010451 Top Chefs Divulge What Whets Their AppetitesApril 22, 2001New York - When it comes to our appetites, which one reigns supreme, food or sex? S-E-X (33%) rules, according to the Relais & Chateaux Chef Survey. Foie gras and fine wine tied for second at 22%. Relais & Chateaux, a group of charming, privately owned hotels and gourmet restaurants, asked 50 of their North American member chefs about the art of cooking. Here's what's on the minds of some of the most recognized chefs worldwide including Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin), Charlie Palmer (Aureole), Jean- Georges Vongerichten (Jean Georges) and Thomas Keller (The French Laundry). Only eight percent surveyed regularly cook at least three to five meals weekly in their own kitchen; 42% cook once a week while 14% never do. Eighty- seven percent of chefs surveyed report working 10-15 hours a day. Topping the menu of chefs' favorite junk food: pizza (34%) and take-out Chinese (23%). Cheese and chocolate (24%) tied for the foods Relais & Chateaux chefs are most likely to binge on, followed closely by ice cream (19%). Move over garlic and lemon juice (8%), and also butter (5%); it's a pinch of salt, say 68% of chefs, that can make any food taste better. Truffles, the ingredient cited by 16% of chefs as the one that they couldn't live without, edged out 50-100 year-old balsamic vinegar and olive oil (14% each). Looks like the producers of Survivor got it right! Rice is the one food that (31%) chefs would take if stranded in the Australian outback, followed by bread (25%) and pasta (14%). More than twice as many chefs (39%) polled prefer to eat fish and wild game (18%) over beef (14%). What's more, 69% of chefs raised their glasses for red wine over champagne (11%) and white wine (8%) as their beverage of choice. For which career would Relais & Chateaux chefs trade in their toques? The majority (18%) chose musician. Tied for second were career choices in business or sports (at 15%).
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