Food with Mark Bittman: Eric Ripert

Sustainability and common sense, pandemic silver linings, and lifelong influences

Photo: Getty Images

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It’s a Food with Mark Bittman day, and we’re revisiting our episode from June 2021, which featured Eric Ripert, with good reason: Ripert’s acclaimed NYC restaurant, Le Bernardin, just earned an unprecedented sixth four-star review from The New York Times, making history as the only restaurant to do so since the Times first published in 1851.

Ripert, like many of us, had thought that the world — and for him, Le Bernardin — would “close” for two weeks when Covid started. Those two weeks, for Le Bernardin, turned into March through October, but during our chat, Ripert told me that he saw the light at the end of the tunnel. 

“I created a mantra at Le Bernardin that says, the fish is the star of the plate. Which means: We don't cook with fish, we cook for the fish. And whatever is on that plate has a purpose, has a reason to be.” — Eric Ripert

So: It’s a good time to celebrate Eric. And we’ve got some recipes from him, too: Shaved Fennel, Parmesan Salad; Grated Carrot Salad; Celery Root Soup; and Merluza and Green Lentil Stew with Orange Emulsion. And now, on with the show…

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