Doc pays due homage to chef Jacques Pépin
Revered icon takes the stage with colleagues at KQED’s world premiere at the Castro Theatre
The thunderous standing ovation Jacques Pépin received last week from a jam-packed audience at the Castro Theatre served as yet another reminder of just how adored he is here in the Bay Area. Now 81 and still going strong, he remains a godlike figure among foodies.
Pépin was in San Francisco for the world premiere of an upcoming PBS “American Masters” documentary called “Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft” — a wonderful film that recalls his upbringing in France, his bold move to America and his rise to celebrity status as a television chef who elevated kitchen techniques to an art form.
It was a big night for both Pépin and KQED. The local public television station, of course, was the chef’s TV home for many years — producing 11 of his shows. And “The Art of Craft” is KQED’s first “American Masters” contribution — produced and directed by Peter L. Stein.
The amiable Pépin shook a lot of hands and posed for selfies during a VIP reception before the screening, never once failing to smile. Afterward, he joined Stein and moderator Kelly Corrigan for a discussion about his life and the film, during which he expressed astonishment at the abundance of archival material Stein and his crew had managed to track down. (A phone message from Julia Child?!).
“The Art of Craft” emphasizes what many of us already know: During an era when the kitchen was a place of drudgery for many Americans, he helped to make being a chef cool. “Jacques Pépin really was the first person to land on the American scene and say technique matters, craft matters,” says journalist Fareed Zakari, one of the many Pépin fans quoted in the film.
But there are also plenty of things in that came as revelations. Who knew, for example, that Pépin is an amazing painter? And here’s a big one: We almost lost him during the early 1970s when he was involved in an incredibly gruesome car accident. (The footage of his mangled car made jaws drop).
Thankfully, we still have Pépin around to celebrate and to remind us that we need to savor the good things in life (It was certainly no surprise that he, Stein and Corrigan enjoyed a bottle of wine on stage between all the banter).
Stein pointed out that the film illustrates the important and inventive contributions of an immigrant amid a political environment that marginalizes those coming here from foreign shores. He also emphasized that “The Art of Craft” is not only the story of one man, but of “a culture in development.” We’ll raise a toast to that. Narrated by Stanley Tucci, “Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft” premieres nationally on PBS at 9 p.m. May 26. It will be paired with an encore presentation of the “American Masters” documentary on Alice Waters.