KEY POINTS:
It's been a good week for Josh Emett.
The New Zealander is chef de cuisine of Gordon Ramsay at The London, Ramsay's new venture in New York, which has just snared two Michelin stars despite only being open since last November.
"Getting three stars after four, five,
six years is an achievement... so this is really amazing," he says.
Emett, a "Waikato farmboy" who has been wowing critics with his cooking for the past few years and has worked at a number of Gordon Ramsay restaurants since 2000, says the secret to his success is determination and a commitment to perfection.
"We copped a lot of criticism when we first started out, but we've been extremely happy for the last six to seven months with the quality and consistency of the food," he says.
Widely regarded as the most influential culinary rating in the world, Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants based on dining experiences by professional inspectors.
One star denotes "a very good restaurant in its category", two stars: "excellent cooking, worth a detour" and the ultimate three-star rating signifies "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".
Emett is no stranger to Michelin star success. London restaurant The Savoy Grill was awarded a star just eight months after it re-opened in 2003, with Emett in the role of head chef.
But ask him why he thinks his menus have so impressed the inspectors and he again mentions the basics: quality, consistency and a pride in what's being presented.
"That's something I absolutely hammer in to the staff day-in, day-out. There's no point being fantastic one day if you can't maintain it."
Running a restaurant in New York after seven years in the UK had its own set of challenges, Emett says, though he admits it helped having the experience he gained working at Ramsay's restaurants on the other side of the Atlantic.
"Obviously in London and England you're using the same products but from different areas and suppliers," he says.
"Getting to know the suppliers can take years and it also takes time to develop and build up consistency."
Tailoring menus to the specific tastes of New York diners also presented a challenge, but it was one Emett was more than happy to face.
"Lunchwise [New Yorkers] don't drink much at all, whereas in England boozy lunches are huge. They happen all the time.
"New Yorkers are a lot more salad oriented but they eat anything really. They'll eat rabbit and pigeon and whatever we've got on the menu, even if it hasn't really been done before."
But if his menus are challenging New York palates, the locals don't appear to mind.
In a second success for Emett this week, Gordon Ramsay at The London was named Top Newcomer and fourth-best restaurant in the Hotel Dining category of the popular Zagat survey, which is voted for by members of the public.
"We're getting fantastic feedback from diners," he admits. "We're having a great week."
As well as designing the menu for Gordon Ramsay at The London, Emett oversees MAZE (which took third place in the Zagat survey's Top Newcomer category) and The London Bar, two other venues within the same building.
But it was his seven-course Menu Prestige, created for Gordon Ramsay at The London, that drew particular praise from the Michelin inspectors.
"You'll find yourself sampling everything from velvety foie gras and striped bass with caviar veloute to a fluffy apricot souffle," the Michelin Guide 2008 says.
Emett is understandably pleased they enjoyed his taster menu: "The idea (of a Menu Prestige) is about delivering a statement about what you do; seven to eight courses, a few of your signature dishes. Generally, it's about showcasing you."
After seven years in the Gordon Ramsay fold, Emett has nothing but praise for his employer, best known by many for his volatile TV persona on shows such as Hell's Kitchen and The F Word.
"Gordon is very passionate about what he does... he's a very inspiring guy. We don't harass our staff but we're firm with them."
Emett says he has managed to maintain a good working relationship with Ramsay because they share a passion and energy for cooking, as well as a desire to always be the best.
"There's no shortcuts in this profession," he concludes.
