I was watching the initial interviews for the contestants on the upcoming season of Top Chef, and I noticed that two of the women had significant tattoos on their chests. (See ‘em here and here). Rich played a little devil’s advocate with me on this topic, and I wanted to see what you guys thought.
I argued that possibly these women got inked up in their younger days and, even though they now have mainstream priorities for professional success, the tats are still an important part of their self-image. (Hence the refusal to cover them up.) But, last night, Keith (the authoritative expert on such things) tweeted that “tattoos, it seems, are the earrings of today.” Maybe there’s no need to cover up tats anymore! Maybe there is no stigma, only social cache.
On the other hand, maybe it’s just that the culinary arts are a field where it pays to be “edgy.” Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential certainly made restaurant kitchens sound like a pirate ship. Or maybe chefs are like editors – their appearance doesn’t matter because they work behind the scenes.
I know you guys are both connoisseurs of the television arts, if not Top Chef in particular, and have probably seen your share of celebrity/television chefs (not to mention tattoos!). What do you think? Tattoos for All? Tattoos for Chefs? (Ha, “tattoos for chefs” totally sounds like a hot new charity.)
P.S. I recently saw my first episode of Iron Chef. No one told me it was like American Gladiators with ovens!
Top Chef, Now With Chest Tattoos
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The original Iron Chef episodes were fantastic! I always enjoyed visiting Kitchen Stadium every week. Just yesterday I noted that the guy who took my order at Sarku Japan at the mall reminded me of a thinner Morimoto. I didn't say anything as I did not know if he would take it as a compliment.
Anyway, this wasn't the point of your post. I tend to follow your second line of thinking that Tatoos are definitley more OK in edgier generes such as the Arts, in which cooking definitley falls.
Contrary to Keith, I do not believe that Tatoos are the "Earings of today." In mainstream America, which I am not sure any of us in the conversation really falls, people with Tatoos are vulnerable to the same predjudices that they were years ago.
What is better these days is that there is definitley a more vocal subgroup that embraces this indivduality. Currently TV is also celebrating this individuality and I think that despite the fact that TV viewers are drawn to it, this does not mean it is a true reflection of their personal value systems.
Deep stuff for a Monday :)
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