Emanuel Ax
What Emanuel Ax Can’t Live Without
From New York Magazine (The Strategist)
By Emanuel Ax as told to Michael Zhao
If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hair spray or an electric toothbrush. We asked pianist Emanuel Ax — whose new podcast, “Classical Music Happy Hour” debuted this week — about the suit, iPad Pro, and chocolate he can’t live without.
The chili crisp he uses to make his favorite noodles
Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chile Crisp $18
My wife and I are big fans of Chinese food and Sichuan cold noodles are my favorite dish. When we were attending Juilliard, which is where we met, there was an Empire Szechuan restaurant every two blocks in Manhattan and we used to go there all the time to eat these noodles. We still eat out in Chinatown or sometimes Queens, but I also make the noodles at home using Shorty Tang’s recipe. I use this chili crisp that my wife buys at the Upper West Side H-Mart.
His go-to suit for performances since 1991
Brooks Brothers Classic Fit Wool 1818 Suit $1,498
Yuja Wang and myself are like the alpha and omega of concert pianists, when it comes to clothing. She’s worn designs from every famous designer, and I wear the same thing at every performance. I bought this black suit at Brooks Brothers in 1991, and it’s the same suit I’ve been wearing ever since. I bought it right off the rack and only had the sleeves shortened and the pants cuffed. I only wear it for concerts, change out of it right away, and dry clean it as needed. I’ve had to have the lining redone once, but other than that, no repairs have been needed. Maybe it’s made of chainmail! I’m afraid to change anything now because it’s become a good luck thing. People might say, “Well, how wonderful it is that you can still fit into the same suit so many years later.” Sadly, that is only because I’ve always been fat.
The chocolate-covered wafers he’s not supposed to have
Kit Kat Candy Bar, Milk-Chocolate-Covered Crisp Wafers, 1.5-Ounce Bar (Pack of 36) $34
I have to confess that I really like Kit Kats. I know I’m not supposed to have them — according to my mirror and scale, not my doctor — but I love the combination of chocolate and wafer. The crispy inside is hard to resist, even though I am trying. I also like the German Ritter Sport Waffel for the same reason, but that can be hard to find here.