Chef Alix Verrips
Alix Verrips, chef and author of the book Brunch Across 11 Countries has an extraordinary job and lifestyle. Working as a private chef – sometimes on yachts – she leads a “tasteful” and colourful life. We asked her some questions:
Questions:
What is your absolute, favourite dish in all the world?
I have many favourites, but Singapore Chili Crab has to be my favourite favourite.
What is the most extraordinary and exotic ingredient you ever cooked with on a yacht?
A perfectly square watermelon that I bought in a market in Sardinia for 170 Euros! It was a great conversation piece as it stood on my desk for days whilst I figured out what to do with it. I eventually cut a hole in the top and made an exotic rum punch in it!
Which dish is all round, the most favourite amongst the people you have cooked for?
I am known for my Paella which I learned to make many years ago in Spain under personal tutelage of the “World Paella Master” at the time, chef Julián Garcia.
How do you stock your kitchen when “going to sea”? Do you meticulously plan menu’s/ Have standby staples? Do you personally shop at markets or send out a list?
Depending on the size of the vessel- I usually stock up on staples which I order from a yacht “provisioner” and then I personally shop for specialty items from gourmet shops or markets. I usually have an idea of what I want to cook, but I don’t like to restrict myself to a rigid menu plan.
At home in Knysna, what local ingredient would you choose to cook up a feast?
Knysna is world famous for its Oysters. As a huge fan of these sexy bivalves I like to prepare them in various ways and serve them up with an array of different accompaniments.
If money is not an issue, where to would you fly right now and with whom – to eat where?
I’d charter a Gulfstream 650 and convince Anthony Bourdain to hop on board and fly to Japan with me to eat our way through the famous Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.
In a Babette’s feast hosted by you – what would be on the menu?
In my job, every day is a Babette’s feast where I get to source and prepare the finest ingredients money can buy.
The lavish feasts I have the privilege of creating on a daily basis often include exquisite cuts of wagyu beef, from a butcher that The Wall Street Journal calls, “the Cartier of butcher shops”.
My seafood comes from the same supplier that delivers to 3 Michelin starred establishments like Le Bernadin and Per Se and I have my specialized vegetables, herbs and edible blooms picked to order just like Daniel Humm from Eleven Madison Park.
My truffles are hand selected for me by experts in Perigord and Alba and where I buy my caviar they offer me champagne because I’m such a good customer!
In my Babette’s feast I’m going decadent deluxe, so I’d probably serve bowls of caviar with all the accoutrements; a ‘fruit de mer’ platter piled high with Alaskan king crab legs, Belon oysters, sweet gulf shrimp and blue lobster; seared pillows of Hudson Valley Foie Gras on toasted brioche with flambeed white peaches; wagyu tagliata on a bed of wild rocket; fresh tagliatelle with shaved white truffles; salad of white asparagus, endive and mesclun in a hazelnut dressing. With platters of exotic fruit and berries, rich dark chocolate tarts and passionfruit bavarois for dessert!
Who would you invite to this imaginary dinner?
I’ll invite some of my favorite people I’ve cooked for in the past, seating Jon Bon Jovi between the Duchess of Wellington and Melanie Griffith, Sean Connery beside Catherine Zeta- Jones, they’ve got a lot of catching up to do, Martha Stewart between Bruce Willis and Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas as far away from Melanie as possible, and Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman at either end of the table
When in love, what would you prepare in the kitchen with an unlimited pantry, for your beloved?
I would prepare whatever my ‘beloved’s’ favourite dish was that his mother used to make him and ensure that I make it even better.
For aspiring wannabee food stylists and chefs, what would your best advice be?
Never let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams, believe in your abilities and never stop gaining knowledge to stay current and informed in the field that you want to be successful in.
What is your personal best recipe ever? The dish everyone wants you to cook for them?
Amongst my friends I’m known for my ribs which are juicy and tender on the inside and crispy and caramelized on the outside in a sticky sweet and spicy basting.
Do you watch television cooking programs? If so, whom is your favourite celebrity chefs, and why?
I don’t watch much television, but I’m a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, because we share the same passion for cooking, eating and traveling. I also like Nigella Lawson, because she highlights the sensuality of cooking and savouring food.
What is your dream job?
I already have my dream job – cooking for appreciative clients in incredible locations without limitations!
What will be in your Christmas stocking from yourself?
Perhaps a new set of golf clubs, if I can find a large enough stocking.
Where will you be 10 years from now?
Somewhere fabulous!