Everyone has a guilty pleasure. That certain something that provides tremendous pleasure along with a touch of shameful guilt. For some, this is a trashy romance novel, cheesy movie or binge-watching TV. They can also be indulgences in mass-produced foods with no particular nutritional or socially redeeming value.
When it comes to masterful chefs whose culinary talents have been elevated to the level of iconic, it’s surprising to see what they enjoy most when nobody’s watching.
According to a 2017 interview, Anthony Bourdain revealed that mac and cheese from Popeye’s was his truly shameful pleasure. Similarly, Julia Child had a well known obsession with hot dogs from Costco.
With a handful of celebrated chefs in northeast Florida, I was wondering what their private pleasures might be. So I approached a few to see what they had to say.
TOM GRAY, chef and owner of Prati Italia and Town Hall restaurants, is one of Jacksonville’s irrefutable culinary stars. As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and an enviable career that includes two “Best Chef: South James Beard Award” nominations, this guy is no slouch. While no longer a regular item on the menu, his deviled eggs are not to be missed. Away from his operations, Tom likes to indulge in In-N-Out’s renowned Double Double with cheese along with a side of “animal fries” (topped with cheese, a secret spread similar to Thousand Island dressing, and grilled onions), occasionally accompanied by a sweet and frosty strawberry shake.
For those of you who consider dessert your favorite food group, you’ll want to pay attention to REBECCA REED. Leading the way as the corporate pastry chef for Black Sheep, Bellwether, and Orsay, she comes armed with training from the French Culinary Institute in New York, an enviable resume and seemingly endless awards. Most notably, Rebecca has developed a whimsical style that transforms her beautifully crafted desserts into stunning works of art. When not finessing every delicious detail, she finds tremendous pleasure from Takis Fuego washed down with sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lime. For the uninitiated, Takis Fuego are rolled tortilla chips with an intense flavor derived from hot chili pepper and lime.
DENNIS CHAN, chef and owner of Blue Bamboo is one of Jacksonville’s leading restaurateurs. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he’s been cooking since he was old enough to stand on a step stool. Specializing in Chinese cuisine, Dennis is also the 2018 winner of General Mills’ Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest (you definitely want to try his Sunshine State Orange Crunch Cake). A culinary perfectionist, Dennis freely admits he’s a sucker for Mega Peanut M&M’s. Whenever he sees them at the store, the snack bags somehow end up in his cart.
As a matter of full disclosure, I am just as guilty, finding tremendous pleasure from poutine. There’s nothing like digging into a mound of french fries topped with cheese, meat and gravy. While poutine may not offer much in the way of meaningful nutritional value, it goes down good. So good.
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Jeffrey Spear is the President & Creative Director at Studio Spear, a global branding agency working exclusively with food and consumer lifestyle products and services. His creative and strategic leadership accounts for Studio Spear’s successes, numerous industry related awards and stellar reputation. With client engagements on every continent except Antarctica and more than 40 years in operation, Spear applies his strategic and creative skills to a variety of branding and growth-oriented activities.
On a culinary note, Spear has obtained training from professional cooking schools in Australia and the United States. He is an accomplished trade journalist and food writer, providing recipes, stories and industry insights to a variety of trade and consumer publications. Jeffrey has also produced three cookbooks “Yum: Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats,” “The First Coast Heritage Cookbook,” and “My Life in Gluttony: A Culinary Adventure.”
