Meet the Judges

In a crowded culinary media landscape, Chris stands out for making sophisticated techniques accessible and home-cook-friendly. Fans love his buttoned-up demeanor and endearing witticisms. (Our favorite: “Shallots are what onions wish they could be.”) Beyond the kitchen, Chris has an appetite for life that we at Booktique find truly inspiring. Here, he reflects on his experience as a Booktique Awards Judge and what his heart hungers for.

Of all the books you judged, which one really spoke to you and why? Dolce Vita. Trust me when I say I did everything I could not to rank this book at #1. There is something trite about a big glossy book dedicated to big glossy photos of beautiful Italian settings and people. Yet there I was thumbing through it, drawn in to each photo and the timelessness and scale of each scene. The photographs kept me guessing when it came to when exactly they were shot. Such is the enduring power of classic Italian style. This book does such a good job of transporting you elsewhere and of inspiring delight.

Was there a specific book that surprised you or sparked new creative connections? Every coffee table book invites casual perusal, but the best of them often contain an Aha! moment where you learn something new. Sometimes that comes in the form of recognizing the work they depict, giving context to what had up until that point been more of a fleeting impression. The Art of Ruth E. Carter had many of those moments. I was familiar with her work in Black Panther, but it connected so many dots through films I hadn't thought about for years, like Do The Right Thing, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and Bamboozled. It revealed a through-line to those and other films that I wasn't aware of.

Speaking of A-ha! moments, did you experience any with regard to your work or professional life? Interacting with these books, especially given the fact that their subject areas didn't necessarily fall in line with my own interests, made me question how to bring more permanence to my work in media. I love the audacity of a book, that once printed it will sit there, immutable, for years. The internet—where most of my own work lives—is the antithesis of that, and it makes me consider how I could be more intentional about calling attention to the work that, in my own mind at least, has stood the test of time and proven its value. [Chris, we have a suggestion: Publish a cookbook!]

What’s on your coffee table right now, book or otherwise? Books about gardens, and beautiful shelter magazines! I have Native Plants of the Northeast by Donald Leopold, New Wild Garden by Ian Hodgson, and then stacks of British Elle Decor and Livingetc. When I was younger, I think I was so much more aspirational about changing myself (I am mainly talking about buying expensive jeans here...) but now I think about changes I could make to my house and garden, and about the spaces I want to surround myself with.

What’s a topic you’ve been wanting to learn more about lately? I am always wanting to learn more about wine! The connection between wine and place is so tangible. I dream of having a little plot of land that can grow outstanding grapes that I can vinify in my garage. Living in the Northeast, I should frankly pick a different dream. But the heart (and stomach?!) wants what it wants. 

If you had to choose...

Words or pictures? Pictures. Matte or glossy? Matte. Serif or sans? Sans. Probably Futura. Brights or greige? Greige. Marble or terrazzo? Marble. Music or silence? Quiet music! Sweet or savory? Savory. Coffee or cocktails? That we might live in a world in which this was a choice any of us would have to make is too much to bear. Movie theater or museum? Movie theater. Tulips or Bird of Paradise? Tulips. Grand Canyon or Central Park? Grand Canyon. Order or chaos? Order!