Pépin’s Final Cooking Series | Jacques Pepin | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Jacques Pepin, renowned chef and TV personality, shares insights on his career, favorite dishes, and the importance of cooking for loved ones.

Transcript

MARCIA GAGLIARDI: So it is no small honor to be here today in conversation with Jacques Pepin-- or as I like to say, the man, the myth, the legend. Many of us have felt like we've grown up on his cooking shows on public television, and I hope we all have at least a couple of his 25 books on our kitchen shelves. I see quite a few in here today. Jacq... Read More

Key Insights

• 😋 Food memories are powerful and stay with us throughout our lives.
• 🥰 Cooking for loved ones and sharing meals together is a powerful way to connect.
• 😋 The future of food should involve a return to organic, local, and less processed ingredients.

Questions & Answers

Q: Were the cooking techniques different in the US compared to France when you first came in 1959?

Pepin explains that the techniques were relatively similar, but the ingredients were different. Products in the US were more packaged, but the meat and seafood were of good quality.

Q: How did Pepin transition from being the personal chef for French president Charles De Gaulle to becoming a TV star?

Pepin says it was luck and a series of connections with influential food writers and chefs like Craig Claiborne, Helen McCully, and Julia Child that led him to television.

Q: What is one of the most important life lessons that a life in food has taught Pepin?

Pepin believes that cooks are generous people and mentions that chefs often give their time to cook for charity events. He also says that cooking is not about following a recipe but about technique and love.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Jacques Pepin's career spans over 60 years, from his formal apprenticeship in France to working for French president Charles de Gaulle, and eventually becoming a chef on public television.

• He is currently shooting a new series, "Jacques Pepin: Heart and Soul," which will showcase his techniques and stories from his past.

• Pepin emphasizes the importance of cooking for loved ones and the power of food memories.