The Chef Philosopher

This is Marco Pierre White, the British chef famous for being the youngest ever to win three Michelin stars.

His lusty, seminal hardcover White Heat, is out of print and hard to find.

Every French-trained chef I know absolutely idolizes the guy.

So when I recently had the chance to meet him at a tiny gathering at Bonnie Stern's cooking school, I was rendered mute for the first half-hour of the casual question and answer period, throughout which, the chef stirred a pot of risotto, boosted by Knorr products, for which he is a spokesperson.

Marco Pierre White is tall, charismatic and confident, more than a little sexy, and dare I say, quite the philosopher. He says things like, "Success is borne out of luck. Luck is being given the opportunity. It’s an awareness of mind that makes you act on that opportunity.”

I especially enjoyed his stories about dining out in the great French restaurants of Europe as a child, which was what inspired him to become a great chef. But it wasn't only the food: “When you step inside a three-star you should know you’ve arrived. When you leave, you should miss it.”