My old culinary school in Montreal, ITHQ, had an amazing library, especially their archives.  I was particularly blown away by Careme’s books, the insane details of his recipes (if not ostentatious) and particularly his drawings.  Careme is still considered one of the greatest chefs ever, definitely a (if not the first) “superstar”, “celebrity” chef of his era, perhaps the Mozart of French cuisine.  Though impressed at the time - and still - by his fascinating career and body of work, what truly fascinates me now is how he got there.

Careme was the most accomplished pastry chef in all of Paris and the most sought after chef in all of Europe by the age of 20, a testament of his mere talent.  But as an educator, I think it’s a testament of his will, his drive, specifically his will and drive to learn.  We know Careme was a disciplined note-taker, which he’d revise before going to bed.  We also know he was a voracious researcher, hitting the books at the nearby library after work for ideas, facts, inspiration. 

In essence, Careme was the ultimate student of his craft.  Naturally he learned from others, but I think he had the gift to teach himself, to intellectually elevate his game.  So it’s the 16, 17, 18 year old Careme that fascinates me, the one that took hold of his learning. To all students out there, have your pen and pad ready at all times. I still do. 

Tony Minichiello,  Culinary LearnerÂ