"[ Humans ] don ' t just survive ; they discover , they create .
I mean , just look at what they do with food !" – Remy
REMY ’ S WORLD :
In 2007 , Disney • Pixar released the film Ratatouille . In real life , no one wants a rat cooking their food , but somehow this film sweeps us into a magical reality where this is OK .
You see , what connects with all of us is that
Remy has our story . He wants more out of life . He has the skill and potential deep within him , but his life circumstances seem insurmountable .
I mean , he ’ s a rat who wants to be a chef — even our worst circumstances have better odds than that .
In the film , restaurant critic Anton Ego says in his final review : “ Last night , I experienced something new : an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source . To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement . They have rocked me to my core .”
This , my friends , is how we will move from talking about a rat who cooks to talking about us as we travel on our journey .
OUR WORLD : As I write these words , I ’ m sitting in
Menasha , Wisconsin , listening to thunderstorms . I ’ m about 10 minutes from where I grew up in Appleton , staying with my friends and their hilarious nineyear-old son .
This week , diving deep into the emotion of nostalgia , my friends and I have been on an epic quest for the perfect fried cheese curds . Seriously , we have tried them at every restaurant in which we find ourselves .
I tell you this because regardless of what people from Wisconsin might tell you , cheese curds are not fine dining . And we haven ’ t cared . It has been as much about the experience as it has been about fried , gooey bites of cheese .
With Walt Disney World , we pour ourselves into reviews , making sure we make the perfect Advanced Dining Reservation at the perfect restaurant so that our perfect trip can be ... perfect-er .
Don ’ t get me wrong . I love making dining reservations ; the restaurants are equal to the attractions in my heart . But I have found equal enjoyment in feasting on pulled pork at Flame Tree Barbecue and fancifully eating an expensive steak at Le Cellier .
Disney does food incredibly well . The magic extends to whatever is at the end of our forks when we dine at Walt Disney World . In the words of Remy : “ I mean , look at all they do with food !”
Each time I dine at Disney , I quite agree with Anton Ego in his final review : “ To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement .”
This is how it is . Chefs create because they love the thought of the moment the combination of flavors touch your taste buds . Explosions . Fireworks . Pixie dust .
And we love that experience because when we take a bite , our eyes widen and we connect with those who are with us . You . Me . And Food . What a beautiful creation . Even a rat can see that !
BY BRIAN MCCUMSEY
Remy topiary . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP