Reader: This chef's arrogance is off-putting

Aaron Bennett, the exec chef of Boulder's Bácaro Venetian Taverna, is the focus of this week's Chef and Tell interview, and some of his comments already have readers simmering. The one that seems to be causing the most consternation? Bennett's list of pet peeves: "People who come into a restaurant...

By Patricia Calhoun

August 23, 2012

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Aaron Bennett, the exec chef of Boulder's Bácaro Venetian Taverna, is the focus of this week's Chef and Tell interview, and some of his comments already have readers simmering. The one that seems to be causing the most consternation? Bennett's list of pet peeves: "People who come into a restaurant five minutes before it closes, but mainly people who order a gorgeous piece of steak, salmon or tuna well done. That just kills me. They obviously have no idea what they're doing and don't care about what they're eating."

What do you have in the pipeline?

Says unBoulevardier:

There's a genuine humility that needs to be present in the service community. How I believe a steak, or tuna, or pork best served is irrelevant if that doesn't bring pleasure and satisfaction to the guest who is paying for it. The arrogance is off-putting.

Read the first half of the Aaron Bennett Chef and Tell interview here, and come back later this morning for the second installment.

Follow @CafeWestword

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

Follow:

Facebook: patricia.calhoun.927