Lessons from a lifetime of cooking

When I was a fresh-faced college graduate 30 years ago, I was far from an accomplished cook. In fact, I was terrible. This was a shortcoming I was determined to overcome, because I really liked eating and did not have the resources to frequently dine out. This was before the ease of finding instruction on YouTube, so I looked to books and television programs for inspiration. I found it by watching Jacques Pépin on public television. He spoke with authority but never with condescension, gently encouraging the viewer as he made any dish seem achievable.

One of the chef’s most popular videos featured him making two different kind of omelets, a country style omelet and a traditional French omelet. The Washington Post’s Tim Carman recently traveled to Pépin’s Connecticut kitchen to learn from the master how to make the latter. As always, Pépin was charming and courteous, and Carman’s recounting of his visit is a delight to read.

In the era of over-the-top cooking videos that feature extreme or wacky foods meant to gain clicks and shares, there is something very satisfying about going back to a basic technique. Carman explains that “classic French omelets also have lessons to share, almost parables for those of us who have become so hooked on instant, buy-now, heart-emoji gratifications that we’ve forgotten about the pleasure of mastering a skill over time. During a period when the foundations of our country feel shaky and insecure, I find comfort in techniques that have stood the test of time, sturdy and unassailable.”

I concur with that sentiment and credit Pépin with any skill I have acquired in the realm of cooking, because before I encountered his videos, I was flailing in the kitchen at best. Watching him deftly debone a chicken while explaining each step in a matter-of-fact, encouraging manner gave me the confidence to attempt it myself. Although I had to rewind the video several times to parse the technique, my clumsy first attempt was nonetheless a success, and the galantine I made wowed my dinner guests. I will take a video featuring Chef Pépin’s gentle instruction over a viral TikTok every single time. You can still find Pépin’s omelet recipe on the KQED website, and YouTube has the original video.