Gayle Pirie has been a part of the San Francisco dining scene for 20 years, taking on roles ranging from chef at the renowned Chez Panisse to restaurant consultant with her husband. In 2001, Pirie and her husband, John Clark, took over the kitchen at Foreign Cinema, where they have won raves for their seasonally focused Mediterranean menu. The pair has also published two cookbooks, Country Egg, City Egg and Bride and Groom.
Q: Tell us about your son's class field trips to your restaurant.
A: They've been doing it since first grade. ... We get them involved and let them cook their own stuff. They get to make their own ice cream sundaes with our homemade ice creams, a pizza with their own toppings, or a salad with their own vinaigrette. Some kids have a very limited view of restaurants. They leave with a better understanding. This gives them total access and demystifies it for them.
Q: Why do you think is it important to expose kids to this?
A. Kids can't put their heads in the sand when it comes to food. They need to understand that food comes from the earth and needs to be respected. It teaches them to not have such an immature view of food, which is hard to do if they have grown up in a household where parents have set the bar low. They need to know they can't live on Cheetos. They get to know the goodness of an apple in season.
Q: What are some healthy foods that are kid favorites?
A: If we get really nice handmade tortillas and Cheddar Jack, we like to make quesadillas. We always have a variety of apples, and we always talk about what kind of apple it is and where it comes from.
Q: What's the most memorable meal you've eaten or prepared?
A: My most memorable meal was at Jean Georges in New York in 1997, just about 3 months after it opened. We happened to be there at the same time the reviewer from The New York Times was. Jean Georges later received four stars.
Q: Guilty food pleasure?
A: Onion rings.
Q: What do you cook at home with kids?
A: We make garlic bread, cucumber salad, tacos, raised waffles (part of the batter is made the night before and the eggs are added in the morning), lazy-eyed Susans (bread with an egg in the middle).
Q: Who inspired you to become a chef?
A: Living in San Francisco inspired me to become a chef.
Q: What is your best cooking tip?
A: Don't overthink dessert. Think about seasonal, ripe fruit and your favorite cheeses. Many times, it's the perfect end to a meal.
Q: Favorite kitchen tool?
A: Vegetable peeler.
Q: Do you have tips for getting picky kids to eat?
A: Let your kids have choices; let them eat with their fingers. The food should be colorful and beautiful. It should also be simple. Kids don't need complicated dishes. They should also eat what their parents eat.
Q: If you haven't shopped in a week and need to prepare a quick family meal, what do you make?
A: We make pasta carbonara, since we usually have the staples in our pantry. It's just some pasta, an egg, bacon, Parmesan cheese, and a bit of pepper.
Q: What's the ratio of home-cooked to takeout food in your house?
A: We generally cook at home four times a week. We also bring food home from our restaurant about three times a week, which is often like a home-cooked meal since it's all fresh.
Q: Do you have favorite food-related charity or cause?
A: We love to support our local farmers and purveyors. We are strong advocates of Marin Organic. It's an association of Marin County (just north of San Francisco) organic producers that are dedicated to improving farming practices and promoting local and sustainable agriculture.
