Marlow’s mise was set: rice noodles, thinly sliced carrots, fresh cilantro leaves, soy sauce, and fish sauce, two limes, and brown sugar. Wearing his trademark "Coolest Monster Ever" shirt, and standing on a stool in his Paris kitchen, the sous chef was ready to prepare lunch.
He began by pouring the soy sauce into a stainless steel bowl, then looked up to ask if that was enough: "Encore?" he said, in French, meaning "more."
"Oui," said the chef.
Then, he poured some more in, followed by the sugar—making sure to get every last crystal out of the ramekin, continually asking: "Encore? Encore?"
After being encouraged to do so, he then added a pinch of salt and began whisking the sauce. Next came the carrots, which he dumped in before grabbing a fistful to munch on. Finally, he added the noodles and, eventually, topped it all with fresh coriander.
"Fini," he said. Finished.
Not quite—but also not bad for a two-and-a-half-year-old….