Celebrity Star Struck

by Stephanie Sherrill
on Friday, October 23, 2009

Did you know that the origin of sauerkraut was not Germany, but China? It seems that cabbage was first prepared this way as a dinner treat for the men building the Great Wall of China. This is just one of the random food-related trivia tidbits we picked up after spending an afternoon with Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
It's not every day that Shanghai is visited by a celebrity chef. But this one loves Shanghai and has been visiting periodically since he opened his first signature restaurant outside New York on the Bund, back in 2004. When he arrives in Shanghai, Vongerichten's engagements are fortunately accessible to any food lover, not just those with high-class connections or fat wallets. My foodie friends and I jumped at the chance to attend his afternoon cooking show and lunch.
In the intimate "kitchen stadium" (actually, just a table, cutting board and two burners) at Three on the Bund, Vongerichten prepared three dishes. "You don't need a fancy kitchen. You can do it all with just two burners," he says. His cooking style is healthy and light, comprising a few well-chosen ingredients, and his Shanghai masterclass featured a version of the famed Singaporean pepper crab with a very simple pate choux (with a cream puff like base), that he first began cooking in 1973.
The entire demonstration was casual and relaxed, as Vongerichten regaled us with tales of his bee collection and gave tips on shopping for the best type of ginger. If you closed your eyes, you could picture this Michelin-starred chef hanging out in your own kitchen with 40 or more of your closest friends. During the lunch, he greeted all attendees and posed for pictures and signed autographs.
Vongerichten makes the journey to Shanghai three times per year and stays for a week to update the restaurant's menu, meet with his staff, and stay on top of the Shanghai culinary vibe. If you missed last week's cooking class and special dinners, keep your eyes on EnjoyShanghai for details of his next appearance.