Every night the world’s cooks subject themselves to the heat and pressure of the professional kitchen. We wanted to turn up the pressure on them in a different way, subjecting them to our rapid-fire interview about cars, food, and pop culture. In this episode we talk with acclaimed chef William Bradley, who at his restaurant Addison in the Fairmont Grand Del Mar is cooking elegant modern French cuisine with Southern California ingredients.
What do you think of Yelp and Yelpers?
I think it’s unfortunate…that they exist.
What was your first car?
Oh, this is a good one. I had a 1964-and-a-half black convertible Mustang that I wish I still had.
Biggest pet peeve?
Clutter.
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A blueberry-banana smoothie. I just really like them a lot.
Biggest mistake you see home cooks make?
They don’t season—they’re scared of salt.
Who did you idolize as a kid?
Diego Armando Maradona.
Chunky or smooth peanut butter?
Smooth.
NBA or NFL?
Neither.
Mountains or beaches?
Both. I think that’s what we get here in Southern California, we have that variety. Here we have the beach and then the mountains are right there, so I’m lucky because I like them both.
What’s one place you haven’t traveled where you’d really like to go?
Japan. I love the culture, I love their approach to cuisine as well. I’d love to see the food scene there.
Waffles or pancakes?
Pancakes.
Die Hard or Lethal Weapon?
Lethal Weapon.
Ferrari or Lamborghini?
Ferrari.
Coffee or tea?
Tea. Ceremonial grade green matcha tea every morning. Has to be ceremonial grade.
Your drink of choice?
Water.
Your alcoholic drink of choice?
Cab.
What music do you listen to while getting ready for service?
I don’t listen to music before service. There’s a lot else going on, we’re not a music-driven kitchen.
If you could cook a meal for anyone living or dead, who would it be? And what would you cook?
My mother. Whatever she’d like.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?
A designer. I like design, like designing haute couture. I’ve always been fascinated by that. I think it’s very similar to chefs. They’re given materials to create something that’s seasonally driven and I like that—I always have.
Culinary Masters
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