后厨：和一位四川厨师的对话
想成为音乐人的四川男孩做了厨师，多年后在北京有了自己的川菜馆，却还是在学习吉他和声乐，因为他觉得学习音乐是件很浪漫的事……单单这一件事，就让我觉得他很有趣了。
苏勇今年32岁，来自四川成都，做厨师有些年头了。他上过不少美食节目，在微博上有2000个粉丝（现在已经3000多了），最近（2012）刚在北京开了个四川菜馆。川菜因其特别的麻辣用料而闻名国内外。以下是苏勇关于烹饪、菜肴和川妹子的看法。
—你小时候，最爱吃的是什么？
凉拌鸡。是凉菜，用煮熟的鸡肉、辣椒、醋拌的。我小时候经常吃，这也是我做的第一道菜。我给我父亲做的时候，他说比他自己做的还好吃。
—你是怎么成为一位厨师的？
本来我是想做音乐人的。高中毕业之后，我申请了云南一个音乐培训项目，也通过了，可后来发现自己付不起学费。我姐姐的朋友就帮我在我们家乡一个酒店的餐厅找了份工作。我非常喜欢烹饪，所以就决定坚持下来了。我爸爸是个厨师，我妈妈在家也会做饭，所以他们也影响了我的决定。
我看了很多烹饪书籍、观察其他厨师们，向他们学习。有时他们会给我上点基础烹饪课。为了让他们愿意教我，我就得和大家处处关系多帮帮忙，比如帮他们洗衣服什么的。
但我也从来没放弃过音乐。我现在也还在上吉他和声乐课。学习音乐就是在学习如何生活，是很浪漫的事。
—你总共在多少家餐厅工作过？
现在这个是第五个啦。第一家是个高级酒店的川菜馆，我在那工作了几年之后，去了另外一家川菜馆几年。后来因为想学做不太一样的菜，我又在一家牛排餐厅做了几年。接着我就搬到北京了，自己这家餐厅开业之前，还在一家酒店餐厅工作过。
—你多年专攻川菜，那当时去牛排餐厅工作是什么感觉？
很神奇，因为我接触到了许多自己曾经完全不了解的烹饪风格。我学会了怎么做各式牛排和沙拉，很享受这个过程。在那边，是一个受过外国厨师培训的中国师傅带的我。因为有那段经历，我现在这家餐厅的菜单里也加进了牛排和沙拉。
—那跟我说说你现在这家餐厅吧。它最让你骄傲的地方是？
这是家四川风味餐厅，主推三道四川特色美食，这也是餐厅名字由来。这三道菜，就是干烧鳝鱼、口福胖泥鳅和水煮美蛙。所有食材都来自四川。我之前在成都花了三个月为这些菜选择正宗可信的食材。菜单是我自己定的，厨师们也是我亲自培训的。
—川菜最大的优点是什么呢？
适应性。川菜辣是出了名的，但其实只有40%的川菜是辣的。所以它最大的优点就是接受不同菜系的影响，和它整体上的灵活多变。
—说说川妹子吧？她们很有魅力跟当地特色美食有关吗？
我觉得有。已婚男士到四川旅行都会后悔自己为什么结婚这么早！每走几步，你就会发现迎面过来一个美女。所以成都是个让男人们流连忘返的城市。
至于这背后的原因，我觉得是因为辛辣口味的食物加快了血液循环，我们那潮湿的天气又让人一直出汗，所以会让人的皮肤格外光滑。
—一个厨师怎么才能让自己脱颖而出呢？
必须得有自己的想法，独立的想法。要学会怎么自己研发新的菜品，而不只是模仿他人。还必须得对烹饪有极大的热情，厨师不应该只是推出菜品，还要推行饮食背后的文化。厨师应该成为文化推动者。
—你自己平时在哪吃饭？有什么餐厅给你留下了很深的印象吗？
我一般都在外面吃，因为这算是很好的市场调研的方式。这里大多数有名的中餐厅我都吃过了。我觉得大董烤鸭店就很会创新，他们的菜结合了中西方的烹饪方法，而且他们经理还读过MBA呢。
—你觉得哪道菜最难做？
石锅三角峰。这是道辣鱼石锅菜，要放很多调味料、辣椒、芥末，需要有技巧地调制。这道菜里还要用到很多不同烹饪手段，结合在一起也是一种挑战。CCTV 7还有过一个纪录片专门是讲这道菜的。
—你对地沟油怎么看？你会对使用这种油的厨师说什么？（注：中国很多小饭馆都为了降低成本而使用地沟油，尽管它含有致癌物。）
我非常讨厌地沟油！我会说：“你们要有社会责任感，如果你用这种油做菜，那你就根本失去了当厨师的资格。“
—那味精呢？
我用味精，但只是少量。需要用很多的话，我会用糖代替。有时候电视上一些厨师会在美食节目里讲，如何不用味精也做出好吃的食物，这观点我不同意。我觉得少量味精可以提味，而且真的找不到什么好的替代品。
—非中式的菜里面你最喜欢的是什么？你会选择去哪来一次美食之旅？
我挺喜欢一些东南亚菜的，比如泰国和马来西亚菜。我最喜欢的是泰国咖喱蟹，还有黑椒牛排。美食之旅我会去马来西亚，因为我喜欢海鲜和辣味食物，他们用到的一种特殊辣椒我很喜欢。
—在北京路过人满为患的肯德基和麦当劳时，你是什么感觉？
其实我每个月也会在这些地方吃上一两次，因为省时间。我个人喜欢肯德基的鸡翅，一次能吃六个。不过这些快餐虽然省时间，食物却没有灵魂。
—你最想给谁做一次饭？
刘德华。他是香港流行歌手。其实几个月之前他在工体演出结束之后，在我们这吃过一次饭。他点的是担担面、扣肉、还有蔬菜汤。可惜当时他身边有太多粉丝和记者，我都没机会和他说话。
—你在微博上为什么会有2000多粉丝？
因为我发了一些在我们这吃饭的名人，还有我们餐厅一些优惠信息。而且我过去也上过一些美食节目。
—你的座右铭是？
享用美食等于享受快乐。
原文：Step Into My Kitchen: A Talk With A Sichuan Chef
Su Yong 苏 勇 is a 32 year old chef from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in China. He has been featured on several television cooking shows, has 2,000 followers on Weibo (the Chinese Twitter) and recently opened a new Sichuan restaurant in Beijing. Sichuan cuisine is notable for its use of mouth numbing spices and is quite popular within China and abroad. Here are his thoughts on cooking, cuisine and Sichuan women.
—When you were a child, what did you like to eat most?
Liang ban ji 凉拌鸡. It’s a cold dish, with boiled chicken and peppers in vinegar. I ate this frequently as a child. It was the first dish I ever prepared by myself – when I cooked it for my father, he said it was better than his own.
—How did you become a chef?
Originally, I wanted to be a musician. After high school, I applied for a music training program in Yunnan province and was approved, but I discovered that the tuition was unaffordable. Then a friend of my sister’s got me a job at a restaurant in a hotel in my hometown. I loved cooking very much, so I decided to stick with it. My father was a cook and my mother cooks at home, so they influenced my decision as well.
I read cookbooks, watched the other cooks and learned from them. Sometimes they would give me general cooking lessons. In order for them to be willing to teach me, I had to make personal connections and do favors, like helping them with their laundry.
I never gave up on music, though. I still take guitar and singing lessons. Knowing music is knowing life – it is romantic.
—How many restaurants have you worked at?
My current restaurant is the fifth one I have worked at. The first was a Sichuan restaurant in a luxurious hotel. I worked there for several years and then at another Sichuan restaurant for several years. I wanted to learn how to cook some different foods, so I worked at a steakhouse for several years. Then I moved to Beijing and worked at another hotel restaurant before opening my current restaurant.
—What was it like to work at a steakhouse, after specializing in Sichuan cuisine for years?
It seemed magical, since I was introduced to many new cooking styles that I didn’t know of before. I learned how to prepare various steaks and salads, which I really enjoyed. I was trained by a Chinese chef there, who had been trained by foreign chefs. I used that experience to introduce some steaks and salads into the menu for my current restaurant.
—Tell me about your current restaurant. What are you most proud of about it?
It is a Sichuan style restaurant that features three recommended Sichuan delicacies, hence the name San Yang Cai 三样菜. These dishes are dry-braised eels 干烧鳝鱼, loach with pickled mustard greens 口福胖泥鳅 and spiced frog stew 水煮美蛙. All ingredients are imported from Sichuan and I spent three months in Chengdu, picking authentic ingredients for the dishes. I developed the menu and personally trained the chefs.
—What is the greatest strength of Sichuan cuisine?
Adaptability. Sichuan cuisine is famous for being spicy, but only about 40% of Sichuan dishes can be considered spicy. Its greatest strength is its great number of influences from other cuisines and overall flexibility.
—What about Sichuan women? Is there a connection between their attractiveness and the local cuisine?
I’ll say this – if you travel to Sichuan as a married man, you may regret having been married so early. Every three steps, you will run into a beauty. Chengdu is a city no man wants to return home from.
As for the reasons behind this, I think the spicy local food improves blood circulation and the humid weather there induces sweating. This results in greater skin smoothness.
—How can a chef best distinguish himself / herself?
A chef should have his own thoughts – independent thoughts. He should know how to independently develop dishes and not just imitate others. He should have a great passion for cooking. A chef doesn’t just promote dishes, he promotes the culture behind the dishes. A chef is a cultural promoter.
—Where do you usually eat? Is there a local restaurant you are particularly impressed by?
I usually eat out, because it is a good way to do market research. I’ve eaten at almost every major or famous local Chinese restaurant. I think Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant is very creative. They combine Western and Chinese cooking methods and the manager even has an MBA.
—What is the most difficult dish for you to prepare?
Shi guo san jiao feng 石锅三角峰. It is a spicy fish casserole that includes many spices, peppers and wasabi that must be combined skillfully. Numerous cooking styles are used, which can be a challenge to bring together. In fact there is a documentary on the television channel CCTV 7, dedicated to this particular dish.
—How do you feel about recycled cooking oil? What would you say to a cook who uses such oil? (note: some small restaurants throughout China use recycled cooking oil to cut costs, despite the fact that it has been linked to cancer)
I really hate that. I would say “You should have a sense of social responsibility. If you use this oil, you aren’t qualified to be a cook”.
—How do you feel about MSG?
I use MSG, though not in large amounts. I actually use sugar to substitute for large amounts of MSG. Sometimes, I see chefs on television cooking shows explaining how one can cook well without MSG, which I disagree with. I believe a small amount of MSG can improve flavor. There isn’t really a perfect substitute for it.
—Which non Chinese cuisine do you enjoy most? Where would you go on a food vacation?
I really like some Southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thai or Malaysian food. Thai crab curry is a personal favorite, as well as black pepper steak. I would go to Malaysia, since I really like seafood and spicy dishes. Their cuisine uses a special pepper which I appreciate.
—How do you feel when you walk by a KFC or McDonald’s in Beijing and see it completely full?
I actually eat at those places a couple times a month, when I need to save time. Personally, I like the chicken wings at KFC and I can eat about six of them in one sitting. Though those restaurants save time, the food there doesn’t have soul.
—Who would you most like to cook for?
Andy Lau 刘德华. He’s a pop singer from Hong Kong. He actually ate here a few months ago after his performance at the Workers’ Stadium. He ordered dan dan mian 担担面, steamed pork and pea and vegetable soup. He had so many fans and reporters around him that I couldn’t talk to him, unfortunately.
—How did you get 2,000 followers on Weibo (the Chinese version of Twitter)?
I post photos of celebrities who eat here, as well as discounts to my restaurant. I’ve been on some television cooking shows in the past as well.
—What’s your motto?
To enjoy gourmet cuisine is to enjoy happiness.
原文/图：Liam 翻译：浅色
转载请注明作者、译者和出处：）
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厨师苏勇在他的“三样菜”餐厅（北京） |
苏勇今年32岁，来自四川成都，做厨师有些年头了。他上过不少美食节目，在微博上有2000个粉丝（现在已经3000多了），最近（2012）刚在北京开了个四川菜馆。川菜因其特别的麻辣用料而闻名国内外。以下是苏勇关于烹饪、菜肴和川妹子的看法。
—你小时候，最爱吃的是什么？
凉拌鸡。是凉菜，用煮熟的鸡肉、辣椒、醋拌的。我小时候经常吃，这也是我做的第一道菜。我给我父亲做的时候，他说比他自己做的还好吃。
—你是怎么成为一位厨师的？
本来我是想做音乐人的。高中毕业之后，我申请了云南一个音乐培训项目，也通过了，可后来发现自己付不起学费。我姐姐的朋友就帮我在我们家乡一个酒店的餐厅找了份工作。我非常喜欢烹饪，所以就决定坚持下来了。我爸爸是个厨师，我妈妈在家也会做饭，所以他们也影响了我的决定。
 |
我看了很多烹饪书籍、观察其他厨师们，向他们学习。有时他们会给我上点基础烹饪课。为了让他们愿意教我，我就得和大家处处关系多帮帮忙，比如帮他们洗衣服什么的。
但我也从来没放弃过音乐。我现在也还在上吉他和声乐课。学习音乐就是在学习如何生活，是很浪漫的事。
—你总共在多少家餐厅工作过？
现在这个是第五个啦。第一家是个高级酒店的川菜馆，我在那工作了几年之后，去了另外一家川菜馆几年。后来因为想学做不太一样的菜，我又在一家牛排餐厅做了几年。接着我就搬到北京了，自己这家餐厅开业之前，还在一家酒店餐厅工作过。
—你多年专攻川菜，那当时去牛排餐厅工作是什么感觉？
很神奇，因为我接触到了许多自己曾经完全不了解的烹饪风格。我学会了怎么做各式牛排和沙拉，很享受这个过程。在那边，是一个受过外国厨师培训的中国师傅带的我。因为有那段经历，我现在这家餐厅的菜单里也加进了牛排和沙拉。
—那跟我说说你现在这家餐厅吧。它最让你骄傲的地方是？
这是家四川风味餐厅，主推三道四川特色美食，这也是餐厅名字由来。这三道菜，就是干烧鳝鱼、口福胖泥鳅和水煮美蛙。所有食材都来自四川。我之前在成都花了三个月为这些菜选择正宗可信的食材。菜单是我自己定的，厨师们也是我亲自培训的。
 |
苏勇和他的后厨团队 |
—川菜最大的优点是什么呢？
适应性。川菜辣是出了名的，但其实只有40%的川菜是辣的。所以它最大的优点就是接受不同菜系的影响，和它整体上的灵活多变。
—说说川妹子吧？她们很有魅力跟当地特色美食有关吗？
我觉得有。已婚男士到四川旅行都会后悔自己为什么结婚这么早！每走几步，你就会发现迎面过来一个美女。所以成都是个让男人们流连忘返的城市。
至于这背后的原因，我觉得是因为辛辣口味的食物加快了血液循环，我们那潮湿的天气又让人一直出汗，所以会让人的皮肤格外光滑。
—一个厨师怎么才能让自己脱颖而出呢？
必须得有自己的想法，独立的想法。要学会怎么自己研发新的菜品，而不只是模仿他人。还必须得对烹饪有极大的热情，厨师不应该只是推出菜品，还要推行饮食背后的文化。厨师应该成为文化推动者。
—你自己平时在哪吃饭？有什么餐厅给你留下了很深的印象吗？
我一般都在外面吃，因为这算是很好的市场调研的方式。这里大多数有名的中餐厅我都吃过了。我觉得大董烤鸭店就很会创新，他们的菜结合了中西方的烹饪方法，而且他们经理还读过MBA呢。
—你觉得哪道菜最难做？
石锅三角峰。这是道辣鱼石锅菜，要放很多调味料、辣椒、芥末，需要有技巧地调制。这道菜里还要用到很多不同烹饪手段，结合在一起也是一种挑战。CCTV 7还有过一个纪录片专门是讲这道菜的。
—你对地沟油怎么看？你会对使用这种油的厨师说什么？（注：中国很多小饭馆都为了降低成本而使用地沟油，尽管它含有致癌物。）
我非常讨厌地沟油！我会说：“你们要有社会责任感，如果你用这种油做菜，那你就根本失去了当厨师的资格。“
—那味精呢？
我用味精，但只是少量。需要用很多的话，我会用糖代替。有时候电视上一些厨师会在美食节目里讲，如何不用味精也做出好吃的食物，这观点我不同意。我觉得少量味精可以提味，而且真的找不到什么好的替代品。
—非中式的菜里面你最喜欢的是什么？你会选择去哪来一次美食之旅？
我挺喜欢一些东南亚菜的，比如泰国和马来西亚菜。我最喜欢的是泰国咖喱蟹，还有黑椒牛排。美食之旅我会去马来西亚，因为我喜欢海鲜和辣味食物，他们用到的一种特殊辣椒我很喜欢。
—在北京路过人满为患的肯德基和麦当劳时，你是什么感觉？
其实我每个月也会在这些地方吃上一两次，因为省时间。我个人喜欢肯德基的鸡翅，一次能吃六个。不过这些快餐虽然省时间，食物却没有灵魂。
—你最想给谁做一次饭？
刘德华。他是香港流行歌手。其实几个月之前他在工体演出结束之后，在我们这吃过一次饭。他点的是担担面、扣肉、还有蔬菜汤。可惜当时他身边有太多粉丝和记者，我都没机会和他说话。
 |
担担面,四川成都有名的辣味面条 |
—你在微博上为什么会有2000多粉丝？
因为我发了一些在我们这吃饭的名人，还有我们餐厅一些优惠信息。而且我过去也上过一些美食节目。
—你的座右铭是？
享用美食等于享受快乐。
 |
 |
感兴趣的读者可以在北京工体北门找到苏勇的餐厅：三样菜。 |
原文：Step Into My Kitchen: A Talk With A Sichuan Chef
Su Yong 苏 勇 is a 32 year old chef from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in China. He has been featured on several television cooking shows, has 2,000 followers on Weibo (the Chinese Twitter) and recently opened a new Sichuan restaurant in Beijing. Sichuan cuisine is notable for its use of mouth numbing spices and is quite popular within China and abroad. Here are his thoughts on cooking, cuisine and Sichuan women.
—When you were a child, what did you like to eat most?
Liang ban ji 凉拌鸡. It’s a cold dish, with boiled chicken and peppers in vinegar. I ate this frequently as a child. It was the first dish I ever prepared by myself – when I cooked it for my father, he said it was better than his own.
—How did you become a chef?
Originally, I wanted to be a musician. After high school, I applied for a music training program in Yunnan province and was approved, but I discovered that the tuition was unaffordable. Then a friend of my sister’s got me a job at a restaurant in a hotel in my hometown. I loved cooking very much, so I decided to stick with it. My father was a cook and my mother cooks at home, so they influenced my decision as well.
I read cookbooks, watched the other cooks and learned from them. Sometimes they would give me general cooking lessons. In order for them to be willing to teach me, I had to make personal connections and do favors, like helping them with their laundry.
I never gave up on music, though. I still take guitar and singing lessons. Knowing music is knowing life – it is romantic.
—How many restaurants have you worked at?
My current restaurant is the fifth one I have worked at. The first was a Sichuan restaurant in a luxurious hotel. I worked there for several years and then at another Sichuan restaurant for several years. I wanted to learn how to cook some different foods, so I worked at a steakhouse for several years. Then I moved to Beijing and worked at another hotel restaurant before opening my current restaurant.
—What was it like to work at a steakhouse, after specializing in Sichuan cuisine for years?
It seemed magical, since I was introduced to many new cooking styles that I didn’t know of before. I learned how to prepare various steaks and salads, which I really enjoyed. I was trained by a Chinese chef there, who had been trained by foreign chefs. I used that experience to introduce some steaks and salads into the menu for my current restaurant.
—Tell me about your current restaurant. What are you most proud of about it?
It is a Sichuan style restaurant that features three recommended Sichuan delicacies, hence the name San Yang Cai 三样菜. These dishes are dry-braised eels 干烧鳝鱼, loach with pickled mustard greens 口福胖泥鳅 and spiced frog stew 水煮美蛙. All ingredients are imported from Sichuan and I spent three months in Chengdu, picking authentic ingredients for the dishes. I developed the menu and personally trained the chefs.
—What is the greatest strength of Sichuan cuisine?
Adaptability. Sichuan cuisine is famous for being spicy, but only about 40% of Sichuan dishes can be considered spicy. Its greatest strength is its great number of influences from other cuisines and overall flexibility.
—What about Sichuan women? Is there a connection between their attractiveness and the local cuisine?
I’ll say this – if you travel to Sichuan as a married man, you may regret having been married so early. Every three steps, you will run into a beauty. Chengdu is a city no man wants to return home from.
As for the reasons behind this, I think the spicy local food improves blood circulation and the humid weather there induces sweating. This results in greater skin smoothness.
—How can a chef best distinguish himself / herself?
A chef should have his own thoughts – independent thoughts. He should know how to independently develop dishes and not just imitate others. He should have a great passion for cooking. A chef doesn’t just promote dishes, he promotes the culture behind the dishes. A chef is a cultural promoter.
—Where do you usually eat? Is there a local restaurant you are particularly impressed by?
I usually eat out, because it is a good way to do market research. I’ve eaten at almost every major or famous local Chinese restaurant. I think Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant is very creative. They combine Western and Chinese cooking methods and the manager even has an MBA.
—What is the most difficult dish for you to prepare?
Shi guo san jiao feng 石锅三角峰. It is a spicy fish casserole that includes many spices, peppers and wasabi that must be combined skillfully. Numerous cooking styles are used, which can be a challenge to bring together. In fact there is a documentary on the television channel CCTV 7, dedicated to this particular dish.
—How do you feel about recycled cooking oil? What would you say to a cook who uses such oil? (note: some small restaurants throughout China use recycled cooking oil to cut costs, despite the fact that it has been linked to cancer)
I really hate that. I would say “You should have a sense of social responsibility. If you use this oil, you aren’t qualified to be a cook”.
—How do you feel about MSG?
I use MSG, though not in large amounts. I actually use sugar to substitute for large amounts of MSG. Sometimes, I see chefs on television cooking shows explaining how one can cook well without MSG, which I disagree with. I believe a small amount of MSG can improve flavor. There isn’t really a perfect substitute for it.
—Which non Chinese cuisine do you enjoy most? Where would you go on a food vacation?
I really like some Southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thai or Malaysian food. Thai crab curry is a personal favorite, as well as black pepper steak. I would go to Malaysia, since I really like seafood and spicy dishes. Their cuisine uses a special pepper which I appreciate.
—How do you feel when you walk by a KFC or McDonald’s in Beijing and see it completely full?
I actually eat at those places a couple times a month, when I need to save time. Personally, I like the chicken wings at KFC and I can eat about six of them in one sitting. Though those restaurants save time, the food there doesn’t have soul.
—Who would you most like to cook for?
Andy Lau 刘德华. He’s a pop singer from Hong Kong. He actually ate here a few months ago after his performance at the Workers’ Stadium. He ordered dan dan mian 担担面, steamed pork and pea and vegetable soup. He had so many fans and reporters around him that I couldn’t talk to him, unfortunately.
—How did you get 2,000 followers on Weibo (the Chinese version of Twitter)?
I post photos of celebrities who eat here, as well as discounts to my restaurant. I’ve been on some television cooking shows in the past as well.
—What’s your motto?
To enjoy gourmet cuisine is to enjoy happiness.
原文/图：Liam 翻译：浅色
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LaFrontera
(Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Unlearn everything that doesn’t serve interdependence. (Mia Mingus...