Chefs in Showbiz

By Ratha Tep

For her role as a chef in the film No Reservations, out in July, Catherine Zeta-Jones trained under real chef Michael White, formerly at Fiamma in New York City. Here, White’s lessons:

Sautéing "Use a towel to hold the handle of the pan; it gives you more stability."

Sassing "Use your palms—not your fingers—to pass a plate, so you don’t leave prints."

Plating "Drizzle olive oil on a plate with an espresso spoon. For adding a touch of balsamic vinegar, use an eyedropper."

Published March 2007