Adam Ullian at Buzzine.com just posted a great interview for tonight's premiere of Private Chefs of Beverly Hills. Thank you, Adam! Check it out by clicking the link or reading below.
Chef Boyar-Delectable
Sometimes in life, you find yourself cooking a very fancy, exquisite meal – for a dog. On April 9th, The Food Network premieres Private Chefs of Beverly Hills. The show is a glimpse into the lives of six cooks working for Big City Chefs, Beverly Hills’ premiere private chef placement agency. These are not simply private chefs; these are Beverly Hills private chefs – and as the saying goes, “How much will a diamond-encrusted omelet set me back?” Oh yes, there is much money given and much cooking expected. Buzzine caught up with one of the chefs, Sasha Perl-Raver, to discuss all things that private chefs discuss. Shhhh!
Adam Ullian: When did you fall in love with cooking?
Sasha Perl-Raver: For as long as I can remember, food has been the prism I’ve seen the world through. I just found this poem that I wrote when I was six. We were given the prompt: “Bring me…” and you had to fill in the blanks of all the things you wanted in the moment. I could have said: “Bring me a My Little Pony” or “Bring me a Cabbage Patch Kid.” I wrote, “Bring me FOOD,” in all caps. Once I realized that I could bring myself FOOD, I was hooked.
AU: What’s the most exquisite meal you’ve been asked to make?
SPR: I try to make every meal that I’m in charge of exquisite, whether it’s the salad I toss for myself when I’m getting ready to hit the couch to watch Lost, or a wedding I cater for 150 people. People tend to be very intense and exacting about what goes in their mouths, as well they should be, so I always strive to make each bite a sliver of perfection. Having said that, we cooked for a client — a very young client — on the show (I think it’s the sixth and final episode of the season) who was a totalitarian in the kitchen, and nothing we did was good enough. At one point, I sent out one of the best pieces of miso-glazed seabass I’ve ever cooked and he deemed it “alright.” I can’t lie — I ended up crying. To me, every meal should be exquisite, and I take it very personally when someone doesn’t agree that it’s superb.
AU: How would you describe the group of chefs you’re working with?
SPR: I’ve never been in the position of being the quietest and mellowest of a group. But in this case, I think I might be. Every one of the chefs I get to work with is talented, dynamic and a little bit nuts, which is what makes watching Private Chefs of Beverly Hills so fun. But when the six of us are in one room, it’s a maelstrom…but a really really entertaining one.
AU: How often do you go, “Are you fucking kidding me?” when you get client requests?
SPR: Ninety-nine percent of the time. One thing I’ve noticed in my years as a private chef: the more money people have, the crazier they tend to be. We deal with really successful people who can be seriously demanding, but that’s because they have vision. They didn’t get where they are by sitting back and being blasé. The thing is I didn’t get where I am by doing that either, so when someone asks me to do something I don’t agree with, I always try to sway them over to my side. Chef Brian says we’re in the Yes Business, and we are. But I also have a big investment in the Sasha is Always Right Business, which means if I don’t agree with something, I let people know.
Adam Ullian: When did you fall in love with cooking?
Sasha Perl-Raver: For as long as I can remember, food has been the prism I’ve seen the world through. I just found this poem that I wrote when I was six. We were given the prompt: “Bring me…” and you had to fill in the blanks of all the things you wanted in the moment. I could have said: “Bring me a My Little Pony” or “Bring me a Cabbage Patch Kid.” I wrote, “Bring me FOOD,” in all caps. Once I realized that I could bring myself FOOD, I was hooked.
AU: What’s the most exquisite meal you’ve been asked to make?
SPR: I try to make every meal that I’m in charge of exquisite, whether it’s the salad I toss for myself when I’m getting ready to hit the couch to watch Lost, or a wedding I cater for 150 people. People tend to be very intense and exacting about what goes in their mouths, as well they should be, so I always strive to make each bite a sliver of perfection. Having said that, we cooked for a client — a very young client — on the show (I think it’s the sixth and final episode of the season) who was a totalitarian in the kitchen, and nothing we did was good enough. At one point, I sent out one of the best pieces of miso-glazed seabass I’ve ever cooked and he deemed it “alright.” I can’t lie — I ended up crying. To me, every meal should be exquisite, and I take it very personally when someone doesn’t agree that it’s superb.
AU: How would you describe the group of chefs you’re working with?
SPR: I’ve never been in the position of being the quietest and mellowest of a group. But in this case, I think I might be. Every one of the chefs I get to work with is talented, dynamic and a little bit nuts, which is what makes watching Private Chefs of Beverly Hills so fun. But when the six of us are in one room, it’s a maelstrom…but a really really entertaining one.
AU: How often do you go, “Are you fucking kidding me?” when you get client requests?
SPR: Ninety-nine percent of the time. One thing I’ve noticed in my years as a private chef: the more money people have, the crazier they tend to be. We deal with really successful people who can be seriously demanding, but that’s because they have vision. They didn’t get where they are by sitting back and being blasé. The thing is I didn’t get where I am by doing that either, so when someone asks me to do something I don’t agree with, I always try to sway them over to my side. Chef Brian says we’re in the Yes Business, and we are. But I also have a big investment in the Sasha is Always Right Business, which means if I don’t agree with something, I let people know.
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