Chang Vs. White: An Artist's Take
Last year, The Daily Meal published its first ever March Madness Food Fight, an NCAA-style competition featuring chefs and personalities divided into four brackets: TV personalities, restaurateurs, chefs, and food media. In the end, there were two big food personalities who squared off, chef Thomas Keller and chef-turned-food TV personality Anthony Bourdain. Ultimately, Bourdain won, his victory decided by The Daily Meal's readers who voted him the 2011 champion. But there were some fantastic match-ups in some of the earlier rounds, for instance chef Grant Achatz vs. chef Charlie Trotter, former New York Times critics Frank Bruni and Sam Sifton, Jean-Georges vs. Mario Batali, and Bobby Flay vs. Giada. But one early matchup between chefs Michael White and David Chang seemed particularly fantastic, one that tempted the imagination of New York City artist Michael Marsicano to portray it.
The result, an ink drawing done on heavy bond paper that was colored and textured in Photoshop, "Chang V White," was a blast. It was a great matchup of talented New York City-based chefs with expanding empires and ambitions that would have been worthy of a pay-per-view Iron Chef-style competition. In The Daily Meal's face-off, chef Chang's virtual victory over White was explained thusly: "David's more pugnacious."
In his food fight, artist Michael Marsicano depicted a large Michael White nimbly flinging fish, lobster, prawns, octopus, lobsters, and uni at a smaller David Chang over his shoulder like ninja stars, while the Momofuku master stood on White's back slyly preparing to spank him with a whole hog (click to purchase). You could almost picture the piece appearing in chef Chang's own McSweeney's-published Lucky Peach magazine.
With March Madness nearing, and a new food fight full of similar chef and food personality match-ups on the horizon, it was time to check in with artist Michael Marsicano to find out more about his inspiration for the print, and which other chefs he thought might be fun to imagine facing off.
All that is just a fancy way of saying "illustrator for hire." Actually, I use the term "embellished realities" because I tend to dramatize aspects of everyday life in my work.
What inspired the piece?
The Daily Meal is a favorite food site of mine. I had some down time in between jobs so I did this just for fun.
Why did you choose to illustrate this particular second-round face-off?
I loved the idea of bracketing the heavy hitters in the business. Really brilliant. When it got down to the Sweet Sixteen, Michael White was pitted against David Chang. I was fresh off of my first and only trip to the incredible Marea. And since I'm a fan of pretty much anything that David Chang does, the thought of those two battling was really funny.
What's your art training and background?
I received my B.F.A. from Ringling College of Art & Design and a couple of years ago got my MFA in illustration from School of Visual Arts.
Where are you from, and what are your favorite food(s) and chefs?
I grew up in a second-generation Italian household in Long Island, so over-portioned, heavy-handed food was all I ever knew and loved. My palate has become slightly more advanced, but I still love the classics. That's why I like the way Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi of Torrisi approach their menus, with thoughtful approaches to familiar dishes. Overall, I'm a pretty easy and appreciative diner. An experience has to be pretty bad for me to be turned off.
What's your interest/background with food? Are you also an enthusiastic seeker of embellished culinary realities?
All throughout college, I worked in restaurants in both the front and back of the house. But I still didn't really have any concept of good food. It wasn't until I moved to New York City eight years ago that I began to appreciate what food could or should be. I'm still a little wussy with some seafood dishes. My girlfriend is much more sophisticated than I so luckily she elevates my palate.
Did you think the right chef won that bracket and why?
David Chang is a tenacious sonuvab*tch. So I guess that's why he beat out White. But he got outclassed in the next round by Keller. In the end, I'm fine with Uncle Tony taking the trophy.
Which chef was more fun chef to draw?
Michael White. Great hair.
What would be the most epic chef/food personality face-off?
Marco Pierre White vs. Masaharu Morimoto. I like the idea of a pirate against an assassin.
Who would be the most fun chef to draw?
Tony Singh. He is such a cool looking dude. Also, Eric Ripert has this face that I bet would be tough to nail a likeness of.
What's your favorite restaurant?
Currently, I live in Hell's Kitchen, which is stuffed to the brim with restaurants. But if I had to big-up some local snick-snackery, I would say the tacos at Tehuitzingo and the dry rubs at Daisy May's. Pam Real Thai consistently kills it, and Medi on Ninth Avenue is fantastic. Also, the meze at Balkanika is ridiculous!
Arthur Bovino is the senior editor for The Daily Meal. Click here to follow Arthur on Twitter.