What was your first industry job?
My first job in any kitchen was as a KP in a small local restaurant in Toulouse whilst my university was closed. From then I was hooked.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
There isn’t anything I could feel more passionately than being in the kitchen, but if I had to choose then perhaps something in sport. I used to play a lot of sports when I was younger, particularly football and judo.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Without sounding too obvious, I of course have huge respect for Gordon Ramsay and all he has done for the industry. When you look at what he has built from starting out as a chef like us, it’s very very impressive.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
I must admit I have a couple of small pet hates, from running out of cloves when prepping the fish to not having an apron in the morning – anything that throws off routine or our well practiced timing.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
I cannot repeat it!
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Modern French cuisine.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
We fortunately don’t get very many bad reviews – but not too long ago we did have a couple say they didn’t like a single dish from either tasting menu!
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Make sure this is what you want, make sure you are understanding the sacrifice and then if you are ready, make the most of it while you are still full of energy.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A stove!
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
The soaked fruit from my signature rum punch.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting menu always if it’s fine dining, I like to discover and see all different flavours and techniques.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
I had the chance to eat at Core by Clare Smyth just before she got the third Michelin star. It was a stunning experience paired with perfectly skilled food, but more recently I’ve had great times at both of Claude Bosi’s restaurants: Bibendum and Brookland.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
I don’t really eat fast food, but on the odd occasion that I eat it with my children – it is a classic McDonald’s.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
I wouldn’t say I wish I’d thought of it, but the hunter chicken by Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal is stunning and I’d be super proud of it if it were mine.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Neither! But only because I don’t watch television.
What’s the most overrated food?
I would probably say truffle. I know lots of people love it, but personally I just don’t think it’s worth the value.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
I would ban any guests who come in wearing a tracksuit, I really dislike it.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
That’s easy – but it’s an epic dinner party! The first table would be Clare Smyth and Gordon, a second with Claude Bosi, Tom Kerridge and Sat Bains. On the next table table would be Frédéric Anton, Arnaud Doncklele, Eric Vildgaard and his wife, and finally a table for myself and Anne Sophie Pic.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Every Sunday for my entire childhood our family would have crêpes with Nutella.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram! I’ve never even been on Twitter!
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
I won’t go into details as my children may read this, but picture me as a teenager in Ibiza and you can guess the rest…
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
I love going to afrobeat clubs, where I can dance the night away.
What’s your tipple of choice?
I love any drink that has rum, but a classic rum punch is my true favourite.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
I have two dishes on my menu now which have been on for about two years: eel and caviar, and my chocolate dessert Plaisir Sucré. Both have a very special place in my heart as they were my first proper creations at Petrus.