![Old typewriter on a wooden table](https://alanlake.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AdobeStock_341093345-1024x576.jpeg)
Transcribing recent interviews for the most powerful piece I’ve written for Home Cookin’- The Stories Behind The Food, my POV should be noted.
Storytellers relate anecdotes and recite tales and their narration makes the audience identify with scenarios and characters. Creativity, humor, timing and merciless editing (“killing your darlings”) are important skills to possess. AKA chronicler, fabulator, raconteur, griot, spinner of yarns or anecdotist.
A writer on the other hand is a person who writes or produces literary work or output and is able to instill complex thoughts into simple, clear language. AKA author, scribe, journalist, pen pusher and ink slinger.
Borrowing liberally between the two, I’m more the former than latter. It’s not like I went to school and spent years pursuing a degree in writing or literature (I didn’t).
But I’ve been full of shit forever and spouting stories about anything and everything my whole life.
Why when I do write its conversational in tone, like sitting on a couch talking. Tense means little, thesaurus’ a lot, and I couldn’t diagram a sentence to save my life.
But I can tell a story.
It started with lies. Where I lost my ring or how I got so much candy, and segued into nonfiction with the high school summer affair I had with my best friend and my next-door neighbor (and mother’s best friend) who was twice our age. 32 to our 16… One I nearly died by because of shifting bodies covering my nostrils (is death by three-way a thing?) just after hearing her immortal line “On the fur boys, I like it on the fur” whilst speaking of her faux bedspread with the tousled sexy gypsy woman oil painting hanging above, overseeing the action.
As life progressed so did the stories.
Dozens of articles 100’s of songs and 3 manuscripts later, I’m still that little bastard that claimed he went to law kindergarten by gleaning legal knowledge watching old cop shows.
Writing non-fiction is a way to tell interesting stories (to me at least) without the requirement of plotting story arcs or feeding a Greek chorus. The people I write about are common but special. Everyone has a story, it’s just up to you to find it. Listening is key, then gently guide as needed. I record everything and then transcribe it . We often speak out of sequence so when that happens, I go back and fill it in as warranted. Then I edit the shit out of it so it has the most meaning with the least amount of words.
Some find it abrupt. To me it’s succinct.
Less is more, and I do the same with music and food. I’m a groove player not a showoff. Playing for the tune- not to make you think I’m a great musician. With food, while I can use a tweezer with the best of them- the use of the best quality ingredients prepared more simply than I have in the past and stepping out of the way for them to shine through imbues my current style, and is all the same to me.
Chef/percussionist/writer/reprobate and lover of all things beautiful & delicious, Chef Alan Lake’s culinary career includes East Bank Club in Chicago; Sunset Marquis in W. Hollywood; Izakaya Hiwatta in Ichinomia Japan and legendary nightclub Purpur in Zurich, Switzerland. Working all around the world for over four decades, he's won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He’s the author of Home Cookin'- The Stories Behind The Food and The Garlic Manifesto- the history of garlic going back to 10,000-year-old Neolithic caves and contains facts, fiction, folklore, myths and legends (besides 100 recipes).
A lifelong musician that plays 70+ percussion instruments, he coined the term “Jazzfood” to describe his cooking style i.e. “solid technique coupled with tasteful improvisation.” He views his food as he does his music and writing and has been known to bust a pout if subpar in any way.
Absolutely LOVE this Alan, and can relate so keenly!
glad you like. thanks.
I hope we are all common but special. Love your style!
we’re more a like than not but the differences make us special