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French Chef NO 1- Part Two
(authors note : Part One could give you some food for food thought.)
There is a third, rare, and unusual way to claim the GFC toque. The French call it : “autodidact.” Ok – it does sound like the name of a newly discovered dinosaur – but it means, simply : “book learning.” No tugging at Granny’s apron strings. No familial culinary passion. No famous chef Daddy. Just untold hours of recipie reading. And who knows how many flat soufflés.
And when, after countless years of solitary apprenticing, you’ve finally lifted yourself up by your saucepan – you get to raise money! So you can mortgage your soul for your dream. And thrill to the propect of losing money for a least the first five years. As you toil twenty four/seven. Constantly aware that one bad review could reduce your dream to the consistency of your first soufflé.
If I had a toque, dear reader, I would, with admiration, take it off. Saluting all the GFC’s who have done it “by the book.”
Since I began this ramble by asking : “Who is the greatest French chef?” – I will now, bien sur, give you my answer. His name is : Jean Luc Maurice. And although He derived inspiration from his retired chef Father, Jean Luc made it under his own steam. The apprenticeship way. England. Japan. France. Toiling for, and with, the GFC’s.
Constantly learning, increasing, and perfecting his talent. Until, finally, He was able to open his own restaurant.He lost his shirt. Shady business partner! No loan from Daddy. Jean Luc hit the bricks. Raised the cash. Before He was thirty , Jean Luc owned two bistros in Paris. (Hey, I told you these guys were dynamic!) Eventually, He sold two. But to the current chefs. His friends, and former associates.
However, as all the clients knew Jean Luc, He celebrated the sale with a private “regulars only” party – On the house! A six course plus meal. With every variety of alcohol imaginable. Two, four tier dessert trolleys groaning with goodies. All orchestrated by Jean Luc. Alternately behind the stove, and bouncing from table to table. A block party! And, to pile appreciation on appreciation – Jean Luc personally presented each client with a gift, relative to their specific interests.
Part Three – Next Time
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
French Chef No 1 – Part One
Who’s the greatest French chef ? Depends on your terms of reference, dunnit? Your definition of “great.” The extent of your experience with GFC’s. And, of course, ultimately, it’s all subjective. Who’s the greatest French chef –for you? The personalities of the GFC’s I’ve met, come in more flavours than Summer ice cream. They are, to a Man, (rarely a Woman) dynamic, “can do”, individuals. Basically, “Type A” personalities on speed.
Most of the GFC’s to whom the adjective “great” can be applied, base their cuisine on the cooking of their Grandmothers.(“Cuisine Grandmere”)
While not all future culinary superstars at age seven were tugging at Granny’s aprons strings demanding :“Hey, Gran……..why did you whisk the cream in at the last minute?” – Most were raised in an atmosphere of respect for the products of the land. And it’s associated history and traditions. They understood, from childhood, that the preparation of food, was an act of love. A celebration of the gift’s of the land. A serious, but joyous responsibility that required equal amounts of attention and imagination.
Before I met him, one of the GFC’s was described to Me thusly : “He used to be a very great chef. Now He is a very great businessman.” Too true! Not only the too upholstered restaurant, festooned with photos of the GFC bear–hugging movie stars, politicians and corporate criminals – but – a cote – a turn of the century bistro. For those jonesin’ for some faux Belle Epoque ambience.
A few doors down, the GFC boutique. Exclusive retailer of autographed aprons, chef’s hats, knives, sheets, pillow cases, tee-shirts, stemware, mugs, and all else GFC.
Outside the village, a massive heli-pad equipped Chateau assures the GFC will not have to turn down any convention business.
The extent to which Mr. GFC grasped the gospel of marketing, is evidenced by his firm “no” to my request to film in in his video-monitor strewn office. He smiled smugly.“Eats not part of ze dream.”
This GFC did learn his sauce-making at Granny’s knee. And, He’s the fifth generation to man the stove. Inevitably, his son will be number six. For those chef wannabes who were not dropped by the stork into the silver saucepan of culinary royalty, There’s another road to GFC-dom.
It’s the same road you follow to become a carpenter, a brick layer, or a sorcier. You apprentice! You willingly, eagerly submit to excessive hours of verbal/physical torture, usually in plus tropical heat, for minimum wage. Eyes fixed firmly on the prize. For as long as it takes. Perhaps this is the reason there are so few Women in the GFC club? As the logical inheritors of Granny’s gifts, should We not expect more female GFC’s?
There is an association of Female chefs in France. Separate and distinct from the all gender “Cuisiniers du France.” Having chowed down at more than a few restaurants with a woman behind the stove, I’ve found them, their cuisine, ambience and service, consistently exceptional.
Part Two – Next Time.
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
French Stays
French Travel Finds. Exceptional French Places To Stay. French Country Travel Life Guide. French Country Travel Life Expert. French Travel life Advisor. French Travel Life Tipster. French words and phrases that all relate to? Yes, clever you, yours unruly, the Bicycle Gourmet
While I have been called almost all of the above (and other names that are not re-printable in a journal as sensitive and discreet as this one) the “odd man out” here is obviously: French Travel Finds.
Those three words describe perfectly what I’ve been sharing with y’all for countless scribbles, photos and videos. But those same Exceptional French Places to Stay that often gave birth to the memorable meetings with incredible people stories, photos and videos, have, until now, remained in DA BG’s personal rolodex.
But – no more! The rolodex of rave resorts, French Chateaus, French Small Hotels, French B n’ b’s, French Gites – has been opened! And it’s contents lovingly poured into my soon-to-be-in-your-hands forthcoming tome – Bicycle Gourmet’s French Travel Finds – Exceptional French Places to stay.
In French Travel Finds by the Bicycle Gourmet you will discover more than forty destinations, brimming over with authentic slices of French Country Travel Life hospitality. And genuine French Culture, bien sur.
You will also, notice, and I hope appreciate, those Exceptional French Places to Stay are described in the unedited prose of their owners. With their own unedited images.
But wait – just because French Travel Finds is a marvy French Travel Guidebook doesn’t mean for an instant that I will not be continuing to regale, amuse and(hopefully) delight you with more of my up close n’ personal collisions with French Country Life. NoSir/M’am!
Bicycle Gourmet’s “More Than a Year in Provence” series will continue. With Book Two arriving sooner than you could possibly imagine.
So if you be a dyed-in-da-wine Francophile (like you know who) now is the time to add Bicycle Gourmet’s French Travel Finds –Exceptional French Places to Stay – to your “to do” list.
Throw Me a Bone Here, People!
What are ya thinkin’?
