Art vs. Cooking, and Connecting the Two

Ray Anthony Barrett on the grounding nature of food, the importance of adaptation, and how artists can help us all.

Published November 30, 2021

Ray Anthony Barrett/Instagram

“We need artists to become farmers, we need artists to become electricians — in every aspect of our culture, we need creative thinkers to look at the ways in which we’re doing things, and question them, and present new possibilities.” 

At this point, I’m not sure if Ray Anthony Barrett, this week’s esteemed guest on Food with Mark Bittman, is best known for his work as a chef—he runs the pop-up and catering company Cinqué, in Los Angeles—or for his work as an artist, at which he’s fabulous. I “met” him on Instagram—actually, he messaged me something complimentary about the podcast, yay—and we chatted back and forth. I felt like I was meeting someone thoughtful, insightful, intelligent, and super talented in many areas. His thoughts on how art and food intersect, and how art should play a role in every aspect of our culture are enlightening; I felt enlightened after talking with him, and I think you will also, after listening.

The recipes featured in the episode—Everything-But-the-Chicken Salad, and Charred Onion Soup—are here and here.


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