Culinary AH ideas...

Osakadave

Osakadave

I've seen a fair number of WI or AHC threads about foodways or particular cuisines (especially fast food), and the odd passing mention of a few culinary stars in TLs. But I don't think I've ever seen an actual WI or TL dedicated to the culinary field. I may very well have missed one along the way in my periods of paying less attention to the boards. No "WI Paul Child (Julia's husband) wasn't posted to Paris?" or TL exploring a world w/o celebrity chefs (trust me, that would make most real chefs and professional cooks soooo happy) or worlds where Auguste Escoffier never set up the brigade de cuisine.

So, any intetest? Any other interesting PODs? Worth looking at?
 
NCW8

NCW8

Graham Kerr stays a hotelier in England and doesn't move to New Zealand. He doesn't get into television and so there's no Galloping Gourmet. This influences a number of people who became professional chefs after watching his show as children IOTL.
 
Osakadave

Osakadave

A couple more:
Marco Pierre White isn't awarded his 3rd star until much later. He stays in the kitchen until he gets it, and thus never becomes a celeb chef.

Gordon Ramsey doesn't injure his knee. He continues his football career. He ends up a decent footballer, no great career. Maybe he opens a pub after retiring?

Anthony Bourdain never gets his summer job at a restaurant. He stays at Vassar. Very different career follows.

Again Bourdain, when he cleans up his act, he quits drinking as well. He never sends his article to the New Yorker. Not getting it publushed there, Kitchen Confidential is never written/published. He continues as a work a day chef.

Bourdain part 3: at some point in his addict days, he has a fatal OD. :(

No US network picks up Iron Chef after Shatner's terrible run.
 

Archibald

Banned
Bernard Loiseau doesn't take bad an asasine critic from a stupid culinary book and never commit suicide. No Ratatouille by 2011 (Gusteau was inspired by Loiseau AFAIK)
 
shiftygiant

shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Nigella Lawson following in her fathers footsteps would have an interesting effect on contemporary British home cooking, though it's one that's going to take awhile before we can chart the results.
 
Mad Bad Rabbit

Mad Bad Rabbit

Nguyen Tat Thành (aka Ho Chi Minh) continues training under Auguste Escoffier instead of going into politics; eventually becoming a reknowned chef and popularizing French-Indochinese fusion cuisine.
 

EMTSATX

Banned
Yes Chef! Seriously, as a person who can't boil water (I got married to avoid a life of fast food and Raman pride) I really enjoy Bourdain. I just know about him from his TV shows. He seems like a guy who would be the best drinking buddy ever (even if, like me you don't drink.)

I like Ramsey but not when he is "sensitive". Nigela is just flat out good looking.

How about cocaine is never invented. I have worked as security in a lot of bars and every cook I have ever known did a lot of coke.

I watched with my wife, the movie about Julia Child. Color me surprised she was a sex kitten.
 
Marc Pasquin

Marc Pasquin

WI: kangaroo meat became a mainstream meat in australia ? Lamb is probably the most popular meat OTL followed by beef so if kangaroo became the favoured meat of australia, you have have less of an impact on nature as kangaroo is native (unlike the other 2). It is halal so that part of the industry wouldn't be affected (although the indonesian might need some convincing at first).

You might also see developed a stronger emphasis on marinades in terms of local products as the meat is extremely lean and thus would become dry easily on a BBQ.

I wonder internationally how people would react. kangaroos are cute so people might get a knee jerk reaction to eating it.
 
Driftless

Driftless

Donor
As noted above: Graham Kerr & Julia Child weren't great chefs in their own right, but their infectious enthusiasm, good humor, and food democracy (especially this last bit) helped create a couple of generations of foodies. That made all of the celeb chef's careers possible.
 
Driftless

Driftless

Donor
Marc Pasquin said:
I wonder internationally how people would react. kangaroos are cute so people might get a knee jerk reaction to eating it.
Click to expand...

There's some truth there, but calves, deer, rabbits, young ducks and chicks are all cuties too, and we eat them...

*edit* I forgot lamb.... Geez, now I feel like a savage...
 
Osakadave

Osakadave

Driftless said:
There's some truth there, but calves, deer, rabbits, young ducks and chicks are all cuties too, and we eat them...

*edit* I forgot lamb.... Geez, now I feel like a savage...
Click to expand...
While a possibly interesting detour, I'd like to keep this thread on topic, please.
 
Driftless

Driftless

Donor
If James Beard's career had taken a different tack, you might not see the same appreciation for different American regional cuisine. He was the godfather for promoting those differences where merited. He's another character that laid a significant foundation for US chefs.
 
Mad Bad Rabbit

Mad Bad Rabbit

Euell Gibbons is given his own cooking show on PBS in the late '60s or early '70s, giving more traction to the health-food and organic food movement.
 
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