OK, I've written here before about my weakness for Top Chef and cooking reality TV shows. I've also written about my struggle to fully appreciate Swedish cuisine. So, it was only time before I addressed the fact that Top Chef Masters (a reality TV show where celebrity chefs compete against each other in a series of cook-offs) has had not one but TWO Swedish chefs.
Part of me wonders if Swedish restaurant life doesn't suffer because all the great chefs move to New York. But that's another story.
One of the Chefs who is a constant guest on Top Chef and competitor in the Masters version is Nils Noren. During his competition Nils was always on time with his dishes – despite the famously crazy deadlines the show sets.
At one point Nils commented something along the lines of (sorry, I'm too lazy to go thru the old episodes to find the exact quote) “This is because I am Swedish. In Sweden everything is always on time. If you want to take a train, in Stockholm, it is always on time.”
To this I say? “Nils, you have been living in New York too long.”
And for all the dissing I give Swedish cooking, I will also point out that Marcus Samuelsson, another Swedish Chef, won Top Chef Masters last year. Maybe I should check out his restaurant the next time I am in New York.
My favorite Swedish chef is still:
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