Why do some restaurants refuse to offer salt, while others push the pepper mill?
British actor Richard E Grant recently admitted that he carries with him everywhere a small satchel of salt.
Advertisement
On a podcast called Dish, the Oscar-nominated actor said he has his little drawstring bag of Maldon sea salt flakes just in case the restaurant he dines at does not offer sodium chloride as a condiment.
'Because, to be honest, I think the biggest arrogance is when you go into a restaurant and they don't have salt and pepper,' explained the star of Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Saltburn and Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker.
I've heard of people carrying hot sauce – ahem, Beyoncé – but not their own salt.
Is it ego that drives some chefs to believe their food is perfectly seasoned to every diner's taste? Photo: Shutterstock
Some restaurants, very likely higher-end, chef-driven vehicles, eschew offering salt and pepper. Certain big-ego cooks feel what they've prepared is perfectly seasoned already and any additional flavouring would ruin the dish, and implicitly insult the culinary creator.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Trump calls to probe Kamala Harris' celebrity endorsements from Beyoncé, Oprah during election
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he would launch a 'major investigation' into his 2024 election rival Kamala Harris over celebrities who backed her failed run for the White House. Advertisement 'Candidates aren't allowed to pay for ENDORSEMENTS, which is what Kamala did, under the guise of paying for entertainment,' he posted on social media. 'I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter.' Harris sought to harness star power from celebrities such as Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey in the election race. Oprah Winfrey appears during a campaign rally for Kamala Harris in November 2024 in Philadelphia. Photo: AP Winfrey defended a US$1 million payment to her production company from the Harris campaign to covers costs associated with the talk show legend hosting the presidential candidate. Advertisement Harris's team, meanwhile, denied rumours that she paid pop megastar Beyoncé US$10 million to appear at a rally.
RTHK
18-05-2025
- RTHK
Elton John condemns UK's AI copyright plans
Elton John condemns UK's AI copyright plans Pop music legend Elton John accuses the British government's AI copyright relaxation plan of "committing theft". File photo: Reuters Pop music legend Elton John on Sunday accused the British government of "committing theft" by proposing that tech firms could train artificial intelligence models on the UK's music and creative output without guaranteeing proper recompense. Creative industries globally are grappling with the legal and ethical implications of AI models that can produce their own work after being trained on existing material. Britain, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to become an AI superpower, has proposed relaxing copyright laws to allow AI developers to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access. The proposal would require creators to proactively opt out to stop their work being used. The biggest names in the industry, including John, Paul McCartney, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ed Sheeran and others, have urged the government to change course. They have said the proposal will make it even harder for young people to make a living in the creative industries. John described the government as 'absolute losers' and warned it was on course to – in his words – 'rob young people of their legacy and their income'. "The danger is for young artists, they haven't got the resources to keep checking or fight big tech," John told the BBC. "It's criminal and I feel incredibly betrayed." "A machine ... doesn't have a soul, doesn't have a heart, it doesn't have human feeling, it doesn't have passion. Human beings, when they create something, are doing it ... to bring pleasure to lots of people," he said. John has sold more than 300 million records over a six-decade career. For its part, the government says it is seeking a solution that will enable creative industries and AI companies to flourish. (Reuters) It said on Sunday it was consulting on measures, would publish an assessment on the economic impact of any move, and will not sign off on anything unless it is "completely satisfied they work for creators".
RTHK
14-05-2025
- RTHK
'Kramer vs Kramer' director Robert Benton dies aged 92
'Kramer vs Kramer' director Robert Benton dies aged 92 Benton was also known for the 1984 film "Places in the Heart". File photo: AFP Robert Benton, the Oscar-winning writer and director of "Kramer vs Kramer," has died in his US home, his representative said on Tuesday. He was 92. Benton was also known for the 1984 film "Places in the Heart" and had extensive writing and directing credits for influential movies throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The New York Times reported Benton died on Sunday. Hillary Bibicoff from the law firm Feig Finkel, which represented him, confirmed his death to AFP. Benton co-wrote Arthur Penn's groundbreaking crime thriller "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) -- starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty -- with David Newman. But he is probably best known for his script and direction on "Kramer vs Kramer," the 1979 film that offered an unflinching look at divorce and became one of the most awarded films of its time. It picked up nine Oscar nominations, and brought home five -- Benton's Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, Best Supporting Actress for Meryl Streep and the year's grand prize of Best Picture. He and Newman co-wrote Peter Bogdanovich's "What's Up, Doc?," which was released in 1972, the same year that Benton made his directorial debut with "Bad Company." In 1978, Benton teamed up again with Newman and Newman's wife Leslie to write the screenplay for "Superman" (1978) starring Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando and Margot Kidder. Despite coaxing Oscar-winning performances out of a host of 20th century legends of the silver screen, Benton was known in Hollywood as a self-effacing director. "There are directors who can get great performances out of actors. I am not one of them," the filmmaker once said. Appearing at a fan event in Hollywood in 2018, he remained modest about his stellar career. "I have found actors -- through luck, through the judgment of casting directors or through my own instinct -- that are extraordinarily good," he told the crowd. "There's a thing you've just got to gamble with, and when you see it and it works, it's brilliant." Asked how he got some of Tinseltown's biggest stars to perform for him, he deadpanned: "I tried not to get in their way... that's not so easy." The Times reported Benton is survived by his son, John. His wife of six decades, Sallie, died in 2023. (AFP)
