The Love Tool: Brian Stein's Beloved Tongs
More Than a Marriage
Editor’s Note: I’m letting Chef Brian Stein extol about his tongs in his own words. Stein is currently Corporate Chef at Susie Q’s Artisan Foods and Stein Family Recipes, Inc, in. Paso Robles, California.
Tong Love
Ours is more than a marriage, we’ve been together for 30 years now. We are true partners!
Never did I imagine when my mentor Maria Rosa bestowed them upon me as I ventured off to the culinary academy, that those beloved tongs are still the one tool I can never be without in the kitchen.
My tongs are not only an extension of my hands but an extension of my heart and cooking soul. It’s all in the touch. I can turn the perfect steak, delicately nest al dente pasta, or toss a classic Caesar. Whether cooking at home for my family or performing exhibition cooking demos as a corporate chef, my tongs are still my number one “love tool.” We have created a lifetime of memories and epicurean delights together.
If only Chef Maria could see how far my tongs and I have gone…maybe she is smiling down at me from heaven now.
Knives will cut you, a spatula may “turn” on you…but, I know my tongs will always “hold” a special place in my heart!
Right on Chef Brian! Loved your story. It’s is obvious that cooking is more to you than just a job! You can “tong” me any time :)