How one Michelin starred chef deals with the enormous pressure
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NYC’s The Langham Hotel had a Michelin star and was a well-known favourite of celebrities, such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Leonardo DiCaprio before 32-year-old chef Scott Schneider took over as head chef.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The restaurant, Ai Fiori, opened in 2010, with Schneider joining as a line cook in 2011 and he never thought he’d become head chef, let alone obtain the sought-after position in such a short timeline.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Schneider has retained the Michelin star status of the restaurant as he has been the head chef for a number of years. He spoke to </span><a href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/2019/04/05/13/17/chef-scott-schneider-michelin-starred-chef-ai-fiori-the-langham-hotel-new-york-city"><span style="font-weight: 400;">9Honey Kitchen</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> about what to look out for in the reviewers who are in charge of handing out the stars. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We don’t really know when the [Michelin guide reviewers] come in," Schneider explained.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, there are a few details to look out for.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Most of the time it's a French couple. They will usually order the tasting menu and they're usually looking at every little detail; under the tables, all the food, the menu, every tiny thing."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Schneider was born in Ohio, went to a vocational culinary school and fell in love with food, he realised he needed a change of scenery.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I just I figured if I wanted to work in some great kitchens, then this was where I needed to be. They don’t really have that where I'm from in Ohio," he chuckles.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's kind of surreal. I have family and friends that come from Ohio and they dine here and they're just blown away and say things like; 'you're the chef in this restaurant? Wow.' – sometimes you forget how wonderful it all is, and it helps you not to take it for granted." </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Schneider doesn’t let the pressure get to him. The variety of his work keeps him engaged, and the people he works with aren’t bad either.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"This [Ai Fiori] is home. We have a good team, you know. We're evolving the menu and food all the time and you can't get bored in the kitchen. If you get bored, then there's a problem."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Each dish that goes out is a team effort, which Schneider is proud of.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"A lot of research goes into each dish, we taste and play around with flavours and ideas," he says, adding that this is really "the fun bit,” he explained. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"When we get to a point where we're happy with it, we'll have our peers taste it, all the sous chefs will talk about it, maybe it needs more acid or a different herb or whatever. Then once we all agree, that's when the dish happens. It's not just me. It’s a team."</span></p>
