Last night at the James Beard Awards, Chicago chef Paul Kahan and NYC chef David Chang tied for Outstanding Chef. In this video, writer/journalist Steve Dolinsky interviews the chefs shortly after their win. Chang explains how he admires Kahan's commitment to managing his kitchen and that the first time they met, Kahan "was trying to fix the compressor on the rooftop. That's when I was like 'You know what, this guy is in it.'" Kahan praises the dedication Chang's cooks show to him, having hung out with them one year in Aspen (at a festival Kahan says has been renamed "The David Chang Festival"): "It was like 'We are here because we worship at the temple of Chang.'" Kahan also explains how he is inspired when he visits other restaurants: "If you go to a place and the food is delicious, or the design is incredible, or you see a service point you really admire, you say 'How can we be better? How can we incorporate this into what we do?'" Below, the video.
Video: Best Chef(s) in U.S. at James Beard Awards
· Best Chef(s) in U.S. at James Beard Awards [YouTube]
· All David Chang Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Paul Kahan Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All James Beard Awards Coverage on Eater [-E-]