I think Music in the kitchen is essential. It makes it fun and it gives you a rhythm. Sometimes if I begin cooking without music I catch myself with a frown and aggressively moving around the kitchen- so some big tunes remind me to lighten up.
I have reservations about music whilst eating, if you are hosting a successful dinner party you shouldn't need music whilst you eat because conversation and atmosphere should already fill the room. Plus my mum never plays music, and obviously she's my oracle.
Having said that, I did recently play some John Coltrane in the kitchen whilst we were eating in the living room the other day and it wasn't imposing but then it got to the end of the album and suddenly everyone noticed and it broke a lovely atmosphere.
Here are my top cooking numbers/ albums:
Michael Jackson - The Essential
Incidentally the only album I can run to
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Only the best album of all time
Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood
With special mention to Tim my brother and Thailand '08
Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
Pete Ralph once sung this to me
Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah-Um or Blues & Roots
Sous Chef Jack Swain's reccomendation
Fat Freddys Drop - Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW
Just super cool
Supertramp - Crime of The Century
I once heard Joz Norris praising this album
Courtney Pine - Back in the Day
Hard Times is the best of this album
These are but a few to wet your appetite, all great tracks which will get you creative and having fun in the kitchen.
If you have Spotify you can search any of these OR find my Spotify profile (Chess Roberts) and peruse my music collection.
Chess X
