There are still tickets available for next week’s Duck Duck Duck Goose Dinner with beer by Goose Island. Chef Joshua Stokes talks to us about his journey into food. Just don’t eat his paintings!
When did you first arrive in New York City and what was the first thing you ate?
I landed here in ’99; I was nineteen years old and ready to cook. But first I had a slice of pizza. It was pretty much all I could afford.
How did you meet Jimmy?
New York is a small town when it comes to food, and Jimmy is everywhere. If you’re active at all in the food world, you’re going to cross paths with him.
With a background in sculpture, how would you relate art to food creation?
Hmmm . . . this is something I could talk about for hours; it’s a very tricky question. Everyone acknowledges food as an artistic outlet, but the distinction is that our bodies need it to live. So there’s a fine line between food and the Met. Not to mention, if you do happen upon “art” on a plate, you eat it and it's gone . . . not so with a Rembrandt.
Without naming names, what was the strangest culinary quest you ever undertook as a private chef to the elite?
One guy had a love of New Orleans’ food. I was sent there to learn how to make specific dishes from different places. I even had a “bribe budget” to pilfer recipes.
What’s next for you after Duck Duck Duck Goose?
Who knows? I'm constantly focusing on improving and growing Grill-a-Chef. The goal is help people help themselves cook, and I love doing it.
Anything else you’d like us to know?
Just that the Grill-a-Chef service is for everyone. Anyone reading this can just email me if they have a cooking question. It’s as simple as that. (advice@grillachef.com)
