Jesse and the Chefs

It was slow-and-go on North Beverly Drive on Sunday. Two policemen were directing traffic around a pile of hay bales, a gorgeous black Coriani-cross bull named Jesse and 22 personal chefs who work for celebrities. Reason: a photo shoot for a cookbook compiled by Christian Paier, founder of an organization of personal chefs in the U.S., Europe and Hong Kong and a private chef himself.

The chefs were good sports. They smiled for the camera, they lit up cigars (with a certain amount of giggling), and finally they threw their toques into the late afternoon sky--being careful to toss them to the rear, lest they startle Jesse. (Jesse’s owner, Diane’s Animal Farm, also owns Babe the pig, who has put on about 300 pounds since you last saw him.)