From the pristine state-of-the-art facilities at the M Resort, my next stop was in Philadelphia, as baker-in-chief for the great Georges Perrier. His restaurant, Le Bec-Fin, was one of the very top dining destinations in the country, but true to French form, the facilities were cramped, crowded, noisy, and hot. Perrier didn’t turn out great food because of his kitchen, but in spite of it. My workroom was almost too hot for making bread, and I was forced to chill my water in the refrigerator. The water was chlorinated to boot, so I had to leave it standing overnight to allow the chlorine gas to escape. (Chlorine interferes with the ability of the dough to ferment—a tip worth remembering if your water is chlorinated.) Because of the heat in the bread kitchen, I had no choice but to ferment my dough (a process commonly known as proofing) in the refrigerator.
