Iconoclasts: Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alice Waters

By JULIETTE ROSSANT The premise of Iconoclasts, the fascinating documentary series running on the Sundance Channel and now in its second season, is that interesting things happen when two creative people who admire each other, get together to discuss each other's work. Season 2 features an interesting pair of iconoclasts: dancer Mikhail Barishnikov and chef Alice Waters on November 2 (Thursday) at 9:00 P.M. ET. The exchange between Mikhail and Alice brings out essential issues involved in cuisine today. Is Cooking an Art, as Dance is an Art? Does Cooking make for interesting performance, as Dance does? The documentary emphasizes important work both of them have done and are doing in their current projects. Alice visits Mikhail in New York, where he has opened the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) in Hell's Kitchen. Then Mikhail visits Alice in Berkeley, where he is on tour with a troup from the BAC, looks at her Edible School Yard, and dines with his troup at Chez Panisse. There is something inherently disquieting about the relationship between Mikhail Barishnikov and Alice Waters. They have known each other for 30 years: he eats at her restaurant and is treated a like a celebrity. Alice admits that she only allows him cigars and buys him vodka. She admires his craft. However, it is not clear that he sees her equally as a visionary or that he appreciates her organic vegetables, sustainable agriculture, and committment to public schools. Their projects are vastly different. Alice spends a lot of time describing her mission -- to spread the word about sustainable farming, organics, and eating seasonally. What the documentary reveals, however, is that Alice's mission is not about the Art of Food. Alice's Edible Schoolyard is for children who know nothing about real food, while Mikhail's BAC is a mission (or non-mission) about fostering art, comraderie, and mentoring among different kinds of artists. Baryshnikov is concerned with Art: he isn't concerned with behavior. He isn't going into inner city schools nor reaching out to under-priveledged kids who have never seen ballet. In a telling moment, about a third into the documentary, Mikhail and Alice are talking about what they both do. Barishnikov turns to Alice and asks the question that all journalists ask celebrity chefs Mikhail: Who is cooking? Who is behind the stove? I am sure your patrons say, where is Alice? "Is she here?" "Oh no, she is in France." "She is with Prince Charlies," or "She is in New York." Alice: I have a huge desire to cook again. I started cooking because I like to cook. Somehow I've gotten myself into this place where I have to step up to the plate, if you will. I have to speak, to public speak, and it isn't something I had any intention to do. Mikhail: You are a missionary. You are spreading... ... I am not -- I am not at all. I am doing very small things, which please me personally and which will help a couple of other people -- that's fine. This thing [BAC], hopefully people will appreciate the effort and do the same in other places. But by no means is it a mission or goal. God forbid! Further, the non-missionary, Russian-born Mikhail comes off as more articulate, more interesting, and more idolized by his students (who are older and have worked hard to get to BAC) than the missionary, New Jersey-born Alice. Certainly, Dance is more suited for Film or Television than Cooking. The dance that Baryshnikov's troop presents on tour, and eventually in Berkeley is about film. Mikhail dances with a projection of himself at age 17 dancing. Glimpses of the performance are tantilizing. It's plenty of reward for having to then listen to Alice try to expand on her ideas at the Edible Schoolyard. In response to her self-explanations, Baryshnikov replies, " I hate to explain what I do, because it's impossible!... It's about action. It's about philosophy." Cooking is, in a sense, about action, too. You grow, you buy or sell, you cook, you serve, and you eat. Alice is committed to all these steps. Still, what Baryshnikov means is that dance is about performance, which is what he is focused on. Though Cooking can be about performance as well (witness food shows like Top Chef 2 or Throwdown with Bobby Flay), Alice's concerns are about Politics: the place food has in people's lives. The profound difference between Cooking and Dance, between her desire to show that they are the same and his belief that they are not, is revealed in a toast Alice gives to Mikhail and his dancers at Chez Panisse. Perhaps she is a bit tipsy, but please leave a comment (below) with your interpretation of her logic. And do watch the show. And don't miss the scene at the chicken coop. Previous articles: Tom Colicchio: Top Chef 2 Alice Waters on E. Coli Spinach Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Food Culture USA Alice Waters: Ms. Smith Goes To Washington Slow Food Thanksgiving, by Alice Waters and Prince Charles Politics, Billboards & Champagne [Food Television - complete] [Chefs & Politics - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to superchefblog