“Jeremiah Tower:” a Celebrity Chef Uncovered
By Skip Sheffield
Who is Jeremiah Tower?
I had no idea, but evidently he is a big-deal chef credited
with much of the New American cuisine.
“Jeremiah Tower” is a documentary by Lydia Tenaglia, who
previously directed “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.”
Anthony Bourdain I have heard of. I enjoy his globe-trotting
gastronomic adventures on PBS. Jeremiah Tower is quite reclusive by comparison.
“I have to stay away from human beings” he says early in the
film. After emerging as one of the first celebrity chefs in 1970s California,
he retreated from the public eye.
Part of the deal was Tower was a gay man, and sensitive
about that. He re-emerged in a most public place: New York City’s Tavern on the
Green in November of 2014. Tower was a notorious control freak. Tavern on the
Green is a huge operation and major tourist attraction.
Throughout the film major celebrity chefs give their
testimony on Tower, starting with Anthony Bourdain and including Mario Batali,
Martha Stewart and Samantha Talbot.
If you are a “foodie,” this movie will be of interest. If
you are not you may find Tower’s conflicted life story interesting. For this
weekend it is showing exclusively at FAU’s Living Room Theaters.
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