How Legendary Chef Eric Ripert Runs One of the World's Best Restaurants - Mise En Place

Chef Eric Ripert is not interested in making food for Instagram. Since joining Le Bernardin in 1991, the world-renowned chef has been solely focused on cooking dishes for the palate with the freshest ingredients possible. In fact, 90 percent of ingredients arrive on the morning of service. While the menu at the three-Michelin-starred French restaurant constantly evolves, seafood remains the highlight, with luxurious dishes featuring tuna, scallops, halibut, salmon, and Mediterranean sea bass.
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Credits:
Producer: Daniel Geneen
Directors: Daniel Geneen, Murilo Ferreira
Camera: Murilo Ferreira, Carla Francescutti
Editor: Lucy Morales Carlisle
Sound: Tim Perdoch
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Supervising Producer, Operations: Stefania Orrù
Supervising Producer, Development: Gabriella Lewis
Audience Engagement: Frances Dumlao
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For more episodes of 'Mise En Place', click here: trib.al/yMbuEJg
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[@sipanmenekse2034]

“Sous chef is a manager, saucier is an artist” sounds like a man who is reminiscing the simplicity of focusing on one station rather than a restaurant empire

[@joymcguire]

I will always feel bad for Eric - he found Tony Bourdain's body. :(

[@TheMatt559]

Gave me chills

[@cbruno12180]

The brigade in a professional kitchen is run like the military no joke every person has a duty and must complete it 100 at 100 percent of the time there is no room for constant errors!!

[@algorerhyth]

@@joymcguireHe had the pleasure of being his best friend. Lucky to have those memories on Video. But that is trauma. I didnt know he found Anthony. Maybe I forgot.

[@edkwon]

​@@joymcguirethat has to be so traumatizing in a way I cannot imagine

[@josephpalmer2903]

Man Chef Eric Ripert is 10/10. Speaks fluent English, Spanish, and French. Calls his customers clients. Carries himself as a leader but is very respectful to his team. And has developed what looks to be some delicious dishes that I would never be able to afford😂😂

[@nicolaibrowinkel3473]

Agree entirely.

[@NoName-hy2cq]

i am one of his 'clients'. i eat there so often eric gave me his number and i just call him when i want a table.

[@thekenmarty]

@@NoName-hy2cq Me when I lie

[@DavidVRJ]

​@@NoName-hy2cqwhat's your favorite dish?

[@charliebros2455]

I agree with you but to be fair, in French we only have one word for customer and client which is "client" so that's maybe why

[@platonicdescartes]

Shoutouts to the team producing this, and especially Chef Ripert for giving them this amount of access. This is one of the best videos on KZbin to show you how a high level restaurant is actually run on a daily basis.

[@JuanGarcia-gl2lz]

I loved when Eric was going to say hi to the staff. He went to each individual and said hi and in native languages. Shows he has a respect and love for each one.

[@MrJayJamz]

And he knew all the names correctly, such a sign of respect

[@oskaretc]

to be fair, of course you're going to do that when the cameras are rolling

[@blackandyellowfreak8]

I love it when the head chef said they would adjust the seasonings themselves instead of confronting the chefs immediately. Being a chef is stressful enough, never mind at a 3 Michelin Star restaurant, sometimes minimal mistakes happen. Not to name names, but our generation was conditioned to think that chefs should be yelling and swearing in order to show that they care. Thank you Eater and Mise En Place for showing us that you can be at the top of your game in the culinary world without creating a hostile, frightful, and depressing work environment. Hopefully this inspires young chefs to follow suit

[@Galactic123]

Yep, not every chef treats their staff the way Marco Pierre White and in succession Gordon Ramsay does. There are many different managing styles that work for many different people. Eric Ripert's calm, teaching style has brought him to the pinnacle of the culinary world. He is revered without needing to be feared.

[@GreyMafiaHQ]

Ripert is also a practicing Buddhist. That likely informs his calm leadership style a lot.

[@sharptrader5821]

That was my favorite part of this video-so cool to see a supportive environment like that which is likely more productive anyway

[@j.p.jackman4848]

lol you realize this was all for show right? I have a friend who works here as a prep chef. Half of what you saw here was truth. It makes for good tv. Eric being a nice chef that treats his chef nicely? I had to laugh out loud at that. But carry on. 😂

[@blackandyellowfreak8]

@@j.p.jackman4848 Well this is a lie because judging from how unnecessarily arrogant your comment is, we can all tell you have no friends to begin with

[@JohnBrecko]

3 stars every year?! Since 2006?! I don't think people understand how hard that is. Incredible achievement!

[@ingetout]

You can also eat there for a 3 course lunch for $127 which is an absolute steal for a 3 star restaurant.

[@JohnBrecko]

@@ingetout I already checked out their menu. I want to go there so bad.

[@jessicaregina1956]

Every joel robuchon restaurant ever got 3 stars. He was basically the McDonald's of Michelin. U got the same dishes whether in las vegas or anywhere else.😂

[@amiran253]

It’s not that hard when they deliver sea bass to you like it’s a f*cling heart transplant

[@jessicaregina1956]

Really love when people keep saying achievement. Robuchon basically mastered stars, like i said, every restaurant he opened, 3 stars. Menu: copy paste

[@AdamX-nv3pb]

I am a chef. It is insanely difficult to get that many sauces highly consistent everyday, very very difficult job. Respect!

[@amiran253]

Highly consistent a what? He’s a joke, serves 5 pounds of food every day

[@prufer2488]

​@@amiran253Do you drink sauce as a meal?

[@Osteoporos1s]

@@amiran253spoken by someone who has never worked a job like this in their life and has no idea what they’re talking about

[@amiran253]

@@Osteoporos1s I’m gonna be the next Anthony Bourdain if I keep watching this devil

[@drdre4397]

​@@amiran253Sad 14 year old edge lord attempt.

[@ArielK1987]

Every time I see Mise En Place videos. It gives me even more appreciation for the hard working chefs and food suppliers everytime I go to a restaurant.

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

yes .. the time it takes to prep long before the diner service , the taste, presentation its worth the cost

[@JoshuaHoe]

Miss Anthony Bourdain No reservations and parts unknown shows with Eric Ripert 😭

[@AllenBoguslavsky]

Can't look at Chef Ripert without thinking of Tony. I am sure he gets that often too.

[@teoooo09]

Same man, they were such different personalities but had a friendship that just worked on a deeper level.

[@1998TDM]

@@teoooo09 I kinda thought Chef Ripert was a show pony until I watched him with Anthony Bourdain. His passion and knowledge poured out, with great charm and humility.

[@brownhues]

Tony is one of the only people who I never met that died in my lifetime that caused me profound grief and pain. Eric was a great friend to tony and I wish Eric had been able to convince Tony to keep going while they were together.

[@Mutiny960]

@@brownhues You can't convince anyone who even after all their hardwork, fame and fortune found that the person they loved the most in the world STILL didn't think they were good enough and cheated on them. That dumb 88888 needs to suffer for what she did to such a genuine person.

[@gregnatividad8345]

Hollywood should take note, this is how a professional kitchen looks and feel. Ambient noise, chefs working and chefs tasting.

[@bill-or-somthingbill4390]

didn't remove the "choke" wonder if it imparts flavor because usually its unpleasant to eat.

[@ianedwardmusic379]

Hollywood’s job is to appeal to the lowest common denominator. They know what they’re doing when they make kitchen settings a war zone.

[@jjokinen8420]

@@bill-or-somthingbill4390 I dont believe that the chokes have any flavor, just time saving to chop it like that. It gets strained through a chinoise so they dont end up in the final product anyway

[@Ami0b]

The joy on his face when the young chef checks for the temperature correctly is all you need to know

[@jakerson181]

This is a vivid demonstration of how you get and keep 3 Michelin stars. Chef Ripert is not slapping his name on 30 restaurants he rarely visits, he's there every day, making sure the standard of excellence is maintained and everything is perfect. I love how he emphasizes the need for reinvention when it would be much easier to just keep repeating the things that got you to where you are.

[@ouandello]

Hard agree. So many iconic restaurants spread out and become "Restaurant groups" and it dilutes the quality of the original restaurant. Or they get complacent, get stale and eventually close.

[@Neosoul_prima]

Agreed! This is how Thomas Keller, Masa, eleven Madison, and le bernadin have kept their stars! Jean-Georges, Daniel, Steven Starr, and danny Meyer all have wonderful 2 & 1 stars! However, if they really push to create something unique and reinvent the wheel, then they wouldn't need so many places! I worked for all of them, and my goal is to definitely work at a 3 star!

[@robin87z]

"Sous chef is a manager. Saucier is an artist." Love it.

[@redbarchetta8782]

Everything lives and dies by the sauce.

[@aperture24]

@@amiran253 in my opinion they are all artists!

[@amiran253]

@@aperture24 hmu )))))

[@joshuaprice7306]

Cant see Eric with thinking about Tony. Even worse is knowing that Eric found him. Long live the chefs. Cheers Chef! May your stars shine forever

[@syd2248]

Love the varied ages involved in the workings of this restaurant! Young ones learning from the experienced ones and appreciation for each other’s work all round. Love this dynamic.

[@ThatOnlyAsianGuy]

This is what being a mentor is. Teach, patience, and constructive criticism to his young chefs/cooks. Nothing personal but still hold his chefs/cooks accountable for everything that's being done.

[@BeJahnHobbies]

that golf analogy about sauce making was so accurate. never heard cooking compared to golf before but it's a great perspective

[@CitrusMind]

That’s how you become one of the best restaurants in NYC, stay humble and focus on what you love. Eater producers and staff did a great job, love this kind of videos.

[@donnynguyen5711]

Love how Chef Eric treats his staff with so much respect

[@ItzBwo]

About 14 years ago I won a competition at the CIA and was awarded a week stage at LB and it was truly the most remarkable experience in my culinary career. As time went by I decided to veer more towards the operations side of the industry but every time I was these types of videos, especially like this featuring Chef Eric and the LB team, i definitely start getting that feeling of slight regret I didn't decide to go back for a full time job rather than pursuing my bachelor's degree and such. This video was fantastic

[@brokenglassshimmerlikestar3407]

I'm not familiar with culinary acronyms so when I saw CIA I got stuck lol. For a minute I wondered why the Central Intelligence Agency had competitions for spies

[@cpcxgsr]

Not many customers will appreciate the entire kitchen that makes the meals that ends up in front of your face. It’s the owner that gets all the recognition (in this case, it’s Eric Ripert). When dining at chef owned restaurants, diners assume it’s the owner that designs the menu and comes up with all the recipes. Whereas, it’s the entire back of the house staff that does majority of the work. But the owner gets all the credit. So don’t feel bad about getting your BA in hospitality. In hindsight, it’s probably the best decision. Slaving away in the back or even as wait staff, all you get is a pat on the back for your services by the GM and etc.

[@jorb1903]

I take it LB stands for LiBya and you’re referring to post 1969 coup dé'tat surveillance of oil activities? What was the name of the award and how was your time in Libya?

[@eater]

Thanks for sharing your story!

[@tetsuo2195]

@@brokenglassshimmerlikestar3407 Culinary Institute of America and LB is Le Bernardin (I'm assuming)

[@EdwinKim-qt4ss]

i love that you can be at the top of the game , retaining three stars & are kind to your employees instead of being fueled from ego , rage & control . thank you eater & mise en place for showcasing such positive lights in our industry .

[@martikam.2175]

Eric is a true hero to me… his food is magnificent and his being even better.. a gentleman and a real human. I wish Anthony would still be with us because they were always so entertaining and a joy to watch Eric be so kind to the always angry but talented Anthony….

[@amiran253]

Let’s leave videos to Anthony for now

[@LuxusBro]

Big respect to the chef. Greeting the entire team and even communicating in spanish.

[@Kanye_Asada925]

One of the best Mise En Place I have seen in a while! Chef Eric is a legend and a visionary artisan when it comes to food.

[@SP-cp3qu]

like how the chef treats everyone with respect!

[@bullit4x]

Best one eater has put out to date. Outstanding video.

[@MsCanadianpie]

So much respect for Chef Eric. He is so calm and it shows in his kitchen and staff.

[@Taureanfitness]

This seems like such a professional and positive environment to work in. I love how Eric treats his employees with respect and dignity. And internal, they put out the most incredible food cinsistently.

[@Anolaana]

Even already at 12:00 I noticed it's so calm in there, without the dramatic music all you could hear was the noise of dishes and appliances. I'm glad to hear it's something Ripert pays attention to, keeping it steady and supportive!

[@carp6448]

I love Eric Ripert. Every time I see him I miss Anthony Bourdain a bit more. 😢

[@amiran253]

True, he even looks like him from behind

[@joshuachinn7570]

that Tuna Carpaccio is one of the most enjoyable dishes I've ever eaten, if not the absolute top.

[@bodyandsoulinconstanttrans9190]

Thx guys for another great free video! Best food program ever. !!!

[@eater]

Thanks for watching!

[@allie5]

I’m a paramedic and I think I’m under less pressure than the sauce bros there! The entire atmosphere in that kitchen looks outstanding. The leadership and collaboration between all levels is fantastic! Those young chefs are learning so so much every minute they are in that brigade!

[@LuigiL75]

As someone that has worked the line (Prep Chef) AND in the back of the Bus (EMT-B) the atmospheres are rather similar...fast paced/high levels of stress/people's lives are in your hands in both worlds and sooooo much cussing! 🤣 Oh...and BOOZE! 🙌🏾

[@amiran253]

Job you do is very important though

[@felipemorales4901]

You can definitely see the buddhism in rupert and the way the kitchen works.

[@CameronGuarino]

calls himself buddhist and serves foie gras? ok.

[@imperator31]

​French buddhist lmao

[@felipemorales4901]

If you didn’t know, being a buddhist doesn’t mean you have to be vegan or vegetarian. It’s more about a present state of mind and understanding. Read about it. Seems like you might need it.

[@CameronGuarino]

@@felipemorales4901 i’m perfectly aware that buddhism doesn’t require being a vegetarian, thanks. i mentioned foie gras specifically because of how cruel the production process is.

[@rightbro]

To bad he is misled

[@Atom15]

Best Eater video so far! Eric Rpiert is an inspiration and this shows a kitchen doesn't have to be loud to be world class.

[@OkieTradez]

i almost shed a tear when i realized how much effort and respect they put just into the sauces!

[@zymbotictoot]

What i love about this video, is how they give every position some love. Even the receiver. They understand the importance of teamwork !

[@SoulfulSmokie]

That was awesome… I love that the top Chef mentors his team. They will learn so much from him.

[@jstewlly4747]

The Saucier has so much passion about what he do I wish everyone was like that........do something you live and when you wrong do better don't quit

[@johnheaney6383]

Eric is the conductor of his symphony. He does not need to scream, shout or insult anyone. I do hope to experience Le Bernardin one day.

[@KN-op3et]

@14:00 Management and Buddhist philosophy in the kitchen -- keep it calm and positive (but still be firm when you need to be) and your workers will mirror that energy.

[@seane1984]

This is one of the best meals I've ever had. This is not a type of restaurant that I could normally afford. But my wife always gets a Michelin star gift card gift card for Christmas from her job and she asked specifically for this place and it blew me away. One of the best tasty menus I ever had

[@eloneatmyshorts]

This is how a successful restaurant is run. By artistry, professionalism, and respect from top down. No divas, no egomaniacal complexes. It starts with Ripert and it shows.

[@iChanging]

thats how eric is, he will not boast or like anyone that doesnt work hard and has a big mouth. its hard to work with anyone like that day to day. fights and drama happen and thats when the restaurant sinks and loses stars.

[@Rowan-mo4ko]

It's because they are actual professionals

[@tictocbang7443]

I went to a breakfast with Eric Ripert and he confessed to being a screamer in the kitchen, until he realized he was crushing his team’s potential. Impressive for him to acknowledge this and to change his leadership manner.

[@daveeatstheworld]

I love these types of content that show a large part of the inner workings of how a decades long restaurant, at the top of its game, ticks. Man, I'm feeling a bit sad watching Eric Ripert get old. The times where he and Anthony Bourdain would eat different things together used be my go-to to lighten my mood. What I love about Eric though, is that there is no ego between him and the food; only an artist with the utmost appreciation for his tools and his craft

[@hugowong9999]

I had the pleasure of dining at Le Berardin, my first Michelin restaurant. It is my favorite restaurant to date. Their sauces are super memorable, and the best dishes are the Dover sole and the tuna to the point it blows my mind. Everything is executed at the highest level, and some dishes (as Ripert stated) look simple, but I know there is so much work done in the background that most of us are unaware of. Sincere respect to chef Ripert and his team.

[@noyoung1647]

This guy seems like an absolute pleasure to work for. He could be the gateway for culinary students.

[@jjalvarez7073]

The work ambience is just so friendly. Very different from the places where I worked. Chefs were Savages.

[@jefffawcett]

That’s why the friendship between he and Tony was so unexpected. The episode where he had Eric work the grill in his restaurant, thinking it was going to throw him off being in that cramped loud sweatshop, was great. Eric cool,and not a speck on his whites

[@jamesmontis5033]

33 years at one restaurant is just remarkable. Eric Rupert is definitely a world class chef. I remember when he was interviewed about Bourdain and you could tell it really hit him deep.

[@DirtyHairy84]

Chef Ripert has always seemed like a genuine person in every interview I have ever seen him do. I would love to eat at his restaurant and even more so meet him. He truly epitomizes if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life.

[@zero-point3930]

The passion of everyone involved is amazing!

[@muaythaiying]

I can watch this kind of video all day

[@Grumptr0nix]

Eric Ripert is a true living legend. What an amazing video.

[@johnpeetube]

Had the privilege of eating there about 10 years ago, and I STILL think about that pounded tuna dish on a regular basis. So delicious.

[@bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1884]

It’s interesting how you can see the difference in atmosphere in LB compared to other 3 and 2 star places featured on this series the vibe in this kitchen feels so warm and old school probably because of how long it has been around it feels like a old grandma’s kitchen as opposed to the other kitchens that feel like a strict almost military school environment and yet even with that cozy feel they still pump out some of the best food in the world

[@danbernstein4694]

I had lunch there last week. Sublime ! Chef Ripert is a true genius of the kitchen

[@ifiknewthen13]

The ENTIRE team is to be commended on their dedication to this practice. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@MeZombeee]

It took me three rewatches to realize all their names are Eric/k LOL. Phenomenal staff, phenomenal vid!

[@bennettsmith3952]

this was so cool!!! Chef Eric is an absolute legend

[@workaccount1478]

This kitchen is a pleasure to watch. No anxiety. No bad vibes. Just a bunch of excellent staff working in harmony for results.

[@user-ej2zq5by1s]

Thank you for this magnificent video !!

[@CaribbeanLife101]

Wow, amazing. Not just Chefs, but artists.

[@Krnthug333]

Living legend. Bravo chef Ripert & Le Bernardin!

[@benedettomansueto4016]

Absolutely tremendous watching all these Artists and the food looks amazing so clean and precise

[@josephdilascio9352]

I am a tech guy and can barely scramble an egg, but my lord the dedication, talent, passion, strive for greatness just jumps off the screen with this. So cool.

[@MsDiver2000]

Great job, guys! Beautiful team and technique! Bravo!

[@CB-qb8hj]

RIP Tony. Excellent video. Thx!

[@nickhartanto8290]

Love this new series!

[@40950999]

This is the episode I’ve been waiting for.

[@DazzChannel]

My respect to Eric for continuing excellence. I will always remember Eric's appearance in Anthony Bourdain's shows. Great dynamic and true friends. Rip Anthony Bourdain.

[@wolfingitdown2047]

Eric Ripert is still so clearly in touch with reality, it is almost alarming, What an amazing Chef and person overall

[@CiaoBello21]

Those young sous chefs one day will start their own restaurants and food trucks one days and will be very successful 👏🏽

[@iancharless]

Eric is the chef of chefs. Unparalleled professionalism without much ego. That's hard to do. He's just the best. Would love to work under him for a couple years.

[@kurtisgillen7658]

This is so awesome to see. I became fan of Eric ever since I saw him with A. Bourdain.

[@Cletus_the_Elder]

Excellent direction and editing. I was planning on going straight to the money shots of plating and serving, but all the prep footage and voices of the staff were engaging bits.

[@BadLeoG]

best food show out there, love these

[@jackcameback]

Love his management as he speaks to each person in their native tongue - nice style - very personal

[@french0103]

Such a humble chef. Going on the journey with my team

[@rcmarcelo68]

Hola Eater! I would like to thank you for making such a great video. Everything is perfect in my humble opinion. Respect for people working on kitchens. What Eric mentioned about Saucier and being a Mentor is cool. Having 3 Michelin stars for such a long period is not by chance. Cheers from Buenos Aires (AR)

[@Hammerhead547]

He's 100% correct about how it's the simple things that are often the most difficult to execute perfectly.

[@angeltorivio6246]

Happy to see you doing your thing at Le Bernardin Alex🙂 You were destined to do big things🤟🏽

[@Jana-oj7zq]

About 30 years ago during a work trip, I had an opportunity to dine at a restaurant and see a show. The options were paired. There was a play I really wanted to see paired with a certain restaurant, but my colleague told me to go to the lesser show because it was paired with Le Bernadin. Such good advice - I’ve forgotten the show we saw, but I’ll never forget the meal at Le Bernadin.

[@ryanvoight2201]

The full chef tasting + wine pairing & caviar course at LB was the best meal of my life. Counting the days until I can make it back.

[@DavidSaintloth]

I haven't been there in almost 15 years but it was one of the best dinners I've ever had. Time to make another reservation.

[@satanicthumb83]

Been many times, I love this place!

[@wcarp4231]

Having dined at many 3 Michelin star restaurants I can totally relate to his comment about focusing on flavor vs. Instagram and all else. Ultimately, a dish needs to taste amazing and I appreciate that Chef Ripert is focused on substance over vanity.

[@theoneandonlysoslappy]

I was fascinated to see the head chef "calibrate" his taste buds with the cheese.

[@karohemd2426]

That was a new one to me but thinking about it, it makes sense that it works.

[@dpclerks09]

Palate fatigue is real. It can even happen to you when eating out with friends if you're sharing an array of dishes. This is where the art of the tasting menu comes into play. The sequence of dishes is very important. Chef David Kinch explains more of this in Mind of a Chef episode "25 Bites".

[@Gyuresssz]

Gotta love the sauce guys, so happy and relieved after the feedback session.

[@erinpickles]

Holy moly. Everyone next level. Perfection flow!

[@rtorresfernandez]

I ate at Le Bernardin a few months ago. What an experience! Thank you for showing us how it is behind the scenes.

[@AlexanderRabu]

Incredible, Bravo Chef

[@Hateweek1984]

Great episode...Chef Ripert ...is a true gentlemen ! Hats off to his team

[@adamg.manning6088]

This is a great piece of film-making, about a truly exceptional team.

[@SP-cp3qu]

like how the chef seems very nice to everyone!

[@PKLO9727]

Honestly, this video is great because of how cool everyone is and how great that kitchens environment is. Especially that head chef owner. Great restaurant and great video 👏

[@PWCDN]

outstanding video of outstanding chef and team.

[@juanliriano30]

This is the kind of mindset i love in a kitchen, prime stuff.

[@user-jb6iv5rk9b]

Absolutely fantastic.

[@ScotsmanInTheUSA]

The golf analogy by the young saucier. Out of Bounds!!!!!

[@AlanSmith88888]

Its crazy how many staff they have.

[@ptrschick]

Chef Ripert is by far my favorite chef.👍🏽😊