Tattoos Of The Philly Chefs

Fun fact: Eric Ripert of New York’s legendary Le Bernadin and Philly’s 10 Arts has a fleur-de-lys tattoo on his shoulder:


Unbearably suave and handsome in a chiseled, French sort of way, Ripert just opened his first Philadelphia spot, 10 Arts, at the Ritz Carlton.

He’s best known as the acclaimed, 3-star Michelin chef at New York’s Le Bernardin, with more casual eateries in the Caymans and Washington D.C. And at 43, he just got his first tattoo.

“I never really thought of it,” said Ripert. “I have never been necessarily interested in having one. But I was in New Orleans and saw some beautiful tattoos on one of Emeril Lagasse’s cooks. We went for lunch, he knew a very good tattoo parlor, Electric Ladyland, and I thought, why not?”

Ripert decided to get a fleur-de-lys, the symbol of both New Orleans and France, inked on his shoulder. “It’s not about the Saints football team. The fleur de lys represents royalty in France, and enlightenment. It’s also a flower that grows in the spring under the snow, and suddenly sees the light. I liked that idea.”

Now that it’s a done deal, Ripert wishes he’d gone bigger. “I’m thinking of having another one,” said the chef. “Maybe a lotus flower - also a symbol of enlightenment. It’s a flower that grows in muddy water, then one day just reaches to the light.”

We learned this in a fun little Daily News piece on the tattoos of Philly chefs. Al Anderson of Johnny Brenda’s is profiled, as is Mark McKinney of Cantina Los Caballitos/Royal Tavern, Matt Davis of Global Dish Caterers, John Strain of Valanni and David Konkyk of Zocalo.

A few months back, we wrote about a DC-area chef’s pork-themed tattoo. Do you have a food/dining-related tattoo of your own? Let us know.

Food isn’t local chefs’ only art [DN]

[Photo: via PDN]

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Tattoos Of The Philly Chefs