“Angry food is not good food. You can tell when somebody cooks something if they’re happy or sad or angry.”
This from John McClure, the chef and owner of Starker’s Restaurant, during an interview for an upcoming Kansas City Star piece about Craig Adcock (owner of Jude’s Rum Cakes and Belly Up BBQ). It’s an intriguing idea, one explored to its passionate and tragic end in Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate. It’s certainly true in my own kitchen, where cranky mama usually equals burned fingers and bad dinner.
McClure, on the other hand, is a generally upbeat guy who admits to singing to his gumbo. If you’ve ever eaten his cooking, you know happy food is good food.