Alice Waters reveals she never cared about making money while building her legendary restaurant Chez Panisse.
The episode begins with hosts Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg introducing Alice Waters as a James Beard award-winning chef, restaurateur, and activist. Waters grew up in New Jersey with parents who maintained a victory garden, giving her early exposure to seasonal eating. A study abroad program in France during her early 20s sparked her passion for food. After returning, she worked as a Montessori teacher and hosted dinner parties, which led to opening Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1971. The restaurant began with no formal training, relying on friends and family for funding, including her parents mortgaging their house. Waters later bought the building for $27,000. She discusses nearly closing due to debt but emphasizes she never prioritized profit. A key innovation was hiring two chefs for each role to allow staff to have family time and travel. Waters founded the Edible Schoolyard Project to teach children gardening and cooking. She appears in Netflix's Chef's Table season focusing on legendary chefs. The interview includes a lightning round where Waters recommends the La Rousse Gastronomy cookbook and advises parents to connect children with gardens. She describes herself as a 'really good cook' rather than a chef, highlighting her tasting skills over technical pastry work. Waters argues that changing food procurement at institutions like the University of California could transform agriculture globally. She recalls her mother saying Waters lived the life she wanted, which moved her deeply. The episode ends with Waters suggesting her farmer, Ross, as a future guest.
