A Quick Cooking Lesson from Today's Birthday Boy, Chef Eric Ripert

If anyone knows how to pan-sear fish to perfection, it’s Eric Ripert, chef of New York City’s Le Bernardin. Food & Wine magazine calls him a “seafood genius,” and if you watch his Cooking Channel show “Avec Eric,” you can learn from the master himself. He travels around the globe, and then returns to his home kitchen inspired by far-off places.

In the video above, from the premiere of the third season, Ripert shows viewers how to pan-sear striped bass in homage to Australia’s Northern Territory. Ripert also makes a green papaya salad with raw carrots, red onion, and cilantro to provide a mattress for the fish, along with a gingery orange juice sauce. Watch and learn as a Michelin-starred chef demonstrates the proper techniques for brunoise and julienne cuts. You’ll also learn what “aff” and “feesh” translate to (“half” and “fish”) thanks to Ripert’s still-strong French accent. Oui, chef!

Also: Happy 50th birthday, chef! May your day be full of love and tasty feesh.

Episode 2 of the third season of Avec Eric airs Saturday, March 7, at 9:30am EST/8:30am CST on the Cooking Channel.