The Egg Whisperer

Inside the home kitchen of Dominique Crenn, executive chef at Luce.

What’s your ideal comfort dish?
My mother’s roast chicken with apples. Either that or her rabbit—we’d get a wild one from my father’s friend, the rabbit hunter, and my mother would braise it with Madeira wine, mushrooms, olives and prunes. Poor little bunny.

What do you listen to while you’re cooking at home?
I love jazz and blues. Right now, I’m obsessed with Amy Winehouse—she’s always in the CD player.

What’s the fanciest meal you’ve made at home?
Two years ago, for Thanksgiving, I made a Sonoma foie-gras torchon and olive-oil-poached lobster. Man, was it a lot of work—four days’ worth, in fact.

Is there anything you cook at home that has inspired a dish for the restaurant?
My mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. I like to mix the Old World with the New. Right now, I have a squid-ink carbonara on the menu, based on a dish my mom used to make a long time ago—without, of course, the squid ink and the two-hour thermal-bath-poached egg.

What ingredients should every cook have on hand?
I love a soft California goat’s cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, Normandy butter and a good olive oil like Laudemio. Oh, and Côte d’Or chocolate—I’m obsessed with chocolate.

Need a remedy for those nights when you’re feeling blue?
Just pour a glass of red wine and nibble on a piece of chocolate—trust me, your mood’s gonna change.

Crenn recommends...

De’Longhi Coffee Grinder $30; Macy’s, 170 O’Farrell St., 415-397-3333	Thermal Circulator by Polyscience (for sous-vide) $940; Le Sanctuaire, 315 Sutter St., Fifth Fl., 415-986-4216

What’s your ideal comfort dish?
My mother’s roast chicken with apples. Either that or her rabbit—we’d get a wild one from my father’s friend, the rabbit hunter, and my mother would braise it with Madeira wine, mushrooms, olives and prunes. Poor little bunny.

What do you listen to while you’re cooking at home?
I love jazz and blues. Right now, I’m obsessed with Amy Winehouse—she’s always in the CD player.

What’s the fanciest meal you’ve made at home?
Two years ago, for Thanksgiving, I made a Sonoma foie-gras torchon and olive-oil-poached lobster. Man, was it a lot of work—four days’ worth, in fact.

Is there anything you cook at home that has inspired a dish for the restaurant?
My mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. I like to mix the Old World with the New. Right now, I have a squid-ink carbonara on the menu, based on a dish my mom used to make a long time ago—without, of course, the squid ink and the two-hour thermal-bath-poached egg.

What ingredients should every cook have on hand?
I love a soft California goat’s cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, Normandy butter and a good olive oil like Laudemio. Oh, and Côte d’Or chocolate—I’m obsessed with chocolate.

Need a remedy for those nights when you’re feeling blue?
Just pour a glass of red wine and nibble on a piece of chocolate—trust me, your mood’s gonna change.

Crenn recommends...

De’Longhi Coffee Grinder $30; Macy’s, 170 O’Farrell St., 415-397-3333	Thermal Circulator by Polyscience (for sous-vide) $940; Le Sanctuaire, 315 Sutter St., Fifth Fl., 415-986-4216

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