Chef Eric Ripert has a lot on his plate. He’s the executive chef of one the most celebrated restaurants in New York City, Le Bernardin. Ranked number 18 on the S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best list, rated three stars by the Michelin Guide, and four stars from the New York Times, Le Bernardin is a well-run machine. But Ripert seems to find time to run three additional restaurants in Washington, D.C., the Cayman Islands and Philadelphia. He has authored four cookbooks, appears as a guest judge on Bravo’s Top Chef, hosts the PBS series Avec Eric, does cameos on HBO’s Treme and has just launched a new show on YouTube called On The Table.

On The Table can be seen on the The Reserve Channel and features Ripert and a friend cooking, drinking and chatting.

Q & A with Chef Eric Ripert

Q. How did you decide to do a show on the web?

A. I like the idea of it. I think it's new and it's avant-garde and it's touching a young audience. It is the future of television. Also you have technology that already exists that allows you to project those shows on your TV, as well. What is nice about it is that you can watch the show at any time.

Q. How do you like the process of doing television compared to the pace of a restaurant kitchen?

A. It's really fun. We basically cook together and it goes fast. To get twenty-two minutes of the show, we shoot for three hours and time flies. The beauty of being on Google TV is that we can drink a little bit and it’s basically like inviting someone in my kitchen. The cameramen are totally invisible and we have a very different interaction than interviewing someone in a formal setting, like in a studio with a table. Cooking together creates a certain intimacy. It breaks the ice right away and we have an interesting conversation.

Q. Do you also feel that you have more creativity on the web?

A. For sure, there’s less restriction than some networks.

Q. How do you pick your guests?

A. In collaboration with the production of the show and who I would like to interview. Anthony [Bourdain] is a dear friend and was the first to be the guinea pig and Mario [Batali] was kind of enough to come on. Stanley Tucci was very sweet. We also interviewed Marcus Samuelsson and Rogers Waters from Pink Floyd. I admire Rogers work very much and was curious to ask him a lot of questions. He just finished The Wall and around 92 concerts. Gail Simmons also came on the show.

Q. How often are you doing the show?

A. We're airing once a month. We shoot them three at a time and then we take a break, because I have a day job.

Chef’s Tips & Advice | Fish

Q. Rather than choosing more obvious fish that people are accustomed to (such as salmon or tuna), can you recommend fish that are less popular?

Halibut

It is my favorite fish. I love the silkiness of the flesh and the very subtle flavor. When you cook halibut, you can serve it rare to medium and it is so juicy.

[See Eric Ripert’s Poached Halibut Recipe.]

Black Bass

To me is one of the most refined American fish. I love black bass for the flavor and the consistency. We cook it on the skin and we make it crispy and it’s very nice. 

Chef’s Ingredients | Salt

Sea Salt | La Baleine

It’s the salt we use at La Bernardin for seasoning. We use it because I grew up with it. I learned how to cook with it and therefore I teach my cooks how to use it. I think it’s very precise because it’s very fine. Not too fine, it’s not a powder, it’s grains.

[See details.]

Chef’s Recommendations | New York City

Find | French Bakeries

Payard

I really like Payard. I like to go in the morning -- you get anything you want for your breakfast, from croissants to brioche, et cetera.

Maison Kayser

Kayser comes from Paris and it’s a very nice patisserie. The pastry shop and the room is very contemporary. They have a good breakfast. They’re also open for lunch and dinner. I think they're bringing their style and heritage from Paris, but I believe that they are humble and open enough to embrace New York. To keep their soul and be in a New York place at the same time.

[See details.]

Eat | Restaurants

Where I Would Take A Visiting Chef | Yakitori Totto

I think it's fantastic. I love the fact that as soon as you open the door and climb the staircase, you end up in Tokyo. You’re totally in another world, like another planet. I eat everything. I really love the chicken cartilage. I like to sit at the counter and watch the guys.

NYC Gems

Soho | Café Habana

It's cramped on a weekend, but during the week it's fine. I get the Grilled Mexican Corn there, it’s so good!

Park Slope | Talde

Talde is really good, very good. I’m very impressed with the quality of the food and the variety of the food. They also have good wine. A great experience and a fantastic time there.

Boerum Hill | Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare

Chef Cesar Ramirez serves 15 people a night, seven people in one shot. An hour later eight people arrive and at the end he's serving 15 people every night. Basically, he has two helps and he cooks everything in front of you.  It's a tasting menu that he has created for the day. I think he's a genius. I can see that this guy has technique and the food taste delicious.

Upscale | Masa

When I go to Masa, two weeks before I'm excited like a little kid before Christmas. I’m going there for the talent of Masa and for the amazing food that he serves.

French

Balthazar

I try to go to Balthazar as much as I can. Some people believe it is trendy, but for me it's eating at my favorite restaurant. They have great energy in the room and good service. The food is very consistent. I’ve been going there for so many years, I know a lot of the staff and I feel almost like I'm home. I always have a lot of Bordeaux, crab legs, shrimps, oyster and clams, and then the steak tartare, spicy, or steak frites.

Daniel Boulud

I really like the whole Daniel empire. I go to Café Boulud. I go to Daniel. I go to Bar Boulud.

Millesime

It's basically a ‘seafood Balthazar.’ It is on the first floor with a bistro atmosphere.

[See details.]

Drink | Cocktails

The Standard

To tell you the truth, cocktails are very new to me. Before I never drank cocktails and I really don’t know how to make them. I have no clue. Lately, I have a passion for Negronis, I always drink Negronis and have to say the Standard downtown in the Meatpacking District has a great Negroni.

I like the Standard because it's almost like an island inside the Meatpacking District. It's like its own vibe. It's very cool and relaxed. I go with my son and we play ping-pong in the Biergarten. In the winter, he likes to try ice skating, I don’t.

Drink | Wine

Ardesia Wine Bar

It's in Hell's Kitchen and they have good music, a good vibe, not trendy. I don’t necessarily look for the trendy spots. They have a great wine list, which is not very expensive. It's a very laid back neighborhood wine bar. It's not necessarily a restaurant, but it has a lot of food options and the food is really delicious. They do their own charcuterie.

[See details.]

Chef’s Recommendations | Paris

Eat | Restaurants

Le Comptoir du Relais

I love the fact that it’s casual and elegant. You really feel like you are in Paris, in the middle of Saint Germain, which is a cool neighborhood.  The food is really good. It’s not a surprise because the guy is talented, but when you get the food you are, ‘Whoa! What is that? Hold on!’

[See details.]

Details

Details of chef Eric Ripert’s recommendations for where to eat, drink and shop in New York City and Paris.

Recipes

- Poached Halibut with Fine Herbs Vinaigrette

City Guides

- NYC | Manhattan: Download

- NYC | Brooklyn: Download