27:44,797 --> 00:27:48,167 "Aah! Le Bec-Fin closing? Are you kidding me?" 258 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,436 That's front page news. 259 00:27:50,469 --> 00:27:53,105 - He says, "Abe, Le Bec is not like it used to be 260 00:27:53,139 --> 00:27:54,941 forget about the old days. 261 00:27:54,974 --> 00:27:57,676 This generation, it's leaning towards something a little 262 00:27:57,710 --> 00:27:59,946 different and it's hard for me to figure out what." 263 00:28:03,115 --> 00:28:04,616 - When he announced it, he actually got really upset. 264 00:28:04,650 --> 00:28:06,018 He had about a glass of champagne 265 00:28:06,052 --> 00:28:08,220 and he got really emotional, he was crying. 266 00:28:08,254 --> 00:28:10,923 Everybody's mood was just completely changed. 267 00:28:10,957 --> 00:28:14,126 It was like, who cares now? Everybody had that mentality. 268 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,929 But that same night, Chef Perrier came into the kitchen 269 00:28:16,963 --> 00:28:19,598 guns blaring, he was yelling. There's nothing's changed with him. 270 00:28:19,631 --> 00:28:21,367 He announces he's closing, but he comes in 271 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,402 with the same intensity level every day. 272 00:28:32,311 --> 00:28:33,612 - Is that good? - Down. 273 00:28:33,645 --> 00:28:35,081 - Down? - Good. Right there. 274 00:28:44,156 --> 00:28:46,793 - The Chaine des Rotisseurs is a -- a group of people 275 00:28:46,826 --> 00:28:48,928 who really love food and wine. 276 00:28:48,961 --> 00:28:51,931 I-it has been a big part of, I think many chef's lives in 277 00:28:51,964 --> 00:28:54,033 in the sense that they were there to support us. 278 00:28:55,968 --> 00:28:57,636 - Do you need these or no? 279 00:28:57,669 --> 00:28:59,305 - Uh, we may. - Hold on. 280 00:28:59,338 --> 00:29:00,706 We -- we're getting creative, hold on. 281 00:29:03,609 --> 00:29:06,145 - There aren't too many eating clubs in Philadelphia anymore. 282 00:29:06,178 --> 00:29:09,181 The Chaine really stands alone. 283 00:29:09,215 --> 00:29:13,519 They celebrate chefs such as, uh, Georges Perrier and Nick Elmi. 284 00:29:13,552 --> 00:29:16,455 They have close ties to the James Beard Foundation 285 00:29:16,488 --> 00:29:18,590 and these are the people who were foodies 286 00:29:18,624 --> 00:29:20,993 before foodies were foodies. 287 00:29:21,027 --> 00:29:24,530 I think that if Le Bec closes, where else are they going to go? 288 00:29:24,563 --> 00:29:26,098 - Hello, Percy. How are you? 289 00:29:26,132 --> 00:29:29,035 [instrumental music] 290 00:29:37,009 --> 00:29:38,878 - We don't have oyster spoons for 80 people. 291 00:29:38,911 --> 00:29:41,180 - Fuckin' great. - There's 80 people coming. 292 00:29:41,213 --> 00:29:43,215 - I understand that, I have the contract. - I know you.. 293 00:29:43,249 --> 00:29:46,886 Okay, buddy. What time did you get up today? 294 00:29:46,919 --> 00:29:49,021 - Uh.. - Where did you go? It's been.. 295 00:29:49,055 --> 00:29:50,322 The question is what time did we leave last night? 296 00:29:50,356 --> 00:29:53,225 - Okay, so, last night the dishwasher went down 297 00:29:53,259 --> 00:29:55,794 the veg walk-in went down, and then I walked into this morning 298 00:29:55,828 --> 00:29:58,530 to a major gas leak and PGW was here and they were gonna shut down the building. 299 00:29:58,564 --> 00:29:59,665 - Ooh! 300 00:30:05,437 --> 00:30:06,338 - If we blow up on a Sunday.. 301 00:30:08,374 --> 00:30:10,342 - You smell it now? - I do. 302 00:30:10,376 --> 00:30:12,344 - Oh, motherfucker. - Maybe it's a lingering gas over here. 303 00:30:12,378 --> 00:30:14,746 - So this -- this is all completely shut off now. 304 00:30:14,780 --> 00:30:16,715 - It's back on. - Really? 305 00:30:16,748 --> 00:30:18,217 They turned it back on? - I just turned it back on. 306 00:30:18,250 --> 00:30:20,486 - Oh, okay. Alright. 307 00:30:20,519 --> 00:30:21,854 - It might be moving back. 308 00:30:21,888 --> 00:30:23,856 Just wait and see if they calm down a while. 309 00:30:23,890 --> 00:30:25,557 - Okay, great. - Call me, alright? I might.. 310 00:30:25,591 --> 00:30:26,926 Georges has my number? - Yeah. 311 00:30:26,959 --> 00:30:27,860 - He went downstairs? - He went downstairs. 312 00:30:29,561 --> 00:30:30,629 - Uh, Georges! 313 00:30:51,450 --> 00:30:54,386 - I need you to tell Chef Perrier 314 00:30:54,420 --> 00:30:56,522 how you want the dauphinoise done because he's yelling 315 00:30:56,555 --> 00:30:58,390 at Tyler, telling him he's doing it wrong. 316 00:30:58,424 --> 00:31:01,127 - How is Tyler doing it wrong? - He's not happy. 317 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:02,494 - How is he not happy? 318 00:31:07,934 --> 00:31:10,102 - Chef! 319 00:31:10,136 --> 00:31:12,371 These aren't too thick, this is how you want them. 320 00:31:12,404 --> 00:31:13,906 - No, they're not! 321 00:31:13,940 --> 00:31:14,773 - I know it's okay. 322 00:31:21,914 --> 00:31:23,916 - Yeah, listen, everything's ready. 323 00:31:23,950 --> 00:31:25,417 He's gonna do great. - Okay, you do it then, great. 324 00:31:25,451 --> 00:31:27,119 Can I please have a cigarette before I fucking 325 00:31:27,153 --> 00:31:28,587 punch you in the eyeball? 326 00:31:35,827 --> 00:31:37,496 - Ah! What? What? What? 327 00:31:37,529 --> 00:31:38,965 - Yep, smells like gas. - Yup. 328 00:31:38,998 --> 00:31:40,432 - Goin' downstairs. 329 00:31:40,466 --> 00:31:42,334 - Bake them in the oven down here, put them 330 00:31:42,368 --> 00:31:44,937 on the plates, get them the fuck out. Everything's on the cart. 331 00:31:44,971 --> 00:31:47,839 Everything that was done last night should have ended up on the cart. 332 00:31:47,873 --> 00:31:49,108 It -- it did end up on the cart. 333 00:31:56,983 --> 00:31:57,683 - Yes, chef. 334 00:32:00,319 --> 00:32:00,987 - Yes, chef. 335 00:32:02,688 --> 00:32:04,656 - Ahh! Ahh! 336 00:32:18,037 --> 00:32:18,971 - How are you? Okay? 337 00:32:26,145 --> 00:32:28,147 - We're gonna bake them downstairs, torch them up here 338 00:32:28,180 --> 00:32:29,315 and then put them on a plate and go. 339 00:32:29,348 --> 00:32:30,682 We're ready. We're ready. 340 00:32:33,552 --> 00:32:35,821 - You talk to staff already.. - Line up, please. 341 00:32:42,094 --> 00:32:43,395 - We've talked to everybody. We're gonna take care of it chef, don't worry. 342 00:32:44,896 --> 00:32:45,764 - Yes, chef. 343 00:32:51,237 --> 00:32:53,039 - I just got here, chef. We're not opening all of them. 344 00:33:01,847 --> 00:33:03,682 - You told me to open a bottle and let you taste it. 345 00:33:10,089 --> 00:33:11,557 - Yes, chef. 346 00:33:11,590 --> 00:33:13,992 - Yes, chef. 347 00:33:14,026 --> 00:33:18,764 It's a third course wine. Yes, chef. 348 00:33:18,797 --> 00:33:20,566 - We have no choice, we're gonna pace ourselves tonight. 349 00:33:20,599 --> 00:33:22,168 There's 10 people at each table 350 00:33:22,201 --> 00:33:24,036 we're gonna do 10 plates at a time. There gonna.. 351 00:33:24,070 --> 00:33:26,238 We're.. Right when we get 10 plates done 352 00:33:26,272 --> 00:33:28,774 we need to walk away from this table and let the servers 353 00:33:28,807 --> 00:33:32,010 jump in the table, pick everything up and get the fuck out. 354 00:33:32,044 --> 00:33:34,613 They're going up the stairs, through the bar. 355 00:33:34,646 --> 00:33:36,582 Up the stairs, through the bar. 356 00:33:36,615 --> 00:33:39,551 [instrumental music] 357 00:33:49,295 --> 00:33:51,163 [no audio] 358 00:33:52,598 --> 00:33:54,566 [no audio] 359 00:33:57,469 --> 00:33:59,871 [indistinct chattering] 360 00:33:59,905 --> 00:34:01,707 - Yes, go tell Eddie right now. - Okay. 361 00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:05,544 I need a steak tartare cooked seared medium rare. 362 00:34:05,577 --> 00:34:07,045 - Whatever that means. 363 00:34:07,079 --> 00:34:08,580 - A lady would like to substitute 364 00:34:08,614 --> 00:34:11,250 steak tartare for one of the courses, but she does not 365 00:34:11,283 --> 00:34:13,685 want the tartare meat raw, she would like it cooked. 366 00:34:16,088 --> 00:34:17,189 - Yes. 367 00:34:19,425 --> 00:34:21,293 - I don't know her personally, so.. 368 00:34:22,461 --> 00:34:24,663 - Hey. Easy. 369 00:34:24,696 --> 00:34:27,099 We're just gonna do it and We're gonna make her happy 370 00:34:27,133 --> 00:34:29,668 and that's what she wants. We're gonna move on. 371 00:34:29,701 --> 00:34:30,669 You're gonna smile, look pretty. 372 00:34:30,702 --> 00:34:31,837 - No, no, no. 373 00:34:35,274 --> 00:34:36,808 - Make everybody happy. 374 00:34:39,978 --> 00:34:42,314 - And go home and take a nap. 375 00:34:42,348 --> 00:34:47,419 - Eddie! She wants a tartare medium rare to medium. 376 00:34:47,453 --> 00:34:49,155 Do it. - Why don't I just make her a hamburger? 377 00:34:49,188 --> 00:34:51,089 [laughter] 378 00:34:51,123 --> 00:34:53,792 [instrumental music] 379 00:34:56,328 --> 00:34:59,998 - This vine has provided the juice 380 00:35:00,031 --> 00:35:02,168 that's in these glasses. 381 00:35:02,201 --> 00:35:03,969 Could you all raise your glasses 382 00:35:04,002 --> 00:35:08,106 and drink to these new members of the mondial? 383 00:35:08,140 --> 00:35:10,676 Viva la mondial. I declare this session over. 384 00:35:10,709 --> 00:35:12,644 [applause] 385 00:35:16,848 --> 00:35:18,016 - Over here. - Yup. 386 00:35:18,049 --> 00:35:19,318 - Come here, you. Hot? Warm? Good? 387 00:35:19,351 --> 00:35:21,119 - Hot. 388 00:35:21,153 --> 00:35:24,055 - No, back downstairs, it's cold as shit. 389 00:35:24,089 --> 00:35:27,125 Are you guys fucking bananas? Are you trying to fuck me? 390 00:35:27,159 --> 00:35:29,228 - What? No.. - Are you trying to fuck me? 391 00:35:29,261 --> 00:35:30,229 - Tyler! Come on! Get it in there! 392 00:35:30,262 --> 00:35:31,230 Move! 393 00:35:33,565 --> 00:35:34,533 Is that oven all the way up? 394 00:35:34,566 --> 00:35:36,001 - The oven sucks, chef. 395 00:35:36,034 --> 00:35:37,169 - I don't give a shit. Is it all the way up? 396 00:35:37,203 --> 00:35:39,305 - Just give us 3 minutes. 3 minutes. 397 00:35:39,338 --> 00:35:42,374 - In 3 minutes, you'll have hot oysters. 398 00:35:42,408 --> 00:35:43,975 - Where is all the food? 399 00:35:44,009 --> 00:35:46,512 [indistinct chattering] 400 00:35:46,545 --> 00:35:48,214 - They're already cooked. I want them fucking hot. 401 00:35:48,247 --> 00:35:50,048 I just want them hot. That's all I'm asking for. 402 00:35:50,081 --> 00:35:52,518 - 10 seconds. 403 00:35:52,551 --> 00:35:56,355 - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. 404 00:35:56,388 --> 00:35:57,589 Alright, everyone, get the fuck out of my way. 405 00:35:57,623 --> 00:35:59,691 - Okay. I can smell gas. 406 00:36:01,527 --> 00:36:02,794 I smell gas! 407 00:36:12,571 --> 00:36:14,240 Where's Tyler? - Downstairs. 408 00:36:16,308 --> 00:36:18,009 - Oh shit. 409 00:36:18,043 --> 00:36:21,713 - Holy fucking shit. 410 00:36:21,747 --> 00:36:24,783 Wow. Okay. Uh, We can't do this over here. 411 00:36:24,816 --> 00:36:26,785 Just stop. - That just scared the piss out of me. 412 00:36:26,818 --> 00:36:28,220 - Oh, my God. 413 00:36:28,254 --> 00:36:31,290 - I need table 1. Eight oysters now. 414 00:36:31,323 --> 00:36:32,424 - Come on, get those up. Come on. 415 00:36:35,627 --> 00:36:37,763 [indistinct chatter] 416 00:36:55,781 --> 00:36:58,384 - Do not turn that, do not turn that oven on! 417 00:36:58,417 --> 00:36:59,651 - Why? 418 00:36:59,685 --> 00:37:02,721 - 'Cause we, we just had the gas.. 419 00:37:02,754 --> 00:37:06,592 - What? - We had the gas blow up. 420 00:37:06,625 --> 00:37:11,263 - Why? - Because Michael was blowtorching the shit. 421 00:37:11,297 --> 00:37:12,664 Come on, underliners! Come on, underliners! 422 00:37:12,698 --> 00:37:13,799 Come on, underliners! 423 00:37:16,635 --> 00:37:18,236 Guys, look at every plate, make sure they all have duck. 424 00:37:18,270 --> 00:37:20,071 Make sure they all have Asian pear. 425 00:37:20,105 --> 00:37:21,573 Make sure they all have gold leaf. 426 00:37:21,607 --> 00:37:22,441 [indistinct chatter] 427 00:37:25,110 --> 00:37:27,279 - What are you waiting for, all the rules to be clear? 428 00:37:27,313 --> 00:37:28,947 - Michael! Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. 429 00:37:28,980 --> 00:37:30,716 Right there, right there. 430 00:37:32,951 --> 00:37:35,787 Go put the soup in the tea pots! 431 00:37:35,821 --> 00:37:37,356 [instrumental music] 432 00:37:57,509 --> 00:37:58,810 [music continues] 433 00:38:02,180 --> 00:38:03,214 - Give me the last one, I got it. 434 00:38:07,819 --> 00:38:10,689 - It's a Riesling. It's a German Riesling 435 00:38:10,722 --> 00:38:13,725 I take that back, it's an Alsatian Riesling. 436 00:38:24,903 --> 00:38:27,873 - Truffles. Sauce. Artichokes. Fish. 437 00:38:31,610 --> 00:38:33,345 Hey, there you guys are! 438 00:38:33,379 --> 00:38:35,881 Holy shit! 439 00:38:35,914 --> 00:38:37,015 You guys gotta move fast! 440 00:38:38,684 --> 00:38:40,185 [music continues] 441 00:38:44,756 --> 00:38:46,257 - Smell that? 442 00:38:46,925 --> 00:38:48,427 Mmm. 443 00:38:48,460 --> 00:38:49,395 Truffles. 444 00:38:52,097 --> 00:38:55,367 - The first Chaine dinner that we ever came to 445 00:38:55,401 --> 00:39:00,739 it was at Le Bec-Fin, and it was a 13 course meal. 446 00:39:00,772 --> 00:39:03,675 We left at 1 o'clock in the morning. 447 00:39:03,709 --> 00:39:06,945 Everyone got a beautiful red delicious apple 448 00:39:06,978 --> 00:39:11,917 and then we saw someone lift the stem of the apple 449 00:39:11,950 --> 00:39:18,023 and on the very bottom of the plate was a little baby quail. 450 00:39:18,056 --> 00:39:21,292 Tiny bird, whole bird and they had hollowed 451 00:39:21,326 --> 00:39:23,762 out the apple and made a cover. 452 00:39:23,795 --> 00:39:26,565 We were like all amazed. I never forgot that dish. 453 00:39:26,598 --> 00:39:28,500 I never saw that again. 454 00:39:33,739 --> 00:39:35,441 - I think so. 455 00:39:35,474 --> 00:39:36,575 - Yes, chef. 456 00:39:38,610 --> 00:39:40,646 [music continues] 457 00:39:43,615 --> 00:39:45,917 - 10 more. Yep, that's it. 458 00:40:04,035 --> 00:40:06,104 - Georges, to you. 459 00:40:06,137 --> 00:40:08,674 To many years of friendship in the Chaine. 460 00:40:10,141 --> 00:40:11,142 - You don't like that glass, do you? 461 00:40:24,790 --> 00:40:26,157 - The wine's very nice. 462 00:40:35,366 --> 00:40:39,471 - And so, so I have a presentation here and this says 463 00:40:39,505 --> 00:40:43,374 "Chef Georges Perrier, 40 years of hospitality 464 00:40:43,408 --> 00:40:46,344 "10 years of service to the Delaware Valley Chaine 465 00:40:46,377 --> 00:40:50,516 December 19th, 2010." 466 00:40:50,549 --> 00:40:51,416 Thank you so much. 467 00:42:08,827 --> 00:42:10,629 [applauding] 468 00:42:12,430 --> 00:42:15,200 - Viva Le Bec-Fin! 469 00:42:15,233 --> 00:42:17,869 - There's nothing like this guy left anymore. 470 00:42:17,903 --> 00:42:22,040 He's reared a generation of chefs in this city 471 00:42:22,073 --> 00:42:23,742 and everybody else who used to do that 472 00:42:23,775 --> 00:42:27,245 has just gotten pushed aside, he's still here. 473 00:42:31,416 --> 00:42:33,652 - 1, 2.. 474 00:42:33,685 --> 00:42:35,453 - Philly boy born and raised going to Le Bec 475 00:42:35,486 --> 00:42:37,255 and becoming a sous chef was like a, it's like a 476 00:42:37,288 --> 00:42:38,990 kinda like a dream come true, you know? 477 00:42:39,024 --> 00:42:40,826 I always had his cookbooks when I first started cooking 478 00:42:40,859 --> 00:42:43,128 and he was just pumping out the hardest cooks in the city. 479 00:42:45,764 --> 00:42:47,198 - Right here, chef. I'm cleaning it for you. 480 00:42:50,268 --> 00:42:51,269 - Look at this. 481 00:42:54,706 --> 00:42:55,707 - I mean it. 482 00:42:58,977 --> 00:43:00,712 - You alright? Chef. 483 00:43:02,147 --> 00:43:03,649 - You're very welcome, chef. 484 00:43:07,485 --> 00:43:08,353 - I understand that. 485 00:43:11,522 --> 00:43:14,726 - Are you serious? He's not supposed to need sauce. 486 00:43:16,628 --> 00:43:18,429 Hey, you're not supposed to have sauce. 487 00:43:18,463 --> 00:43:19,731 - What? 488 00:43:30,642 --> 00:43:31,910 - Oui, monsieur. 489 00:43:37,515 --> 00:43:39,184 What about the Eagles today? 490 00:43:39,217 --> 00:43:40,218 - Who? 491 00:43:52,597 --> 00:43:53,899 - Oh, my chef. 492 00:43:56,935 --> 00:43:58,670 - Yeah? 493 00:43:59,604 --> 00:44:00,839 It makes the two of us. 494 00:44:03,909 --> 00:44:05,176 Nice job. Thank you. 495 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:10,281 - Oh. 496 00:44:18,924 --> 00:44:20,225 - No, chef. 497 00:44:21,693 --> 00:44:22,861 - No, I'm good. 498 00:44:35,406 --> 00:44:36,975 [Nick laughing] 499 00:44:41,947 --> 00:44:43,448 - I got nothing. 500 00:44:43,481 --> 00:44:45,250 - Do you want a hug? 501 00:44:45,283 --> 00:44:47,385 - Yup. - Alright. 502 00:44:47,418 --> 00:44:48,820 Nice job. 503 00:45:51,116 --> 00:45:54,252 - Georges sacrificed everything for his restaurant. 504 00:45:54,285 --> 00:45:55,854 He really did. 505 00:45:55,887 --> 00:45:59,190 Sacrificed his family life, his marriage. 506 00:45:59,224 --> 00:46:00,992 Everything was for the restaurant. 507 00:46:06,898 --> 00:46:09,300 - Chefs now who have families make it a point to try to 508 00:46:09,334 --> 00:46:11,002 balance it out as much as possible 509 00:46:11,036 --> 00:46:14,605 and that didn't happen in chefs of the '70s 510 00:46:14,639 --> 00:46:16,474 you know, they really weren't around. 511 00:46:16,507 --> 00:46:18,209 I used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen 512 00:46:18,243 --> 00:46:22,647 and I would be given little chores, peeling carrots. 513 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:25,316 I was 10 when my parents separated. 514 00:46:25,350 --> 00:46:27,886 I would come to his house and sleepover on Saturdays 515 00:46:27,919 --> 00:46:30,856 and then on Sundays we would go to the Eagles games 516 00:46:30,889 --> 00:46:32,657 and then we'd go have Chinese food. 517 00:46:32,690 --> 00:46:34,692 That was the routine, on Sundays. 518 00:46:37,762 --> 00:46:40,198 - He would finish cooking at 10:30 at night 519 00:46:40,231 --> 00:46:42,868 but then the customers would want to see him. 520 00:46:42,901 --> 00:46:45,203 So he'd have to ground spend an hour or two in the dining room 521 00:46:45,236 --> 00:46:46,838 talking to the customers 522 00:46:46,872 --> 00:46:48,539 so that would keep him there a couple hours. 523 00:46:48,573 --> 00:46:52,844 So he was a guy that started, you know at 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning 524 00:46:52,878 --> 00:46:55,546 earlier if he went to market, and getting out at midnight. 525 00:46:55,580 --> 00:46:57,382 What kind of family life could he have? 526 00:46:59,784 --> 00:47:01,352 - I don't know how he did it. 527 00:47:01,386 --> 00:47:04,589 He's an extremely willful, tenacious person. 528 00:47:06,091 --> 00:47:07,525 Always had something to prove 529 00:47:07,558 --> 00:47:10,461 I think more to himself than for anything else. 530 00:47:30,581 --> 00:47:34,719 - The guy's pushing 70, he still has the fire to do things. 531 00:47:34,752 --> 00:47:38,623 I still would be shocked if he closed Le Bec-Fin 532 00:47:38,656 --> 00:47:41,459 and I -- I felt that the whole time, but, you know 533 00:47:41,492 --> 00:47:43,228 I have to take him at his word. 534 00:47:43,261 --> 00:47:44,562 [instrumental music] 535 00:47:47,098 --> 00:47:49,600 But then again his word on Monday might be different 536 00:47:49,634 --> 00:47:51,269 from his word on Tuesday. 537 00:47:54,405 --> 00:47:55,606 [music continues] 538 00:48:12,157 --> 00:48:13,124 - You're welcome, chef. 539 00:48:18,163 --> 00:48:20,765 - Hey, chef, you want a Red Bull? 540 00:48:20,798 --> 00:48:23,868 - It keeps you up, it gives you a lot of energy. 541 00:48:45,523 --> 00:48:46,491 - How are you doing, chef? 542 00:48:49,194 --> 00:48:50,461 [laughing] 543 00:48:51,562 --> 00:48:53,298 - I'm dying, but I'm okay. 544 00:49:49,020 --> 00:49:49,720 - Yes, chef. 545 00:49:50,755 --> 00:49:52,023 - Here, let me help. 546 00:49:52,057 --> 00:49:53,424 Okay, I'll get you the knife. 547 00:49:53,458 --> 00:49:54,392 - I'm gonna get you. 548 00:49:57,395 --> 00:49:58,596 [glass clinking] 549 00:50:00,098 --> 00:50:01,599 [applauding] 550 00:51:13,538 --> 00:51:15,473 [cheering and applauding] 551 00:51:22,447 --> 00:51:23,614 Salut! 552 00:51:26,784 --> 00:51:28,686 [indistinct chatter] 553 00:51:41,699 --> 00:51:45,270 - We are so happy. We are so happy. - Salut! 554 00:51:45,303 --> 00:51:48,706 - We met you in Paris in 1999 555 00:51:48,739 --> 00:51:50,475 coming out of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. 556 00:51:53,744 --> 00:51:54,679 - Cheers. - Cheers. 557 00:52:02,820 --> 00:52:05,556 - And we mooned the guy? We mooned the guy? 558 00:52:14,832 --> 00:52:17,902 - 11:57. - Here we go. 559 00:52:17,935 --> 00:52:19,504 [clanking] 560 00:52:22,507 --> 00:52:24,175 [instrumental music] 561 00:53:07,585 --> 00:53:09,487 [indistinct chatter] 562 00:53:27,438 --> 00:53:29,840 - Happy New Year. - Happy New Year, my friend. 563 00:53:38,616 --> 00:53:41,452 [baby cooing] 564 00:53:41,486 --> 00:53:43,220 - Exactly. 565 00:53:43,254 --> 00:53:45,055 - You wanna play with your kitchen instead? 566 00:53:45,089 --> 00:53:46,457 - Yeah. 567 00:53:52,363 --> 00:53:53,798 Two of the, like, best things about my week 568 00:53:53,831 --> 00:53:56,801 is my Saturday night shower. 569 00:53:56,834 --> 00:53:58,836 You know, when you get in the shower and, like, the week's finally over 570 00:53:58,869 --> 00:54:01,439 and you're just like, aah! 571 00:54:01,472 --> 00:54:03,140 And then waking up on Sunday. 572 00:54:05,310 --> 00:54:06,277 [baby babbling] 573 00:54:06,311 --> 00:54:07,912 Yeah. 574 00:54:07,945 --> 00:54:09,680 Yeah, he still takes credit for, like, introducing us. 575 00:54:11,181 --> 00:54:14,118 He tells people that he presented me my wife 576 00:54:14,151 --> 00:54:16,687 like, as like a gift or something. 577 00:54:16,721 --> 00:54:19,123 He loves, he loves his little Gracie too. 578 00:54:19,156 --> 00:54:21,592 Uncle Georges, he's like, "Come here. 579 00:54:21,626 --> 00:54:23,294 Come see your Uncle Georges." 580 00:54:25,062 --> 00:54:26,864 - He's very charming. 581 00:54:26,897 --> 00:54:28,833 You know, he has this reputation of being 582 00:54:28,866 --> 00:54:30,368 oh, the crazy man in the kitchen 583 00:54:30,401 --> 00:54:33,471 but when you get to know him, he has a heart of gold. 584 00:54:33,504 --> 00:54:35,840 He really means well. He really does. 585 00:54:41,178 --> 00:54:43,481 - Get in there, you. Get in there, you. 586 00:54:44,915 --> 00:54:46,417 This is her favorite. 587 00:54:48,152 --> 00:54:49,987 We sat down, we had a meeting the other day 588 00:54:50,020 --> 00:54:52,357 and I said, you know, we have to think about what our obstacles are 589 00:54:52,390 --> 00:54:55,326 as a restaurant and see how we can overcome the obstacles 590 00:54:55,360 --> 00:54:58,996 and the one that we can't overcome is the dining room. 591 00:54:59,029 --> 00:55:01,699 You know, I have friends who.. 592 00:55:01,732 --> 00:55:03,968 ...like, basically refuse to come to the restaurant 593 00:55:04,001 --> 00:55:07,004 just because it's too stuffy. 594 00:55:07,037 --> 00:55:08,973 You know, you see people get into the dining room 595 00:55:09,006 --> 00:55:10,307 and they sit there in their chair and they're like 596 00:55:10,341 --> 00:55:12,142 oh, they have to sit up and they don't know 597 00:55:12,176 --> 00:55:15,045 what silverware to use and what glass they should be using 598 00:55:15,079 --> 00:55:16,581 and it's just, it's frustrating. 599 00:55:16,614 --> 00:55:18,583 I mean, I think we can do the same food 600 00:55:18,616 --> 00:55:21,419 and the same style in a restaurant 601 00:55:21,452 --> 00:55:26,256 that has a little bit more contemporary, casual feel. 602 00:55:26,290 --> 00:55:28,092 If I had, you know, all the money in the world 603 00:55:28,125 --> 00:55:31,095 the first thing I would do would be knock down the dining room, redesign it. 604 00:55:31,128 --> 00:55:32,497 Leave the chandeliers, they're gorgeous. 605 00:55:32,530 --> 00:55:34,599 But everything else would just be redone. 606 00:56:00,458 --> 00:56:03,694 Uh, hey, so we've got one coming in. 607 00:56:03,728 --> 00:56:07,097 25 pounds, scales on.. 608 00:56:10,668 --> 00:56:11,769 - Half a bunch of thyme. 609 00:56:14,004 --> 00:56:14,672 - Half a bunch of thyme. 610 00:56:19,577 --> 00:56:21,512 - I love you. I love you. - Chefs say.. 611 00:56:29,019 --> 00:56:30,588 - Juniper, juniper. - Huh? 612 00:56:36,627 --> 00:56:38,395 - You wanna use cab? - What? 613 00:56:38,429 --> 00:56:39,263 - You wanna use cab? 614 00:56:52,677 --> 00:56:53,644 - Yes. 615 00:57:07,558 --> 00:57:09,126 - We have to do it right before service starts, chef. 616 00:57:13,564 --> 00:57:15,032 - Oh, my God! 617 00:57:25,309 --> 00:57:27,144 - Don't you have another party to go? 618 00:57:45,730 --> 00:57:46,531 - Yes, chef. 619 00:58:06,751 --> 00:58:08,385 - I don't have any more galettes. 620 00:58:08,418 --> 00:58:10,655 I already told all the waiters. 621 00:58:10,688 --> 00:58:12,590 - You send out the first course so quickly 622 00:58:12,623 --> 00:58:14,024 my table didn't get a bouche, then they asked me 623 00:58:14,058 --> 00:58:15,392 why they didn't get one. Slow down. 624 00:58:15,425 --> 00:58:18,162 Please, just slow down. 625 00:58:18,195 --> 00:58:21,031 - You have to let me take care of my people, please. 626 00:58:21,065 --> 00:58:22,032 You know I can do it, right? 627 00:58:22,066 --> 00:58:23,433 You know I can do it. 628 00:58:23,467 --> 00:58:25,069 I'm not going to now because -- 629 00:58:25,102 --> 00:58:27,605 Because I know that you're gonna send my food -- 630 00:58:27,638 --> 00:58:29,774 - I -- I'm not gonna send it until I get -- 631 00:58:29,807 --> 00:58:31,576 - You got it. You got it. Don't worry, I'll babysit. 632 00:58:35,212 --> 00:58:36,547 - I'll babysit, don't worry. 633 00:58:45,089 --> 00:58:47,692 - He actually issued, like, a statement to the entire staff 634 00:58:47,725 --> 00:58:50,595 saying, you know, I'm not gonna be here anymore. 635 00:58:50,628 --> 00:58:53,564 I'm gonna take a step back and I'm gonna focus on other things. 636 00:58:53,598 --> 00:58:57,534 And if you guys have any questions, talk to Chef Nick. 637 00:58:57,568 --> 00:58:58,903 It lasted, like, a week. 638 00:59:00,470 --> 00:59:03,273 He's so singularly focused on.. 639 00:59:05,976 --> 00:59:09,146 ...this building and this restaurant and what we're doing here. 640 00:59:09,179 --> 00:59:12,883 We talk about being partners 641 00:59:12,917 --> 00:59:16,120 and doing this together and eventually him stepping back 642 00:59:16,153 --> 00:59:20,057 and letting me take control of the restaurant 643 00:59:20,090 --> 00:59:22,993 but it's like his lifeline. 644 00:59:23,027 --> 00:59:24,494 He's never gonna let it go. 645 00:59:32,036 --> 00:59:34,171 - He's vacuuming up the flood downstairs. 646 00:59:34,204 --> 00:59:35,439 Have you seen it? 647 01:00:04,902 --> 01:00:05,870 - Sure. 648 01:00:12,242 --> 01:00:14,344 - Hey, Georges. What are you vacuuming for? 649 01:00:14,378 --> 01:00:17,381 - You'll be the hardest working -- the hardest working chef in America, right? 650 01:00:23,654 --> 01:00:24,421 - He's a cobbler? 651 01:00:31,261 --> 01:00:32,262 - Oh, wow! 652 01:00:38,368 --> 01:00:40,270 [indistinct chatter] 653 01:00:58,222 --> 01:01:01,826 - I had resisted reviewing Le Bec-Fin for, for many years 654 01:01:01,859 --> 01:01:04,528 because we'd heard, well, Georges is gonna sell. 655 01:01:04,561 --> 01:01:07,064 I was always sort of waiting for it to settle into 656 01:01:07,097 --> 01:01:09,666 whatever the next version of Le Bec-Fin was gonna be. 657 01:01:09,700 --> 01:01:11,702 But in the context of re-establishing 658 01:01:11,736 --> 01:01:14,671 who are the top restaurants, it had to be re-reviewed 659 01:01:14,705 --> 01:01:17,374 and it was...sad. 660 01:01:19,376 --> 01:01:21,078 Everything was wrong. 661 01:01:21,111 --> 01:01:23,413 I had a few nice dishes 662 01:01:23,447 --> 01:01:25,916 because Nick is actually a really talented chef 663 01:01:25,950 --> 01:01:29,887 but he was working against all kinds of odds. 664 01:01:32,757 --> 01:01:34,324 The service wasn't right. 665 01:01:36,426 --> 01:01:38,128 The food, did it wanna be classic 666 01:01:38,162 --> 01:01:40,464 or did it wanna be modern? 667 01:01:40,497 --> 01:01:44,101 The wonderful cheese cart, the lid which had been crystal 668 01:01:44,134 --> 01:01:47,404 had been replaced with this plastic shield 669 01:01:47,437 --> 01:01:49,874 that was busted across the back. 670 01:01:49,907 --> 01:01:53,210 And the dessert cart, I remember it, you know, flying 671 01:01:53,243 --> 01:01:56,246 high up to the chandeliers 672 01:01:56,280 --> 01:01:58,916 and suddenly it was, it was really small 673 01:01:58,949 --> 01:02:00,684 and...skimpy. 674 01:02:02,252 --> 01:02:04,721 It was literally just a shadow 675 01:02:04,755 --> 01:02:06,857 a sketch, a stick figure of what it was. 676 01:02:12,930 --> 01:02:15,265 [instrumental music] 677 01:02:56,473 --> 01:02:59,443 - He just kept putting more into it to try and revive 678 01:02:59,476 --> 01:03:01,812 and try and get those people back 679 01:03:01,846 --> 01:03:03,713 and the people didn't wanna come back. 680 01:03:10,254 --> 01:03:13,557 - Very bad. He really felt so bad. 681 01:03:13,590 --> 01:03:16,593 He said, "I never had a critic that bad." 682 01:03:22,266 --> 01:03:24,734 He was...devastated. 683 01:03:31,241 --> 01:03:34,644 - Georges had just come off of a really terrible year personally. 684 01:03:34,678 --> 01:03:37,314 His mother died at 101. 685 01:03:37,347 --> 01:03:39,984 Uh, his marriage fell apart. 686 01:03:40,017 --> 01:03:42,619 And he realized that Le Bec-Fin was closing. 687 01:03:45,856 --> 01:03:48,258 - A culinary era is coming to an end 688 01:03:48,292 --> 01:03:49,927 in Center City Philadelphia. 689 01:03:49,960 --> 01:03:52,596 The iconic restaurant Le Bec-Fin 690 01:03:52,629 --> 01:03:55,265 will close its doors next month. 691 01:03:55,299 --> 01:03:57,834 The world renowned French eatery has been a leader 692 01:03:57,868 --> 01:04:00,037 of the Philadelphia food scene for 40 years. 693 01:04:10,114 --> 01:04:11,448 - Times change. 694 01:04:13,617 --> 01:04:16,420 I go to dinner in the best restaurants in Philadelphia. 695 01:04:16,453 --> 01:04:18,588 I'm the only man with a tie on. 696 01:04:20,624 --> 01:04:23,894 It was too long, a little bit too expensive 697 01:04:23,928 --> 01:04:26,030 and a little bit too formal. 698 01:04:26,063 --> 01:04:27,965 No -- no fault of Georges. 699 01:04:32,502 --> 01:04:34,371 - I know that tastes change 700 01:04:34,404 --> 01:04:38,242 but for it just to die so spectacularly 701 01:04:38,275 --> 01:04:40,810 and this was Le Bec-Fin. This was heart, this broke my heart. 702 01:04:47,317 --> 01:04:49,553 - I had left, say, about a month before it ended 703 01:04:49,586 --> 01:04:52,289 but my other job let me leave 704 01:04:52,322 --> 01:04:53,924 and finish out the last night with them 705 01:04:53,958 --> 01:04:56,060 so I went back and worked the line with them for.. 706 01:04:56,093 --> 01:04:58,828 And, uh, it was an interesting feeling. 707 01:04:58,862 --> 01:05:01,331 It was sad, but like.. 708 01:05:01,365 --> 01:05:03,800 It was just, it was actually just really sad. 709 01:05:03,833 --> 01:05:06,003 - I think he was tired. 710 01:05:06,036 --> 01:05:08,438 Umm, in fact it had scared me 711 01:05:08,472 --> 01:05:11,908 uh, towards the end seeing the kind of toll 712 01:05:11,942 --> 01:05:14,444 it was having on him physically and mentally. 713 01:05:16,646 --> 01:05:20,917 His whole identity, you know, is Le Bec-Fin. 714 01:05:20,951 --> 01:05:22,852 It's hard to separate the two. 715 01:05:25,355 --> 01:05:29,859 - And...sold 475 to 587. 716 01:05:29,893 --> 01:05:34,164 713 are a pair of palatial crystal chandeliers 717 01:05:34,198 --> 01:05:37,167 from the Le Bec-Fin Restaurant in Philadelphia. 718 01:05:37,201 --> 01:05:40,304 I have 2500. 2750 is next. 719 01:05:40,337 --> 01:05:42,706 27 and a half. 2750. 720 01:05:42,739 --> 01:05:44,541 [indistinct bidding] 721 01:05:54,684 --> 01:05:57,687 They sold, 2500. 180. 722 01:06:48,305 --> 01:06:49,973 [instrumental music] 723 01:07:16,900 --> 01:07:18,268 - Nick.. 724 01:07:22,306 --> 01:07:23,473 ...you are top chef. 725 01:07:23,507 --> 01:07:24,774 - Shut the [beep] up! 726 01:07:31,481 --> 01:07:32,416 - I'm so proud of you. 727 01:07:35,185 --> 01:07:39,256 - In November, Chef Elmi opened his first restaurant, Laurel in Philadelphia 728 01:07:39,289 --> 01:07:42,426 and this week the James Beard Foundation named Laurel 729 01:07:42,459 --> 01:07:45,929 a semi-finalist in the best new restaurant category. 730 01:07:45,962 --> 01:07:47,597 Top Chef Nicholas Elmi, welcome to "The Dish." 731 01:07:47,631 --> 01:07:48,798 - Thanks for having me here. 732 01:07:48,832 --> 01:07:50,300 - You have a lot of good news coming your way. 733 01:07:50,334 --> 01:07:53,403 - Yeah, it's been a good 2014. 734 01:07:53,437 --> 01:07:55,105 - Tell us, if you could share this meal with anyone 735 01:07:55,139 --> 01:07:57,174 past or present, who would that person be? 736 01:07:57,207 --> 01:08:00,644 - Oh, one person? Uh.. 737 01:08:00,677 --> 01:08:03,280 I would say Georges Perrier who's been my mentor for a long time. 738 01:08:06,950 --> 01:08:09,186 - Wow. 739 01:08:09,219 --> 01:08:10,987 - I don't think Izzy's ever been in South Philly. 740 01:08:21,365 --> 01:08:22,899 - What are you doing to me, dad? 741 01:08:27,871 --> 01:08:29,806 - So we have to make pate en croute today. 742 01:08:36,213 --> 01:08:37,847 - Well, I made everything yesterday. 743 01:08:39,416 --> 01:08:40,384 - I made the dough. 744 01:08:42,852 --> 01:08:44,688 - I made the farce. We have to grind it. That's the one thing -- 745 01:09:01,938 --> 01:09:03,373 - They give you a little bit of money, chef. 746 01:09:09,012 --> 01:09:09,946 - 125. 747 01:09:10,914 --> 01:09:12,048 - 125. 748 01:09:13,917 --> 01:09:14,851 - Yeah. 749 01:09:18,455 --> 01:09:19,956 - Shut the fuck up. 750 01:09:21,691 --> 01:09:23,727 You were making $125,000 a week, man. 751 01:09:31,701 --> 01:09:32,769 - Oh! 752 01:09:41,945 --> 01:09:42,879 - Do you want me to do it again? 753 01:09:44,614 --> 01:09:46,550 - Fine, I'll do it again. I have another one. 754 01:09:46,583 --> 01:09:48,685 - I don't know if this is a victory lap for him 755 01:09:48,718 --> 01:09:52,121 or the start of something new. 756 01:09:52,155 --> 01:09:54,591 I've seen him in various kitchens. 757 01:09:54,624 --> 01:09:57,794 He's been doing all kinds of collaboration dinners 758 01:09:57,827 --> 01:09:59,596 where he goes into a restaurant 759 01:09:59,629 --> 01:10:03,099 and, uh, cooks with the chef. 760 01:10:03,132 --> 01:10:05,669 And from what I hear, he works like a dog. 761 01:10:15,479 --> 01:10:18,648 - We'll do the farce and then we'll do chicken 762 01:10:18,682 --> 01:10:20,650 or the hen and then we'll do farce again. 763 01:10:24,087 --> 01:10:24,854 And then we'll do the foie gras? 764 01:10:31,194 --> 01:10:32,296 - Thank you, chef. 765 01:10:42,171 --> 01:10:43,640 - To one day walk into the restaurant 766 01:10:43,673 --> 01:10:45,975 and have him, you know, pat you on the back and say 767 01:10:46,009 --> 01:10:47,977 you did a good job, I mean, that's what you worked for. 768 01:10:48,011 --> 01:10:49,946 [instrumental music] 769 01:11:05,462 --> 01:11:06,195 - Yeah, very little. 770 01:11:08,832 --> 01:11:09,866 - Why? 771 01:11:17,574 --> 01:11:19,175 - You know where the fuck I learned that. 772 01:11:22,846 --> 01:11:24,013 - Lunch break! 773 01:11:27,884 --> 01:11:30,019 - Georges Perrier inspired 774 01:11:30,053 --> 01:11:32,989 a couple of generations of very talented chefs. 775 01:11:33,022 --> 01:11:36,059 Sharing his wisdom, sharing his success 776 01:11:36,092 --> 01:11:38,695 and sharing his challenges. 777 01:11:38,728 --> 01:11:41,064 Georges inspired me to 778 01:11:41,097 --> 01:11:42,432 to keep doing what I'm doing. 779 01:11:46,069 --> 01:11:46,936 - A lot. 780 01:11:52,542 --> 01:11:54,744 - I loved you, I loved you on "Top Chef." Loved you. 781 01:11:54,778 --> 01:11:57,180 - Thank you so much. - Can't get into your restaurant, but loved it. 782 01:11:57,213 --> 01:11:58,948 - Thank you. - You need a bigger place! 783 01:12:00,550 --> 01:12:01,618 - Not yet. 784 01:12:05,188 --> 01:12:06,923 Come on, come on, go. Go ahead. 785 01:12:19,569 --> 01:12:21,938 - Right. It costs nothing. 786 01:12:32,816 --> 01:12:34,083 - You have a girlfriend? 787 01:12:44,928 --> 01:12:46,129 - The beauty about our business 788 01:12:46,162 --> 01:12:49,433 is the fraternity among friends. 789 01:12:49,466 --> 01:12:51,535 I feel the same today with my generation. 790 01:12:51,568 --> 01:12:53,637 With Thomas Keller, with Jean Georges 791 01:12:53,670 --> 01:12:55,472 with Eric Ripert. 792 01:12:55,505 --> 01:12:56,973 - Izzy! 793 01:13:11,821 --> 01:13:12,756 - It's good to see you. 794 01:13:22,666 --> 01:13:23,933 - I gotta see this. 795 01:13:54,130 --> 01:13:56,032 - Everything's done. Everything's in the oven. 796 01:13:56,065 --> 01:13:57,701 Everything's fuckin' going. 797 01:14:00,369 --> 01:14:02,371 - He's good, man. He seems alright. 798 01:14:02,405 --> 01:14:04,073 Fucking, he still hammers it. 799 01:14:18,488 --> 01:14:20,156 [instrumental music] 800 01:15:00,964 --> 01:15:02,632 [cheering and applauding] 801 01:15:04,634 --> 01:15:06,069 - Thank you. - Love you. 802 01:15:08,104 --> 01:15:10,039 [instrumental music]