NANCY SILVERTON OF SAN QUARANTINE BECOMES FIRST CHEF IN AMERICA TO WIN A MICHELIN STAR IN LOCKDOWN

When, on March 30, Nancy Silverton tested positive for Covid and was sentenced to lockdown at the infamous San Quarantine maximum security facility in Los Angeles, her cooking skills shut down with her.

For days, Silverton, easily one of the most beloved chefs in America, had to rely on the cooking skills of her cellie, Michael Krikorian, whose culinary resume exists entirely of being a sous chef at the Carl’s Jr on South Van Ness Avenue in the early 70s. Though confined mainly to an area once known as the Ruth Couch and now renamed Covid Corner, Silverton would issue commands that brought to mind the strict kitchens of Escoffier and Point. The words “idiot” and “stupid’ spewed from her mouth like ‘59 Dom Perignon in happier times.

So, defying orders, Nancy worked her way back to the kitchen. Though her fist meals showed some past dabs of glory, they had a sadness about them, kind of like Jerry Rice dropping a pass. or Mantle limping back to the dugout after striking out. She lacked the vibrato she once oozed

But, then. a shoulder of lamb was braised and it was obvious. the comeback of Nancy Silverton had begun.

Saturday, a prime porterhouse from Jim Cascone’s Huntington Meats in the Farmer’s Market was set on a grill. The sound, the smell. the seasoning, the taste of the meat. the excitement was back. The return had arrived full force.

By evening. word had leaked and food writers from Jenn Harris of the Los Angeles Times and Jeff Gordinier from Esquire were trying to get a Zoom reservation. Soon the critics from Gault-Millau and Michelin were calling. Michelin, wanting to be first awarded her a star, the first Lockdown awarded San Quarantine a Michelin star.

It turns out. at a high level of criticism, you don’t have to actually taste the food to rate it. Hearing a “Damn, that looks delicious” - viewed 2,851 miles away bu Ruth Reichl is way more valued than a bunch of stars or a glowing review from most critics.

Then Sunday night, Nancy roasted black cod with a tomato jam made with Chris Bianco canned Di Napoli tomatoes, Ligurian olives, garlic, fennel powder, wild oregano and served it with Armenian Labne mint yogurt/cheese.

As we ate, Turner Movie Classics played “The Hustler” on the TV. Paul Newman plays the role of Fast Eddie Felson. He shoots pool magnificently, but he has a downfall. In the end, though, Fast Eddie is back to being great.

So is Nancy