I was thinking about one of my favourite Netflix shows, Chef’s Table, which covers some of the world’s top restaurants and their head chefs. The one on Attica is sensational.
What is the Chef’s Table?
In my eyes, there are two.
The first, formal version is the private dining space, where VIP guests go to enjoy a bespoke, curated, intimate meal. The head chef is often involved, and the whole thing is quite elaborate. I’ve never been, and I’m not sure it would be my thing, but I’d love to try it at one point.
The other Chef’s Table is the real one. Whether a professional or amateur, any one who cooks a lot will have enjoyed, and I do mean enjoyed, a meal like this: the dining room is the kitchen, the chopping board is the place mat, and the dining chair is your own two legs. Hunched over, silent, munching.
The word cleave has two meanings, which are the opposite of one another. Chef’s Table is somewhat similar; it refers to a place where people dine in the most performative manner, or the least.