Renowned chef and restaurateur Ben Ford is the executive chef and owner of Ford's Filling Station in Culver City as well as an outpost at the Los Angeles International Airport and a soon-to-be outpost at the J.W. Marriott L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. He worked at Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, and Campanile, in Los Angeles, before opening his own restaurant and is part of the American Chef Corps, which is a small network of chefs from across the United States who serve as Ambassadors to the Department of State. The father of two sons and a devoted family man, Ford is also committed to charitable events in the Los Angeles area and across the country, and he remains an active member of his local community.
Q: What are some of your childhood food memories?
A: Traveling to Japan when I was 12 really was where I lost my inhibitions surrounding food. It was amazing, and I experienced so many new foods and new flavors – I was on overload.
Q: You come from a creative family – how has that influenced your career?
A: There was freedom to explore in my family, and my parents had amazing friends: writers, musicians, all great conversationalists. To this day, I still try to surround myself with artists rather than just chefs. I can be the most creative.
Q: Why did you decide to write a book about big outdoor feasts?
A: It's something that could appeal to the person who loves to throw big parties, but also to the inquisitive type who's interested in this kind of cooking. I wanted to make it approachable, so each feast is scaled for the home cook; there's a "tamed" version of everything. It's a book reflective of where I am right now in my cooking style.
