Monthly Archives: May 2010

What makes a memorable meal?

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Hello to everyone, today, I’d like to talk about what makes a memorable meal.

I’m sure that everyone has, in the confinement of their mind, an unforgettable eating experience, but what are the reasons behind it?

Well, we all have unique ways to characterize a good time, a lot of us would say that the quality of the food plays a major role into defining it, the setting in which that lunch or diner took place, may it be a fancy restaurant that bled your wallet dry or a simple shop by the side of the road serving authentic fare.

In my case, I believe that a perfect meal is a combination of many things; location is one of them, ambience is mandatory, reasonably good food and being french, a more than decent good wine.

I will tell you about one of my most memorable meal experience:

I was 14 years old, my father and I, along with a group of friends, decided to go for an off track ski day; Lecheron in the Vanoise natural reserve. A 5 hours adventure that took us from 3000 metres to the bottom of the valley, perfect scenery, no pollution, no tourists, just nature and us… After a few hours of going downhill, it was time for lunch. So there we were, perched on a narrow ridge, facing the beautiful sunny alps, having the most basic of meals, a picnic. Fresh baguette from the morning that the baker brought with him, a nice tomme de savoie: beautiful cheese made from cow milk, smelly but tastes like heaven, and the best salted pork belly that I’ve ever eaten, all that washed down with  a delightful Apremont.

 We were in a state of bliss, tired but being rejuvenated by a selection of local product. What was so perfect about this meal you’ll ask me , beside the view? let me tell you. Being surrounded by loved ones, good friends in a unique setting, eating unbelievable products and laughing our heads off, thanks to the wine. THAT was a perfect meal !! To this day, that memory is as crisp as the air we were breathing and I still haven’t found a salted pork wich tasted that good. 

So, what makes your perfect meal? Mine is a combination of simple things: Family, friends, happiness, setting, ambience and great products, treated the right way.

Food is memory, try it, I’m sure your most precious moments in life are taking place, somehow, around food.

Culinary yours

Le francais French Dining, a love story.

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Dear readers,

after giving you most of the review about le francais french dining, I will be telling you about the story behind it. A love Story.

It all started in December 2003, an old acquaintance from the french embassy time, got in touch with me and asked me to open a french restaurant for him. My dream came true!!!

To sum it up, it was a great experience, I was in charge from start to finish; from design to operation. It took us 4 months to find the right location, renovate and set up the restaurant. It was Hellishly great !!!

I learned so much during that time and slept little only, but it was worth it. For example, the day of the soft opening, my partners decided to test me… as we were supposed to fill up the restaurant, the same way it should be done during a service situation, with at least 5 to 10 minutes between tables, they decided to call up everyone and tell them to come all at the same time !!!! What a Brilliant idea….

They were all having a la carte, all 50 of them !!! It was a nightmare, for the kitchen and for the service but, after 5 gruesome hours, everyone was fed, watered and happy.

the test you’ll tell me? I never compromised my quality, we were in the weeds, but it was good; running, sweating, burned, angry and swearing like a french man, but it was good!!! After that chaos, my partners came to see me and congratulate me for passing their test, silly test ! But from that day, I knew that I could do anything, even better under pressure, giving up is not an option. But one thing will always be true in this business; never compromise the quality, never lower your standards and make the customer happy, whatever it takes.

Well, this was the beginning of a great story, one that will unravel step by step within this blog. So stay tuned for more and in the mean time, here are a few pics of Le Francais for you to enjoy.

culinary yours

A slice of Saudi Life

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Few weeks ago, I went with some friends and colleagues to eat a traditional Saudi meal. It was a nice little restaurant, very typical… Open stable-like booth, pillow and carpets, with a view on a manicured garden. It was a unique experience !!

We sat down, on the floor of course, and Ludovic proceeded to order an array of food, enough to feed 10 persons. Beside the usual Arabic dishes like hummous, baba ganoush, moutabal and so on; there was a few dishes that I can even pronounce, but they were nice. A good blend between spiced up (not spicy) and mellow, hot and fresh. I wasn’t blown away by the food, but the ambience and also the fact that we were on the floor, made it for a good lunch, I even had the chance to eat camel for the first time and let me tell you, it’s not bad, just a bit tough.

In the center, assortment of roasted meat, including camel, and around selection of traditional fare, rice in many ways and stew like dishes

What we longed for the most was a fresh glass of wine or even a beer !! But no such luck in Riyadh !!

Then after the meal, a feeling of laziness fell on us, full stomach, hard-working days, the combination would have been perfect for a nap if it wasn’t for  the fact that we had to keep going with our working day.

I also had the opportunity to check out a place where they make the traditional lamb karouf, a whole roasted Naimi lamb, local bread, with a strange ball of fat on their butt. Saudis are really crazy about that dish, they would queue for hours to get the chance to eat their lamb, specially from that place, CABRITO. Hundreds and hundreds of lamb and chicken roasted per days, see for yourself.

Well, now you too have a bit of knowledge about Saudi food culture, not that you might come anytime soon, but we never know.
 
culinary yours

Reviews From Beyond 2

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I found Them !!!! here are the other reviews from Le Francais French Dining. These were my Kuala Lumpur times.

luckily I managed to salvage them from an old CD. So as promised, here they are.

Le Prestige-Jan 2006

FLAVOURS SEPT-OCT 2005

The Star-16 July 2005

SPOTLIGHT-NOV 2005

News Straight Time -19 june 2005

NEWTIDE-DEC 2005

NEWMAN OCT 2005

Malaysia’s best restaurants 2006

MALAY MAIL-15 July 2005

Living Taste NOV-DEC 2005

ADSVANTAGE AUGUST 2005

Culinary yours

Entering the realm of the unknown.

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A few month ago, thanks to a fellow French customer, I had to immerse my self into pastry making, that thing that makes most of the chef shake. Don’t get me wrong, I can do pretty decent pastries, but mostly what we call restaurant pastry, plated desserts; but there, was a challenge that I couldn’t turn down… The piece montee and the macaroons pyramid !!! 

I know the theory behind the making of both, but never actually made them, so here I was, in front of the marble, trying to figure out the best way to approach these 2 beasts. After an hour or so, I finally decided to start and here are the result pictures. 

piece montee for a christening...in Riyadh !!!!

 It took me 3 hours, 250 choux, 1 kg of caramel and a few 180 C burns !!! but who cares? Not me. And also a great thank you to Ludovic for teaching me the glace royale deco.

  

The second piece was the macaroons pyramid, not like Laduree for sure, got room for improvement, obviously, but the customer was happy. 

Pierre Herme, here I come !!! ok, not just yet...

 Well, it was fun, had a great time challenging myself, learnt new things, things that will bring me closer to better satisfy my customers.

Never dwell on what you know, always look for what you don’t.

Culinary yours

Let’s talk about Passion

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What drives us to spend long hours in the heat and the stress? the grease and the sweat?

Call it work ethic, professionalism or love of food, I believe it all comes down to passion and the pleasure to please people, all wrapped up in the love and respect of products, the most important being, having a good time while doing it. 

Lots of us, chefs, know that but a few of us have it or kept it. This job can at times be very demanding, but only one thing makes our day: seeing a guest leaving with a smile on its face, thanking you for a wonderful meal. That, keeps us alive and kicking, nothing more rewarding than that !

But where does that passion come from? Well, it’s different for all of us, some are “born in a kitchen”, following a legacy; some are choosing this path for the lack of options in their life, but do not look down on them for if they have the will they will amaze you; and for others like me, who are not from food and beverage lineage, we get into it because of love.

Since my young age, cooking was always a big part in our family, my father is a wonderful cook, whipping up a  great meal with nothing much, my grand father was the same. I can safely say that the love of good things in life runs in our veins, it’s genetic !

I remember, spending afternoon in the family kitchen, watching, tasting, smelling and to be fair,  disturbing a lot too, these were times of great pleasure that contributed to my making.

My earliest memory of real involvement in the world of professional cooking was at 8 or 9 years old, my father had a good friend who was a baker, his shop was down the street from our house and I asked if I could go and watch him work, I really wanted to help. So, there I go, one Sunday morning, walked down to the bakery and helped him to wash and cut strawberries, it was as simple as that and from then on, I knew that I wanted to cook for a living. The ambience in the kitchen was just so mesmerizing, being able to create such tasty and wonderful delights with the most simple of ingredients, it felt right!

Then, I can’t forget the most influential person, my grand father. I spent most of my holidays between the age of 5 and 14 at his place, a small town in Loire-Atlantique, St Brevin Les Pins. He was the one who taught me about good products, quality ingredients and respecting the raw material. There wasn’t a day without him cooking a meal from fresh ingredients, we would go to the farm and buy fresh chicken,  rabbit and eggs, to the fishmongers for the freshest dover soles and langoustines, there was no argument possible, quality was what matter the most.

I remember watching him making his beurre blanc, and listening to all of his advices on what to do in order to make it perfectly, avoiding the most common disater: the split.

Well, this is how some of us choose their career, I could even say that it was a calling for me…That started as a whisper in my hear.

French food promotion with Alain Soliveres from TAILLEVENT, Paris

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From left to right: Eric PROWALSKI, Alain SOLIVERES and Jerome DECONINCK

last March, I had the best week of my life, we received 2 Michelin star chef Alain SOLIVERES from Taillevent, Paris. It was a treat !!!! we spent 1 week, working like dogs, but it was so worth it !!!

Here are a few pics of what we did. Enjoy

Delicious mousseline cream filled canneloni with fresh raspberry and Basil ice cream

Citrus marinated seared salmon with fresh herbs salad and grapefruit espuma

Caviar Tartlet on a smoked salmon and dill royale, horseraddish cream

Cristalized Mango mousseline with coconut sherbet

A few creations

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As promised, here are a few of my creations. Made in Saudi Arabia, Spazio 77.

Enjoy