Mario Batali, Chef
Graduation speech, Rutgers College
Pay attention to the truth. It's not an intellectual thing. It's a gut
thing. My truth is that I love real, honest, passionate, intense
experiences. Experiences that don't apologize for themselves or claim to be
something they aren't. ... You want a recipe? Boil some spaghetti in
well-salted water. While you're doing that, heat up some good extra-virgin
olive oil in a skillet and throw in some thin slices of garlic and some red
pepper flakes. When the pasta's cooked, toss it in the skillet. Throw in
some chopped parsley and a little of the pasta water. Toss it around. Put it
on a plate. Grate some Parmigiano Reggiano on top. Congratulations, dude.
You've just made spaghetti all'aglio e olio. One of the greatest simple
truths of humankind - and a damn good emergency dinner. That's a recipe.
It's an idea. It's a dish. It's an icon. It's an experience. It's not rules.
And as you cook up your life, I hope you never let anyone else's recipe for
success intimidate you or get in your way. Rules are overrated.
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1 comment:
This quote has got me thinking. What is my truth? I liked it because some of it feels similar to my truth... I never was one for rules that couldn't bend or be abandoned. My truth is that I am many things at once and sometimes hard to pin down, even to myself. Even I haven't known quite what to do with myself. My truth lies in adventure, in seeking the best there is of everything -- love, friends, food fun, beauty. I believe I will have it all work out in the end. (I hear Lori in my head saying, "THIS is what it looks like when it's working out, Reb.)
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