Good with Knives

Speaking off the toque: Jacques Fox, director of education at Alain & Marie LeNótre Culinary Institute [7070 Allensby, (713)692-0077].

Deron Neblett

Jacques Fox

Deron Neblett

Jacques Fox

Location Info

Map

Culinary Institute Alain & Marie LeNotre

7070 Allensby St.
Houston, TX 77022

Category: Schools

Region: Outer Loop - NW

0 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare	0

Related Content

• Whatever Happened to Baked Alaska? Five Out-of-Style Dishes
  November 15, 2011
• A Page Outta: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Leftovers Edition
  May 27, 2011
• Openings & Closings: Nothing Bundt News
  February 10, 2012
• Openings & Closings: Trouble and Tacos
  December 9, 2011
• Guess Those Hands: The Real Food Network Challenge
  May 30, 2011

More About

• Jacques Fox
• Julia Child
• Marie LeNotre Culinary Institute
• Food and Cooking
• Culinary Arts

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Dining Newsletter: The week's top local food news and events, plus interviews with chefs and restaurant owners, dining tips, and a peek at our print review.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Q. During a radio interview, we recently heard Julia Child describe a person as "someone who will never be a cook." Is cooking something that can be taught to anyone, or does a student need to possess some sort of innate talent?

A. You do have to have some skill that you bring to it, like any other profession, whether it is that of doctor or musician or carpenter. For those who become real chefs, it is something in their blood. Also, you have to love doing it. A person who is enthusiastic can learn to do something after a single demonstration, but someone who is not that interested may not master a technique after 20 demonstrations. For some reason that I have never really understood, medical doctors do very well in cooking classes. Lawyers, sometimes, also do very well. Certainly knowing chemistry is a good thing to bring to the kitchen, but with doctors and lawyers there is something else. I've been doing this for 28 years, and it is still not possible for me to predict how well a person will do in a cooking school just by knowing their background and education and appearance. I have to see the person working in a kitchen. Then, within two hours, I can tell if they are going to do well as a student and as a cook.