Just over a century ago, a diminutive French cake became shorthand for the deep ties between food and memory. Marcel Proust’s madeleine effect distilled a powerful—and universal—phenomenon: the ability of a single taste to bring us back to a moment lost to time. Because our senses are never more alert than when we’re on the move, we asked seven of our favorite chefs to recall a dish they ate abroad that continues to transport them to this day, alongside photography by Léon Prost.
Ignacio Mattos, Chef and Founder of Mattos Hospitality
“We try to visit my mother-in-law, Nevin, in Istanbul at least once a year. One night, we went into the city center to meet a friend of Laila [Gohar], my partner. On the walk home, we stopped at a casual chain restaurant serving stuffed mussels, Midye Dolması. It’s not the most picturesque setting—they cook the mussels in large batches, and they sit at room temperature—but they were possibly the best mussels I’ve ever had. If it’s not busy and the guy is feeling nice, he’ll open them for you. Otherwise, you remove half the shell and use it as a spoon for the rice, mussels, and spices. They are the most comforting and singular little jewels.”
Sunny Lee, Chef and Owner of Sunn’s
“In February 2017, I went to South Korea for the first time as an adult, hoping to connect with my Koreanness. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have visited when the warmest it gets is 28°F. I wandered around Seoul, fixated on finding ways to keep warm. One morning, I ventured into Gwangjang Sijang, a large open market full of ajummas squatting on plastic stools, peeling chestnuts and garlic, rolling kimbap. I dropped into a food stall for breakfast—a tray of dried mountain greens, mushrooms, and dried sweet potato stems, all marinated into various banchan. It felt like biting into the wildest of charcuteries. Now in the winter, I find myself craving doenjang-braised greens, cooked to oblivion with garlic and chili.”
Samah Dada, Chef and Founder of Dada Eats
“I was in Copenhagen, sitting at a spot called Seks. The chef told me I couldn’t leave until I tasted a new dish, which featured a secret ingredient that confounded every guest who tried it. I smiled at my mom across the table, who was visiting for one of my pop-ups. Challenge accepted. The chef placed a plate of ceviche on the table, dotted with juicy tomatoes, citrus, and herbs. I popped a big spoonful of the fish dish into my mouth and was delighted by a burst of sweetness, tang, and spice. It wasn’t fish, it was lychee. I knew the flavor immediately, like the voice of a dear, old friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. They’re my mom’s favorite—I remember peeling them with her growing up, just like she did as a child in India with her mom.”
Hannah Ziskin, Pastry Chef and Co-Owner of Quarter Sheets
“Before my partner Aaron [Lindell] and I decided to move back to Los Angeles after 12 years in the Bay Area, we went to Portugal for a month. We spent a week in a little apartment on the bluffs on the westernmost tip of Europe. On the last turn of the path— right before the ocean came into view—was a small shack built into the cliffside, where an army of teenagers (and one sun-baked patriarch) prepared cork oak–grilled sardines, whole chickens, and french fries. That’s it. The chicken was grilled to perfection—crispy, seasoned skin, juicy and super flavorful. The sardines were served in all their bone-in, head-on glory, and tasted like the ocean.”
Giovanni Cervantes, Chef and Co-Owner of Taqueria Ramírez and Carnitas Ramírez
“My last solo trip was to Cadaqués, Spain. Whenever I’m in a coastal town, I never miss the seafood—shrimp especially. I’ve been in love with shrimp since I can remember. I’m fascinated by its structure, color, and that clean scent of salt and shells. During my last night in town, I had nothing to do and wandered aimlessly until a narrow street pulled me in. At the end was a small place, La Sirena. I got a glass of wine, opened the menu, and PUMM! Carpaccio de Gambas. The dish completely changed how I felt about my trip. The simple but exotic presentation—the poetry of a few carefully selected ingredients on a plate—made me fall in love with shrimp all over again.”
Fabián Von Hauske, Chef and Co-Owner of Bar Contra, Wildair, and the Henson
“The first time I went to London, I had just started cooking. My parents had met there, and they wanted to show me around—it was a touristy walk down their memory lane. The one thing I asked them was if we could go to St. John. They had no idea what they were getting into. We arrived at this white cube of a place with no music and a really small, weird menu. I was immediately in heaven. I knew what I wanted: deviled kidneys on toast. I wasn’t so much into offal, but it just sounded delicious to me. To this day, I can’t stop thinking about that dish. It changed my way of cooking: From then on, I just wanted to make everything simpler.”
Victoria Blamey, Former Executive Chef of Blanca
“Nothing evokes more warmth, nostalgia, and admiration for me than the moments I shared with my great-great-aunt, Filomena, in Chile. Out of all the amazing dishes she would prepare, my favorite was her salad of tomatoes and green beans. On a summer day, she would leave her apartment, walk to the local market, and talk to her people. Farmers loved her. They would shout, ‘Señora Filomena! ¡Aqui!’ Back at her apartment, she would cut the green beans into strips then blanch them until nice and soft—none of the crunchy bullshit I’ve learned in fancy restaurants. Then she’d peel and slice gigantic, ripe tomatoes. With juice running down her hands, she’d layer the slices in a beautiful ring, scatter the beans on top, then dress them with Greek olive oil, salt, and lemon juice to bring out the sweet and grassy flavor. I can never replicate it, but it is stuck in my memory forever.”
in your life?
