Remember Marco Pierre White?

In an interview withTODAY (Dec.1), he showed his admiration for local food, choosing our chicken rice over "tepid" Michelin restaurant meals.

Now, on another interview with Channel NewsAsia on Dec. 7, there are two things the straight-talking chef talked about regarding local cuisine:

1. He thinks that the skills of a Chinese or Cantonese chef are under-appreciated.

This is because their wok skills, are -- both figuratively and literally -- lit.

2. He believes that more hawkers should be awarded Michelin stars, so long as experienced food critics feel that it is worthy of a star.

Not another one, or two, but even 20, if need be.

White addressed interviewer Genevieve Loh's question of subjectivity, as he felt that it actually makes her -- by extension, some of us -- the perfect judges.

MPW : Let me ask you a simple question : Are there another 10 hawkers who cook food as well?

GL: I believe so. 

MPW: Then there should be 10 hawker with Michelin stars. Because you can't just give it to one. If you believe - because you've been to lots of hawkers, yes? If there's 10 or 20 more hawkers who deliver food as good as that, then they should be given a star. Michelin has done all of them a disservice by not giving all of them a star.

GL: Isn't that subjective? For me it's nostalgia, I grew up with this sort of hawkers?

MPW: Then you're the perfect person to judge.

Many netizens agreed with his sentiments :

But there were some who felt that staying low-key was not that bad.

Whatever it is, we can agree that if we invite him to dinner, it would be simple  --  he'd certainly prefer your homely Cantonese restaurant anytime.

Top image via

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