Eric Ripert has been praised for his thoughtful, passionate advocacy of contemporary French cooking through his TV shows, books and renowned New York seafood restaurant Le Bernardin.<\/p>\n
He is not, however, known for his acid-tongued takedowns of celebrity chef-dom, his punk rock past or a certain je ne sais quoi that makes his fans want to guzzle endless shots of vodka with him.<\/p>\n
Leave that to Anthony Bourdain, Ripert\u2019s close friend and the more devious half of the \u201cGood vs. Evil\u201d stage tour. The occasional road series, which visits CU-Boulder\u2019s Macky Auditorium on April 14, unites Ripert and Bourdain for two hours of lively, humorous stage discussion and audience Q&A.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the people who come mostly come for Tony,\u201d Ripert said over the phone last week. \u201cAnthony has this reputation for being the Mick Jagger of the industry, but actually Anthony\u2019s very disciplined. When he\u2019s on tour he has to be really focused on what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s not that wild and after the show, he goes to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n
That may disappoint some of Bourdain\u2019s more zealous fans, but most \u201cGood vs. Evil\u201d attendees are no doubt there to bask in the wisdom of these food-world luminaries, not rush the stage for autographs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people who come out are very respectful of the process of question-answer,\u201d Ripert said, noting that \u201cnothing scandalous\u201d has happened over the two years of doing the tour. \u201cAt least not yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bourdain may boast Emmy awards and bad-boy cred, but Ripert is no slouch either. The 48-year-old, French-born chef trained under some of the indisputable masters of modern French cooking, both before and after he came to the U.S. in 1989, including Jo\u00ebl Robuchon, Jean-Louis Palladin and Gilbert Le Coze.<\/p>\n
Le Coze, in fact, unintentionally made Ripert head chef of Le Bernardin in 1994 after dying of a heart attack, and Ripert became a part owner two years later. He now oversees a staff of nearly 50 cooks and works hard to defend Le Bernardin\u2019s three-star Michelin Guide rating \u2014 which it has landed every year since 2005 \u2014 despite the demands of his media career, including books, appearances on \u201cTop Chef\u201d and public events such as \u201cGood vs. Evil.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI like to be (at the restaurant) because it\u2019s my passion to be a chef, and my presence after awhile is needed,\u201d Ripert said. \u201cYou cannot leave for a month here and a month there and not see a difference. Only once in the 22 years once since I\u2019ve been there have I left for more a couple weeks, and that was just last year, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ripert\u2019s professional and personal recipe includes equal parts family life, working as a chef and maintaining his public profile, but it\u2019s not simply a matter of balanced ingredients, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t follow the food trends. I follow my instincts, and I prioritize creativity. Although I\u2019m sure I\u2019m affected by my surroundings, because when you\u2019re creative the inspiration comes from what is around you, not just in New York City but also in traveling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ripert had just returned from a trip to Peru with Bourdain to film segments for Bourdain\u2019s new CNN show, \u201cParts Unknown,\u201d which premieres April 14 \u2014 the same day the pair visits Boulder.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that the tour\u2019s promotional materials play up the \u201ctwo very different careers and philosophies\u201d of the boisterous Bourdain and his reserved counterpart, Ripert insists it\u2019s superficial.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a very good relationship and share a lot in common,\u201d he said. \u201d We have such a comfort being together that we don\u2019t mind spending two to three hours in a car without talking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like an old married couple?<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d Ripert said, stifling a chuckle. \u201cUltimately it\u2019s not good vs. evil at the end of the show, with one above the other. We are both good and evil.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com or twitter.com\/johntwenzel<\/p>\n
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