Whenever Cedric comes by my apartment, he naturally gravitates up to the roof. Whether it’s for the launch of World to Table, to stargaze with his NASA-grade telescope, or to throw his own French techno and champagne-fueled birthday party. Besides his long list of culinary accomplishments, which includes serving as the private chef to the Prime Minister of France and heading the kitchen at the Peacock Alley in the Waldorf=Astoria, Cedric also loves to travel. His passport is filled with stamps from Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong; he is no stranger to Asian flavors and ingredients.
On our trip to Vietnam in 2005, we made sure to try as much of the local food as possible. Aside from the more conventional offerings, we had coffee, freshly brewed on a boat, made with the deliciously muddy waters of the Mekong River Delta and roasted rat served to us on a river cruise, which another chef tricked us into believing was a “really small baby pig”.
So, when a box filled with jars of WorldFoods sauce arrived at my doorstep, I pulled out the tabletop grills, set up the tables upstairs and gave Cedric a call. A rooftop cooking session was in order.
