Original subtitles

ROANNE STATION

- How are you? - Good. You?

- Yes.

- You got my message? Interested? - Yes, I'll take some, but...

- Maybe you grew some? - We sometimes buy some but...

I don't need it now but I'll take some.

Hey, guys. Wild watercress.

- Is it wild? - Yes.

When I saw it, I thought of you because it's...

- Nettles in flower? - No, garlic mustard.

Oh, garlic mustard. Yes, I remember.

It's a lot less garlicky.

Less garlicky than the wild garlic. It's good and it's in flower.

I remember you showed me in our garden.

- Can I take both bunches? - Yes.

You've got 4 fennel, 20 kohlrabi, 3 dill, 1 cauliflower, zucchini.

2 chives, 2 coriander, 1 endive, 14 white radishes.

- Yellow zucchini? - 3 yellow zucchini.

I don't even have 3 yellow zucchini.

Really?

Shall I look over there?

- Oyster mushrooms. - Yes, I saw.

Shall we get some?

Even better than last time.

Oyster mushrooms.

- Was the yellow one good last time? - We loved it. We cooked it whole.

- It held together? It didn't break up? - It shriveled up a bit but...

Then we fried it, it was delicious.

You can't eat the stalk. The stalk is too hard.

Maybe it was too hard because it was a bit big.

This one's amazing.

Look at that.

It looks like a squid.

They come in all shapes and sizes. It really depends.

There are three different sorts.

Shall we take this one?

It's amazing. It's like a sculpture.

- I think the stalks are a bit tough. - You can't eat them.

I picked it this morning at the last minute.

Do you want to weigh it?

- It's 1 kg. - 1 kg.

You've never tried them? Medlars are very nice.

No, I've never tried them.

Kiwis from Greece.

Three for €1.

What shall I get?

I think all I need is mint.

What amuse-bouches am I making? I have celery.

Parsley? I'll take a bunch of parsley. It looks great.

I'll take one bunch.

- Hi. - Salam alaykum.

Labess khouya.

There are new carrots.

No, I think I'm good.

- Did you get some mint? - No, no.

Beetroot?

I already got some. No, that's all.

That's all for now.

- How are you, Léo? - I'm good.

All good. Alright, I'm done, I think.

- Twelve bunches of mint. - How many?

Twelve. Put them here.

This is the best Moroccan mint here.

Wait, wait.

Your brother took it. Here, take this.

- And I'll take a lettuce, too. - Yep. What do I have?

I have two sorts of batavia.

- Shall I keep it back here? - Oh, I'll…

I'll add it to my order later.

I hope we can get enough crayfish.

- Or Fenouillet will have some. - No, I don't think so.

- They have some now? - I don't know but I got their...

Is there a shortage?

No, but I already buy everything there is.

- They'll have some from Eastern Europe. - No, I asked Chavrier, that's done.

We manage to get ours from David Lefort

but he gives us pretty much all he has every week.

- We'll find a solution. - Can we not spread it...

- over the week before? - Yes, we'll manage.

But how many do we need per person?

- Five? Six? - Five, I think.

- And what river fish are you using? - We talked about zander.

It's not the season for zander either.

But we can get it anyway, right?

I talked with Dad about trout.

- Is it not the season locally? - You don't find zander in streams.

It's a fish you only find in big rivers.

- There were some in the Loire. - Yes, but the Loire isn't a stream...

Small river fish are trout or char.

Yes, so I should really say "freshwater."

Or one thing we never use is perch. Can we get some of that?

I don't know, I'd have to ask.

- Catfish? - Or you can use the pike I gave you?

- As quenelles? - There could be a little quenelle.

Yes, we're planning a quenelle in the middle.

- Do it with the pike. - The pike don't have to be a quenelle.

- Are they already quenelles? - No, they're whole, ikejime.

They're big but you can make aiguillettes from the back.

- Yes but frozen? - Yeah, it's fine.

- I've never cooked pike. - You make them from the best part.

The best part to eat cooked is all this here.

The spines are here.

- You mean the belly? - No, the back.

The spines are here and here.

The spines are like this.

- You cut out the filet. - Yes, it's a fork.

I'll show you how to cut it but you take this part here.

It makes a roll like this and you cut pieces from it.

- And make quenelles with the rest. - It's firm. Very tasty.

- I can do that. I have two. - Or even three?

- Two or three, yes. - Are they lake pike?

- Not from the lake, they're from... - Ikejime.

We killed them. Lafont brought them at Christmas.

They're big though.

So, should we say no to the zander because it's not the season,

and yes to the pike?

Yes, I think so.

Pike.

- Salmon or yellowfin. - To make the quenelles...

Or char?

It doesn't have enough meat.

- To make the little quenelles but... - Or do arctic char.

Drop the bass and do a char soufflé.

- How big are the char? Like this? - No, more like this.

They'll make a wonderful soufflé.

- So you have pike, char soufflé... - Pike quenelles.

Quenelles and crayfish, that's enough.

- And salmon. - But the quenelles shouldn't be...

You need to do Mike's recipe.

- With the banana? - No, don't do them in the oven.

Do poached quenelles.

- They're little stuffed quenelles. - Yes, he's making them next week.

That's the recipe to do.

- But Mike doesn't do it with pike. - No, but it works with pike.

Alright.

What if we added a piece of eel?

But it's a lot of work.

Already with the appetizers...

it's not going to be easy.

- I'll go to the bathroom before I go. - Okay.

Well, let's carry on. What's the main dish?

I'm replacing the green asparagus with white asparagus.

Mayonnaise, fromage blanc and white almond purée.

- Almonds? - Yes, it's an almond sauce.

- César is doing an almond sauce. - I thought it was mint.

No, we've also gone over to white asparagus.

Oh, shoot.

But then the seasoning is different. What's the almond sauce like?

It's a light sauce, a mousseline sauce.

César's left or you could have asked but it has a marked almond flavor.

I didn't know you were doing that.

- It's a bit of a shame. - I think it's very different.

Then there's elderberry. It has elderberry vinegar in it.

Why not do elderberry without the almonds?

Because I've been working on this for three weeks.

Because... I don't know, it worked well to balance...

Why don't you, for example... I mean, the elderberry...

Can you taste the elderberry? What do you use?

Elderberry vinegar and rhubarb, rhubarb marinated in elderberry.

That's enough. Why do you want to add almond?

I was going to suggest blackcurrant, because elderberry is...

Because there aren't any blackcurrants.

Blackberries?

There are no blackberries either.

Rhubarb is in season.

Elderberry and rhubarb. That's enough, isn't it?

I can take out the almond but it made it smoother...

You make long strips of rhubarb like this.

And wind them around the asparagus?

- That would look great. - Can you imagine the work involved?

There are two chefs, Dad, and three appetizers.

If they have to take the rhubarb and wind it

around two asparagus per person...

It's a lot of work.

You're right. So what does your rhubarb look like?

- A little julienne on the asparagus. - Raw?

- I pour on the marinade... - A syrup? A bit sweet?

Yes, a manoa on top.

- It's hardly sweet at all then. - It's slightly sweet.

- They're still crunchy. - Is the asparagus hot or cold?

- Warm.

- And how is the almond served? - There's the julienne that's...

You have a white plate with the julienne on it.

- The julienne of what? The rhubarb? - The rhubarb.

Very short, so it's easy to eat.

Two asparagus coated in sauce and I put a bit of almond on top.

- And in the sauce... - Oh, so... A bit of almond how?

- Flaked and toasted. - Oh, well, that's alright then.

So, it's nothing at all like...

- It's not an almond mousseline sauce? - It has white almond purée in it.

- In what? - A tiny bit. In the sauce.

What's in the sauce?

So... mayonnaise, fromage blanc, a tiny bit of almond purée,

soy sauce and elderberry vinegar.

- It's too much, too many elements. - No, it seems a lot but it isn't.

It is. Soy sauce, elderberry vinegar, almonds...

- If you like, I'll take out the almond. - Take out the almond.

Is the soy sauce necessary, too?

It adds color, to start with. It adds depth, I find.

I tried it without mayonnaise,

I tried it with Charmigny, I tried it with yogurt.

Now I'm using a very rich fromage blanc.

I understand. I'd take out the almond purée.

Keep the flaked almonds, if you like,

especially if you need them for texture.

And for detail.

With all those elements you mentioned, I almost feel like...

The sauce doesn't taste like there are so many elements.

- The soy sauce adds a bit of... - Yeah, fine, soy sauce for umami.

But the almond, the almond purée...

- Okay. - Get rid of the almond purée.

I don't know what to call that.

You think it's complex but it's not complex.

It's like if there's lemon in a sauce, you don't think it's a lot of elements.

You're right. But elderberry, rhubarb, they're strong-tasting elements.

- Sharp. - Sharp, yes.

But the sauce isn't so sharp because of the almond.

The elderberry vinegar boosts the sauce a little, in fact.

Gives it a bit of oomph.

Another thing, I just remembered.

Nothing to do with that. Just something to think about.

If you need them sometime, we've got some caper leaves.

They're salted and vinegared, then preserved in oil.

They're from Sicily and they're really good.

- I'll taste them. - They're pretty and they're very tasty.

- I ordered a sample in Italy. - They must be nice.

- I'll get Patrice to pass them on. - Are they big?

Two or three centimeters, like this.

They're very pretty. Very, very pretty.

They're tasty, they have texture, a taste of capers...

They're stylish because they're a pretty leaf.

They could be really good, for example, on a battuta.

They'd be great with a battuta or...

Or with a vitello tonnato, or with a raw fish.

No, they should be left whole. It would be a shame to chop them up.

Patrice is going up to La Colline today to take up the menus

and I'll give them to him.

- Are you well? - Yes. You?

- I've got it. - You've got it?

- Thanks. Have a good day. - Bye.

- Hello. I have some crates for Michael. - Alright.

It's not heavy enough for me.

Get rid of the boxes. Throw them out back.

Start taking things down. There are too many here.

Shall I get someone for you?

Take this off.

- Take this off. - Okay.

So, I should take more off here?

Then you need to cut the woody part off. All this is woody.

You need to visualize how it will be on the plate.

You decide.

- I'll be back. - Thank you.

Then, this is confirmed with the DRC. We looked at this together.

Because the 2019 vintage was small, we're adding in some older vintages.

New things...

That didn't exist.

Les Petits Monts.

- Is that in Vosne-Romanée? - It's part of Richebourg.

The high part of Vosne.

An excellent wine they're not including this year.

- That's still reasonably priced. - It's reasonable, yes.

Romanée-Conti, we can only have one bottle.

Only one bottle, yes.

- Only one bottle each year. - As usual.

After the lockdowns, we were a bit low

and they offered to sell us another bottle,

so we had two last year.

La Tâche. Two.

Our clients coming in two weeks time, they're taking three Tâches, 2009.

- They committed to that? - That's it.

- Which vintage? - They said yes.

- Maybe Carole told you. - Yes, she told me.

The 2009 vintage, three bottles.

Of Tâche, right?

The ones we laid down last year.

Okay, Richebourg.

- Okay, that's the DRC done. - Now, Madame Leroy.

Madame Leroy...

She's confirmed our requests,

namely the wines from the Auvenay vineyard,

because we didn't request a particular Leroy property from the wholesaler.

Three Auxey-Duresses, three Puligny-Montrachet,

three Bâtard, and three Bonnes-Mares.

These are substantial prices.

- And is there a wait to get that? - It's available now.

Did he come by, in fact, the Leroy vineyard representative?

He'll be coming back.

And do we currently have a Leroy line on the wine list?

No, we have one in the cellar but not on the wine list.

So, this way we can put... We'll put the 2009 on there.

Which vintage do we have in the cellar?

It's the 1993.

- Why don't we put it on the wine list? - Because there's one bottle left...

- Oh, only one bottle? - Yeah.

We have a client coming back in June, an American client,

who came last year and expressed a desire to reserve that bottle.

I said: "Yes, but the problem is that the price today,"

meaning last year, "I can't guarantee that for next year."

He said: "Of course, I understand, we'll see next year."

The Richebourg was €5,000 and now the price is double that.

So I thought of putting it on the list at twice the price and waiting a while.

Because we had a client who came last week

and wanted to buy it for €5,000.

Luckily, it wasn't on the wine list anymore.

And these will go on the wine list as soon as we have them.

The 2015, I don't know.

Maybe the 2015 whites, why not. We can put all those on the wine list.

All those four lines, yes.

2005, 2009, we'll see about those.

On the open market, this one is 15 to €20,000 apiece.

That's crazy.

It's crazy to ask such... Crazy.

Prices are soaring, unbelievable.

And she did us a favor, because these were last year's prices.

- These are done now. - It's a favor.

It's the prestige. The rarity.

You pay for that.

We need to pay this for her to send them.

I can't remember how much... €5,000 so she dispatches them.

They had a pair of flippers and they ran across the field, all wet.

And they picked up...

Basically, we had to cover it by beating the egg whites.

Oh, yeah? Really?

And they put a beam there.

Yeah, a beam but a really narrow one...

A little frog for the menu.

I don't remember how many we put in.

We need to make a way in.

Give priority to...

No, but if you fall...

I'll get on your shoulders.

Yeah, she'll get on my shoulders, Romain.

Very good idea.

There are nettles. Be careful.

Move forward a little.

Are you really doing this?

Watch out, guys.

Oh, I've got it in my face.

- Is that enough? - Yeah, that's enough.

- It's starting to get heavy. - We'll put it on the scale and see.

We got a good crop.

I believe the way I work meets environmental needs.

The prairie stores a lot of carbon.

Social needs, too, because people want to see animals grazing outside.

And economically, it's profitable,

because I'm not dependent on what's going on in the world,

the price of soybeans going up.

I raise them with what I have locally.

So, I feel it's a package that responds to things...

How can I put it? Ten years ago, people looked at me wide-eyed,

but a year like this one, everyone starts to think

there's truth and good sense in it.

Yes, that's it, it's good sense.

- And you're raising them for meat? - Exactly.

And the quality is necessarily better?

I'm convinced the quality is better but right now I'm not recognized.

- That's a real shame. - It is. That's part of my struggle.

- But I'm convinced, yeah. - You sell the animals to wholesalers?

Yes, to butchers, to wholesalers, I produce PDO Charolles Beef

but my PDO will be on the same shelf

as a butcher selling a PDO that's been raised differently.

Still, the specifications are great. We're pleased with them but it's not...

My belief is...

With wine growers today, you buy a wine,

for example, you buy wine from the Sérol house,

because you know how he works,

but it's still a PDO Côte-Roannais.

Livestock should be the same.

It's not just a PDO Charolles Beef, it's Christophe's.

- That's part of the struggle. - Or else you need...

This is what we did at one point with Romain Paire.

For us, as the end customer, being a chef-restaurateur,

to get that, you need an intermediary who can buy the animal

and then work it partly in terms of the butchering.

- Bleed it a little. - Sure, sure.

- That's the problem. - Making that connection isn't easy.

There aren't any butchers today showcasing your individual work?

I'm fighting for that but it's hard.

It's really hard work.

Butchers often don't try to promote what's done before them.

And these are animals...

They just showcase the finishing stage.

Here, I raise the animals their whole lives with the same mindset.

It's not just the finishing.

- They're born here on the farm? - Most of them.

It's a sizable farm, so some of them...

I supply other chains in a different way.

But all the ones born on the farm, they're all my PDO.

And the finishing is never in the stable?

Yes, some, but they're all identified, it's not the same finishing.

The sector wants meat all year round,

but the absolute must, the best, is what we'll go see now.

Historically, this was always prairie. These are not introduced species.

It was always a prairie.

A prairie means what?

It has never been plowed, not created by humans, it's just here naturally.

And everyone's talking about carbon,

a stable prairie has the same capacity as the Amazon for capturing CO2.

So it would be a disaster to decide to grow cereals.

Plowing this and growing cereals would be a disaster.

If you plow this, all the CO2 will be released.

So, environmentally speaking...

I've converted the farm into strips.

You can see strips, bands.

And each year, I let a different area go to seed.

It reseeds everywhere naturally, hassle-free.

You can see the color differences.

I keep them off the light areas and graze the darker areas.

My colleagues are letting their cows graze outside now.

Mine are already on their second go-around.

We're starting on the third grazing.

This is without using tractors, no fertilizers,

just good sense, and technique, things like that.

Observation.

- The soil is healthy. - Exactly.

In any case, yeah, that's it.

When you respect the soil, the plants and animals are healthy.

That's the virtuous cycle.

With the cows,

I put them in a small space and their reflex is to eat the grass.

After the third day, the grass starts to regrow.

That regrowth is the sweetest, the best,

so instead of eating this, that's taller,

the cow eats that regrowth if you leave her in a large space.

She eats the regrowth and that depletes the plant after a while.

If it gets eaten every time it puts a shoot out, it will stop growing.

- Like with mowing a lawn. - Exactly.

You move them when they've eaten...

24 hours. And I move them on.

And the plant in the end is incredibly vigorous.

It's never depleted.

Over a whole year, they only spend seven days in any one place.

And the plants are incredibly vigorous.

- So, small enclosures? - Right. Each compartment is a day.

We'll move them on together.

- They're less than a hectare. - Yeah, they're really small...

- 50 meters? - That one they're on is 2,000 sq m.

I'll give them today's meal

and you'll see, the cows will love it, they'll smile.

These ones, on average, are 30 months old.

Come back in three weeks, this will be like that.

It will be back at the same stage. It will be a carpet of clover.

And he has a watering system that's movable.

He installed it in every field with these pipes.

And each time he empties it and moves the thing.

You'll see, they're going to love this.

It's a competition.

They're always afraid the other girls are eating...

Heads down, everyone.

Some will be ready for the butcher by summer.

An average carcass will be 420 - 430 kg. That's not huge.

Some of them, like the double-muscled cattle, go up to 650 kg.

I'm not looking for that range.

So, next week, there's a fish order Wednesday.

One salmon, a turbot, 8 John Dory, 2 crab, 3 pollock.

The fourth will arrive Friday to end the week.

One salmon, 18 squid, which will be bigger,

7 John Dory, 5 crayfish tails from Chavrier to start the week.

And then the rest from Lefort, 50 kg, maybe a little less.

Thursday lunchtime, 5 kg of frogs.

- Five? - Five, yes. That's been changed.

Friday, 7 John Dory, 2 crab, a turbot, a pollock,

the squid, the perch, 8 John Dory.

And the meat...

The perch is for the stuffing?

I wanted to ask if we can have it Wednesday?

- If we get it Friday... - Don't we have anything to use?

No, I sorted through this morning, tidied it all and made Mike's crate.

All that's left is one pack of mullet that's maybe 300 g and that's all.

Can we use the turbot heads in it?

- Scrub them like we did last time. - Oh, yeah.

Gently cook the turbot heads and do what Nicolo did.

You want a crumbly fish then, a flesh that...

- Pollock? - Yes, pollock is fine.

6 kg is a lot, I think. Do you add things to the stuffing?

- We can put some shellfish in it. - There are some shellfish to use up.

You put what, 80 g of stuffing in each tomato?

- Maybe a bit more. - And you use the inside of the tomato?

I'd say 4 kg of fish plus what we have is enough.

- Some breadcrumbs, too? - Yes, we add breadcrumbs.

- Breadcrumbs, herbs. - On top, yes, but not in it.

Sandwich bread, too.

Not in the stuffing.

For the meat, nothing special except we're taking more brains.

And a delivery of foie gras.

- Could I have that sheet? - Yes, I'll print one for you.

So, I'll start the briefing with the changes to the menus.

The scallops have gone from the menu and à la carte.

They're replaced by the crayfish recipe.

These are crayfish sauteed in butter.

And then we have shiso dishes, oyster mushrooms marinated with shiso,

radish marinated with shiso, a little bit of shiso.

Little cherry tomatoes

that are blanched and glazed with olive oil.

And a touch of shiso vinegar and shiso oil.

Right, for lunch, we have 54 covers on 12 tables.

Starting at the top, six people having the seasonal menus,

the €340, no particular remarks.

Table 2, our regular clients, the Fischers,

who are often here as a family, with their daughter and children.

Note that Madame Fischer is no seafood, she has a slight intolerance.

On table 3, we have 2 covers. They will be choosing on the spot.

They've said one person, no rare meat or undercooked fish.

I guess a pregnant lady at the table.

Take note when it comes to aperitifs, no mushrooms either.

On table 4, 2 covers with a gift card,

those are €370 with tax, so five courses.

Some small restrictions, namely no snails, no seafood,

no sweetbreads, no kidneys, so the menu has been adapted.

On table 8, 2 Food and Wine Pairings at €550 with tax.

Monsieur made the reservation for Madame's birthday.

On table 9, they are five. A lady made the reservation.

They're coming for Monsieur's 60th.

Be aware that they specified no lamb, no mutton,

no rabbit, no game, no offal, no pigeon.

I hope the duck will be suitable. I have my doubts.

A small digression.

I had a discussion this morning with the management.

This is a little awkward.

It's about the way we talk and so on.

It includes a number of things like bullying, physical harassment.

Anything that might...

All things that have happened in our professions,

things that have maybe happened to us as interns in other establishments,

things we might have already heard here or elsewhere.

I'm not asking you to police things but you have a role to play...

to protect your colleagues, come and talk to us, quite simply.

I know some of you already have.

A couple of words have also been said to people concerned in the kitchen

about what was said yesterday,

but in any case, head waiters,

please keep an eye on the apprentices and vice versa.

I'd like us all to be careful about anything that might be said.

Even us, I think sometimes we say things

about someone's physique or behavior, little nicknames and so on.

- It takes work. - It takes work, yeah.

About color, too.

It's not just things that are said, it's…

No. You're taking it as a joke.

No, just a second. You're taking it as a joke.

We're a group, we've known each other for a long time in some cases.

And we indulge in things between us we sometimes shouldn't indulge in.

Just remember, when you have a new arrival,

there are codes of conduct

and we behave the same with everyone, even with our longstanding colleagues.

Jean-Michel, Ralph, Thierry, we've known each other a long time.

Even we should be careful what we say and how we talk to each other.

Madame, do you want to add anything?

I just wanted to add

that there was no one on the works council,

and so I'm nominating two people

who will kind of be your intermediaries.

So, one woman, which is Jeanne,

and one man, which is Romain, the pastry chef.

So, he'll manage the kitchen, which we don't really see.

Well, us... Personally.

If you have any questions or you don't feel like talking to us,

you can always go to Jeanne, or to Romain for the guys.

And they'll report back to us.

That's an idea we came up with.

- A suggestion box. - Yes, I thought of that.

Not bad. It'll be stuffed full, you'll see.

I won an election I wasn't standing in.

Pretty good, huh? As a thing.

She didn't spend a single euro on her whole campaign.

No election. That's called a dictatorship.

Who didn't get some lily of the valley for luck?

Every year gets more equal.

I used to buy four sprigs of lily of the valley and now I need...

Eleonor, you had one, I think.

And the young lady here, she gets some.

I'll go and get another one.

It smells great.

The girls can cut a sprig for us.

Just a sprig, you have plenty.

Right, have a wonderful day and a good session, everyone.

So, Sunday evening there are how many?

- 54? - Because there've added some covers.

It's Madame's birthday.

They've gone from 12 to 24.

- You're up to how many now? - 54.

Block that last one.

Blocked.

Because who is there?

Darsal, she's a regular at La Colline.

Mark her, Lisa might not know her.

It's fine. Ali knows her well.

Straub, same, we know them.

Iris, don't know her. Fradin François, don't know.

Marie Michelin, yes. She's the white lady.

- White lady... - White-haired.

- What menu has he opted for? - "Menu for Michel." It's a surprise.

No, she knows, I think.

- 22 to 24, we don't know how many. - They need to be a bit more precise.

I think she has that in her files.

That's all good. And lodging with us this week...

Yes, alright. So, availabilities on Friday,

I have one room left at €550,

one at €650, and a small bedroom with a shower.

Suitable for the single person at €310.

- Did you add spices to it? - A little star anis...

We'll season it cold.

It might need a bit of soy.

I'll put the crayfish in. You take them out when it rings?

I'll finish making the flowers, or we won't get done.

I'll throw the crayfish in.

When it rings, get them out on a tray. Then call me and I'll shell them.

- I have to do the flowers. - Do the flowers, we'll do this after.

- After? - Yes, take it step by step.

If you do these badly...

Finish the flowers over there and we'll cook the crayfish later.

- Will we have time? - Yes.

Yes, it's on the strawberry this time. Let's see, cut them in half.

You don't have a strip of radish?

No, I can make more but afterward. Let's eat it.

The balance has to be right.

Start again.

- Start again and balance it out. - In a deep dish.

The red with the black is quite striking.

It's not just that it's strawberry and caviar,

fruit and caviar, red fruit and caviar,

it's the color...

It could be a dessert.

It could be a dessert actually, if we make it a little sweet...

- It's close to being a dessert. - Sweet and savory.

But caviar as a dessert is unheard of.

It's even more shocking, caviar as dessert.

But if it works...

I feel it works. It's strange.

With no preconceptions...

It will be memorable...

Like the kidney and passion fruit, it's memorable.

"How is this possible?"

And this is perhaps a step further.

Next time, make a little more because...

- That's it, put the gold leaf on top. - And the raisins?

- Raisins first? - Yes.

But I think that's really as much...

Go ahead.

That's as much vanilla pod as you can put.

You see how it's much more pretty in a dish?

I don't know, the surround enhances the crème caramel, I think.

- With the reflections at the edge. - Maybe.

But there's the fact it contains and surrounds the caramel.

Go ahead. Be generous with it.

It's elegant.

It's classic.

So is the dessert.

- It's fitting for this dessert. - What if we added pomegranate?

- If I remember... - Raisins and pomegranate?

César said the season was over.

César, can you get a hold of pomegranate?

No, they're finished.

But red would have been pretty.

Or we can put that on first and put the raisins on afterward.

Not sure what they're rehydrated with. I think just rehydrated with water.

Like that, it's a lot better looking.

Olivier, can you pass us a spoon, please?

A spoon for the chef. A spoon.

Silver spoon.

Right.

It'll be in the half-light, there'll be very little light.

It's fine, I'll taste it with this.

Alright, we'll do that. You agree?

It's good, you taste it. It's fine.

And the gold leaf on top?

The gold leaf on top or should we try putting the gold leaf..?

- That adds some acidity, it's good. - The barberry?

- Yes. It goes well with the sugar. - The gold leaf is...

No, it doesn't matter. The gold leaf comes as it comes.

As you saw, with the air in the kitchen it fluttered,

so it comes as it comes.

In fact, if it could flutter like that

at the moment it reaches the client it would be even better.

It should be alive.

They shouldn't be too cold.

They shouldn't be refrigerated. We'll take them out so they're not cold.

- A bigarade needs reducing quickly. - Quickly?

Yes, otherwise you get a concentrated bitterness as the juice oxidizes.

You need to take a large volume and reduce it...

This has already been reducing for too long.

Like all citrus fruit juices, in fact, it oxidizes.

And then, bit by bit it caramelizes and gives a bad flavor.

It loses its freshness, too.

- It becomes bitter. - I didn't know.

So take a large pot, put it in, two minutes and it's done.

Yeah, well, orange is often a problem.

From when you squeeze it to when you boil it,

if you wait, it oxidizes.

Make an orange juice and you'll see the difference from now to this evening.

Make an orange juice, drink a glass now and keep one in the fridge for later,

you'll see how different it tastes.

It's completely cold.

- You thought it was hot? - Yes.

- Yes, it's overcooked. - It's not nice, it's spongy.

- This is overcooked. - Yes, I think so.

There isn't that light sensation that we had in...

But the cooking is going to be tough to perfect.

With that volume, given that there's no flour or anything.

It needs still less flour.

If we put any less than there is there'll be none at all.

- There are 20 g in the recipe. - This is overcooked.

And it's very stringy, too. It's the inertia.

It's a bit raw in the middle but it doesn't matter.

- Since there's not much flour. - Yes, it's more fluid, that's good.

- How long did you give it? - 20 minutes.

- Give it 15, I'd say. - Yes, 15, I think.

- Is it the rhubarb I can see here? - That's the rhubarb.

Fine strips of radish.

You see, I cut the rhubarb lengthwise...

That's the rhubarb, Chef. I just put two or three strips.

No, hang on, that's the radish. Here, this is what I want to taste.

This is what I want to taste.

- It's cooked, it's better cooked. - Yes.

The rhubarb is maybe a little overcooked.

It's a little glazed in the marinade.

- What marinade? - In the sugar. In the syrup.

- But it's not sweet at all. - No, it's good.

I was expecting it to be sweet but it isn't.

In fact, it's almost bland.

There's no acidity at all, I'm amazed.

It lost that...

- Freshness? - Yes, it lost its freshness.

But it's holding together, it has texture.

But no acidity. It almost needs some lemon.

When you take it out of the syrup, put some lemon on it.

And the ink like this is what you wanted?

Yes, but stop here.

- Okay. - Alright, we'll do that tomorrow.

On the front page you'll find "A wonderful freedom,"

which is our proposal of a tasting menu.

It's a menu with a total of nine courses.

That refers to six dishes, a cheeseboard and two desserts.

The other option, à la carte, you'll find on the two middle pages.

The à la carte choices are in four distinct paragraphs.

On the left, the first is appetizers,

on the second you'll find our fish proposals,

and finally on the right are meats and end-of-meal proposals.

Or there's a final proposal at the end called "Sweet complicity."

That refers to the Food and Wine Pairing menu.

Yes, well, with the specialists we have…

Just to give you the detail.

Eight glasses of wine on a Sunday lunchtime might seem ambitious.

We have some champagne here and then to follow we could see...

If it would go with what we're going to eat,

maybe, I don't know, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fuissé or even...

Indeed, a sauvignon blanc suits well the Troisgros cuisine, as you know.

So, from Sancerre I have some small vineyard wines

from Vincent Pinard à Bué.

- Oh, we drank that up at Iguerande. - You were at Iguerande?

Madame made us a gift of a bottle, it was very good.

That would be amusing. I don't know if you think it goes...

Or else...

I can take you to another part of the Loire with a chenin.

I completely trust your judgment.

I have one winemaker... I have a lot of them, but this one...

We're staying here on the fourth floor so we have all afternoon.

You're staying here.

So, we'd like something very good

because it's our 50th wedding anniversary.

- And we'd enjoy celebrating a little. - I'll take you to Éric Nicolas.

- We trust you. - At Jasnières, it's really fantastic.

And then with the lamb, because he talked to us about the lamb,

but not with mint, we're not really mint people,

but if by chance the lamb were along those lines,

if it were something from this region,

Côtes du Rhône or something,

something one doesn't see every day, that would be amusing.

With pleasure. A glass? A half-bottle? A bottle?

No. At least a bottle either a whole or a half.

I have something nice in a half-bottle, a Côte-Rôtie from Jean-Paul Jamet.

- With lamb, it's fantastic. - We'll have that.

- It's in the north of the region. - And a bottle from your guy there...

Yes, from Jasnières.

We'll drink two bottles in all. Since we're staying here...

I'll plan for a bottle and a half. If it's not enough, a glass...

I totally trust your judgment. And a water like Badoit.

Or your water. We drank it in the bar.

The house microfiltered water.

The white. We have a menu that really calls for a white wine.

A bottle of white. Which one to start?

La Roche Vineuse? Les Cras? With pleasure, it's perfect. Allow me.

Do I need to worry about allergies, foods you don't eat, don't like?

- Nothing like that? - What do you not like?

I already said, no allergies. I was difficult enough as it is.

No, not at all, Madame. Yes, Monsieur.

- My allergy is to the bill. - Well, I'll give it to Madame.

Have a wonderful lunch. Thank you, Madame, Monsieur.

Mm. Mouth-watering.

This is an art wine.

And a winemaker said: "We're artisans, not artists."

So, I thought it was over the top,

but in the end, I thought no, it's like writing in the end.

It's a progression, a writing, something that builds.

It made me think of that because you mentioned Puffeney,

you mentioned Foreau...

Or Hahn.

Yes, Peter Hahn, absolutely.

Éric Nicolas, too.

Winemakers who are building this progression,

writing something, something that's being reproduced.

It's like people in cuisine who have a certain cohesion.

It's not that they've invented, but they've been attentive

and have added things to that progression in their professional lives.

- When we met Mr. Foreau, for example... - And Mr. Puffeney.

With Foreau... We talked with him for a very long time

and he took us on a voyage in the way he spoke of his wine,

but also of Caesar's mushrooms he was going to pick.

- He's a peerless hunter. - It's extraordinary.

And it just gets better and better. You wonder just where it will go.

It was like listening to Balzac.

And these are his experiences, written bit by bit during his life.

Do I need to worry about allergies, foods you don't like or don't eat?

- Nothing like that? - Not that we know.

- No cheeses, Monsieur? - No.

- Can I offer a dessert instead? - It will be a dessert, then.

- Yes, for me, too. - Two? Perfect, no problem.

No cured cheeses, anyway. If you have fromage blanc, why not.

- I can do fromage blanc or a dessert. - We'll see at the end of the meal.

That's noted. And the cooking you leave to our judgment?

- The lamb, the chef suggests pink. - We trust your judgment.

Perfect, that's very kind, thank you, Mesdames, Monsieur. Enjoy your lunch.

To accompany your lunch, you'll find an unsalted butter from the Cantal.

A Cantal butter from the buttermilk. You have the story of how it's made.

And this is a little welcome bread, a corn puff pastry, served hot.

I suggest you break off a few layers. It looks like a little book.

Then you'll really enjoy this delicacy.

Even just the smell of it…

Even in organic wines they add sulfites?

There are two parts where certification is concerned.

Organic and biodynamic agriculture are to do with the growing.

You're allowed to use Bordeaux mixture on the vines, but no chemicals.

Biodynamic is about prevention,

so they make preparations from plants and other things,

so the plant can react and become strong enough to resist diseases.

That's prevention.

The second phase is the winemaking and aging,

and that's where sulfites come in.

When the grapes are harvested, sulfites are added

to prevent deterioration, it's an antiseptic,

and it's also a way of selecting the yeasts from the vine.

There are various types of yeasts in the grapes,

changing from one year to the next,

and the sulfites naturally select the good and bad strains of yeast.

So the fermentation will go properly.

Then sulfites are used each time

you need to extract and protect the wine,

sulfites are added

because exposing the wine to the air exposes it to oxidization,

so it needs to be protected and the only way we have is with that.

Then, at the end of the line, when it's bottled,

the wine has to be kept in the bottle, so a little sulfite is always added.

But all the sulfites added during winemaking and aging

decline and disappear.

But some of them are absorbed into the wine.

So, what you need to know is the total in the bottle,

but it's not yet obligatory to put that on the label.

I advocate for it to be obligatory

to state the total sulfites in each bottle.

So-called natural wines don't allow any sulfites at all.

They allow themselves certain risks and deviations.

- Enjoy tasting it. - Thank you for the explanation.

Cheers.

How was César as a child? Was he a fussy eater?

- César. - Who? Us?

I don't remember.

I don't remember but we didn't find it difficult.

- We weren't at all... - Apparently, I was a pain as a child.

But that's not being difficult.

That's how it is. Don't fight it and things will work themselves out.

- The palates of different people... - That's what I noticed with me.

You have to let things work themselves out.

- Interesting. - I think. I don't have the recipe.

- It seems it worked out. - All three in the profession.

My two sons are chefs but at the same time...

The family environment counts for a lot

in their growth and their perception,

awakening their taste...

and the family environment is what makes someone

embrace the family profession or not.

But that's something else, being a chef like your father,

like your grandfather and great-grandfather.

People more often turn away from difficult professions.

Children, I mean.

It depends.

It depends on the profession and how happy the parents are in it.

Indirectly, what we are every day affects the choices our children make.

If we feel good and we're fulfilled, children don't need to be told,

you don't have to talk about it, they see it and feel it in the family.

- That inspires them, too. - Yes, exactly.

My parents had a wonderful experience in their profession, so I did it.

And I think... Marie-Pierre and I still have it now,

although a little less now, with age,

but we've always enjoyed our profession,

we've never dragged our heels,

or said things that might not be nice to hear

about how hard it is to do, and so on.

So maybe that helped, too.

It's a temperament and a fulfillment.

And then...

Not all chefs' sons become chefs.

Not all architects' sons become architects.

Not all doctors' sons become doctors. But some of them do, after all.

Especially in artistic professions, creative professions.

If you grow up with musicians, get a musical ear as a child,

that's great.

It's certainly an advantage.

Aperitifs for tables 4 and 6, please.

Are the aperitifs ready, Sitja?

Onions in the center, please.

- Three asparagus heating up? - Three asparagus heating up, Chef.

Put in two more. Five asparagus.

Service, bitte.

It's there. Sauce back.

- No, double sauce. - Oh yes, sorry.

Sauce, bitte.

Schnell.

Five clams, 2 cauliflowers.

Three clams.

Seven asparagus. Eight asparagus.

Two John Dory and 2 frogs, substitution.

Are you making the same marinade there?

Set it down there.

When you prepare this, think of a bouquet of flowers.

As though you wanted... It's as though you were a florist.

And you want to create a garland of flowers.

In fact, it looks like a saffron flower.

Do you put some in the center? Five or six?

There are 5.

You mustn't... On a large tray like this,

you mustn't make a spiral.

Quite the opposite.

- Which table, do you know? - It goes with the other 11, Chef.

Yes, it's the large table.

It's in addition to that? How many on this table?

Ladies and gentlemen, two covers. Two Grands Menus, VIP, please.

Then two covers with set menus. That's two small menus, no asparagus.

This one doesn't need more salt. That one needed a bit more.

This needs more but not that one. What about that one?

We're reseasoning them all by hand.

That one needs salt.

The salt levels are very different from one to the next.

That one needs a lot more.

- Do you put salt in your marinades? - A little but not too much.

Do you do it just like that, by hand, or do you weigh it?

- No, I just do it like that. - Yes, you should...

If you just do it like that, you need to check it afterward.

Because like that it's out of proportion,

it's irregular, it's not good.

You have to see whether the beets themselves take the salt

or if it's just the marinade.

Do you want me to put the yellow flowers on?

That makes a wonderful impact when it reaches the customer.

It's as though you gave the customers flowers.

To eat.

I'm not doing this wrong, am I?

Let's tidy up after ourselves, guys.

Keep what you need for five and tidy up.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2 covers with 2 Grands Menus.

One snail and 1 salmon substitution.

Instead of lamb, we need 2 turbot, please.

Are you putting it straight onto the dill?

We'll shell the crayfish first. The first tray.

So take another tray like this one, please.

A GN tray like this.

Four scallops and 4 John Dory.

Sauce for 4 scallops.

The crayfish hardly ever moves.

Always get ahold of it like this.

Always hold it like this.

Tail to the right, in your right hand, head in your left hand.

Always work like this. Control it.

You've got into bad habits, fiddling around with it.

There's no need.

Shall we do the eels?

Yes.

I'll watch you, and if I can do anything, tell me.

- When you use film, just put one. - Yes, Chef.

You take the side...

Put the skin side down.

And then you completely break the fibers and the spines.

About 4 or 5 mm.

- The depth? - Yes, the depth.

Then you make a...

Like the squid that the Japanese do.

- You can even... - Chop a little.

Do you chop with the blade or keep it slightly tilted?

- Yes, I chop it with the blade. - Yeah?

But not hard.

If I did it hard it would cut the filet.

It's just dropping the weight of the knife.

So, feel free to do that.

Don't worry. When it's cooked, it recovers.

Then salt it.

I can go for it with salt and pepper? It needs to be seasoned.

Yes, not too much. Just right.

And then we...

We divide it into portions.

I'm going to cut it into three.

Cut it into three.

This one too.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2 "Premier Pas" lunches,

with 2 crayfish, 2 mullet and 2 duckling, please.

This is just to...

to stick them together.

Sorry, that's my fault.

More, more.

Did you add vinegar? Not yet?

You added your lemon juice at the start? That's why. Never.

At the end.

Never.

At the start, you put your egg yolk, salt, mustard,

beat it and then season it.

Add some salt and acidity.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2 covers, 1 asparagus, 1 frog,

followed by 1 John Dory on its own, followed by 2 lamb. It's VIP, please.

Now, instead of the 3 duck that were ordered,

it will be 2 duck and 1 turbot.

She doesn't eat lamb, doesn't eat beef, doesn't eat duck.

All she eats is chicken.

Did you turn it over, William?

Right, 6 shellfish, 3 times 2.

Are the tarts following or not?

Okay for the asparagus? Do you have more shellfish?

Right, starting on the asparagus. 6 asparagus, 3 times 2.

Followed by 3 more asparagus, guys.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2 covers à la carte, 2 mushroom tarts,

followed by a beef medium rare and a lamb, please.

He has to start the 2 kidneys next.

They're already started?

No, don't throw away the trimmings, Kang-Hu.

Now the lemons, please.

These artichokes are beautiful. Are they from last week?

The ones from Taton last week?

Put that to one side, Sitja, please.

Some of this lamb is whiter than others.

- Are these quantities right? - We can use it all.

He weighed out for 6.

Stand that one a bit straighter, it's leaning over too much.

That's good. A bit of butter on top.

Right, straight on to the à la carte, please.

Do you have more sage? I don't know if this is enough.

- I'm placing the meat, Chef. - Go ahead.

It doesn't matter if it's not flat. Doesn't matter.

- The decoration goes on top? - It goes here.

Service, please.

This is table 5.

So, the kitchen is divided into two spaces.

The hot space, for cooking, is in front of us.

You can tell the starting gun hasn't fired for them yet,

because instead it's the cold space that's being called upon right now

for all the cold appetizers, the aperitifs and so on.

So, the plate glass there separates the two spaces.

And the kitchen is wonderful.

It's not only well lit but it's also very clear, very open.

There's nothing, no apparatus, no extractor hoods.

It's an extractor ceiling, so no steel hoods,

which opens up the space.

There are no shelves,

no dividers.

No nooks and crannies, just a rectangle like a little tennis court.

All the work surfaces are the same height,

there are no lamps on the pass.

It's very clear, very user-friendly,

and to manage it, my son César is lucky,

when you have such a beautiful workspace,

you can manage the kitchen without raising your voice.

It's almost like he manages it with a look or a gesture.

Everyone sees everyone, everyone watches him,

and he sees everyone in return.

You might say that he gives orders really like that.

- You can't hear anyone talking. - No, and it seems very calm.

- With the horses and cows beyond. - Yes, right.

Someone will show you to your table. Thank you.

Right, let the music play.

To begin, you'll find breadsticks made of chickpea,

powdered raspberry and chili.

Next to them, parmesan arlettes

with different flavors based on beetroot.

The darkest is a blackcurrant marinade, the yellow is saffron,

and the lightest is Sichuan pepper.

And finally a tart with mushroom duxelles and powdered herbs.

For you, Monsieur, as there are traces of apple and hazelnut,

you have a tart with petits pois and sorrel.

- Enjoy. - Thank you.

Hello again, Madame, Monsieur.

It's a pleasure to see you again so soon.

Just in front of the John Dory, slightly hidden, there's some radish.

Sticking out slightly to the side, that's carmine,

from the chicory family, especially the endive.

I suggest you eat it last for the bitterness it adds.

- It's more bitter. - Absolutely.

Then, in front of you, a nice leaf of purple shiso, fried.

Shiso is Japanese basil.

And I'll just pour on some lemon and shiso butter.

Wonderful.

It looks like a work of art.

Absolutely.

If you'd like to indulge, I'll leave the sauce on the table.

Enjoy the next course.

This is wonderful!

White asparagus from Provence.

A little bitter almond mousse.

You'll also find slivers of fresh almond and lemon zest.

I'll leave the sauce. Help yourselves.

I'm counting on you.

They're all the same size.

Here, to start, you have a little mille-feuille called "Trait".

You'll find carmine, rhubarb, radish,

squid, and a little strawberry juice on the side.

- Excuse me, what's carmine? - It's a red endive.

I see.

- Enjoy your food. - Thank you.

And the chef, too, please.

You're welcome, sir.

Shall I help you to choose? The wines, I mean.

Christian's going to come, I think.

- Do you have some ideas already? - We're going to start with champagne.

- Right. - As an aperitif.

Right away?

Does someone know that or not?

I'll take care of it. You know which? Shall I serve the house champagne?

- I don't know, you mentioned... - The one with the seeds...

Oh yes, the Sichuan pepper. You like that one?

- It's not shown by the glass here. - No, it's on the bar menu.

Some of that for everyone?

Do you know it, with the Sichuan peppercorns?

It's a Sichuan pepper grown here, from the pepper plants in our garden.

No, really, I'm not joking. The pepper plants grow well here.

We pick them, take the kernel from inside and dry it,

and then we infuse the Sichuan peppercorn in the champagne.

You'll see, the taste is very good.

The plates are really very hot.

So, this is the flowering John Dory.

We take the flakes of John Dory and piece them together like a flower.

It's all steamed. Yours is well cooked, Madame.

There's a light decoration of squid ink on the petals.

For a little acidity, there's zested lime,

a little fresh apple,

and the base of the dish is the house green curry,

which adds a bit of potency, particularly with a little chili,

turmeric and cumin, among other things.

- I hope you enjoy it. - Thank you.

They wanted 2 more brains on this table.

He wanted to sell 2 more brains on this table.

- This week... - Did you see the brains? He didn't...

He didn't remove the blood when he drained them.

So, now the blood has coagulated in the blood vessels.

It's going to be hard now. He knows now but he didn't get it.

I asked you to remove the blood from the brains. I showed you.

While they're raw, once you've drained them.

Now, it's a lot of trouble.

I'll do them more next week.

No, after they've been soaked.

And before you blanch them.

With the point of the knife to really get it out.

Yes, you have to get it out, otherwise it's a pain in the ass.

Right, I'll put you here.

So, use this one, look.

Either of them is good.

For the frog, use that one.

It's easier for you.

Because it's lower, so it's easier.

Leave that one for...

If you need to, you can also take that one.

The other one is better, but that one's good, too.

If there's a difference between the two, take this one twice.

And if you can't, take this one and that one.

Ladies and gentlemen, 5 covers. Four Grands Menus and 1 Child Menu.

That's 4 shellfish, 5 asparagus, followed by 4 John Dory, 4 snail.

That's 5 John Dory and 5 lamb, please.

Two covers à la carte, please.

That's 1 mushroom tart, 1 frog, then 1 lamb and 1 beef, rare.

Be careful not to overheat your butter for the crayfish.

It dries them out.

Seven snails, then start an à la carte turbot.

Four John Dory.

John Dory on the pass.

Do you have some apple chopped, Léa?

No, I'll do some.

For table 6.

Sauce for table 4.

- What? - Crayfish.

Depends how big they are.

"Preparing brains. Wash the brain under cold running water,

then remove the membranes and the blood vessels."

You see? If you'd read this, you'd have known.

You see? Look.

Yes, I didn't see that.

"Wash the brain under cold running water."

Normally, it's not washing, it's soaking.

Soak it for at least 24 hours.

"Then remove the membranes and the blood vessels."

So, before blanching.

"Bleed it for one hour in vinegar water."

- Do you do that? - Yes, Chef.

- Okay. To remove the blood. - Yes, right.

"And then wash it again. The brain can then be blanched..."

So, this is after.

"in salted water, cooked very gently in broth,

or scalloped and cooked in butter or oil," right?

So, you have to remove the blood vessels.

What do they say in there?

This is different procedures and different ideas.

- But they must say at the start. - I'm just looking for it.

But in general, if you're not sure, dive into these two books,

the Escoffier

or the Larousse Encyclopedia.

They'll usually answer your question.

So, you'll know for next week.

You saw that the lamb brain isn't quite the same.

It doesn't have the same... traces of blood as the veal brain.

They're small brains, less sanguineous.

Yes, Chef.

No problem.

There shouldn't be an excess of caul.

Excess, you understand? Not too much caul.

The caul feeds into the cooking and also holds it together.

And it'll be easier to slice in the dining room.

Ladies and gentlemen, two covers. Two set menus.

Two squid, 2 asparagus, 2 crayfish,

2 frog, 2 John Dory, 2 lamb, please.

To start, the salmon and sorrel was a big piece and he hit it.

He hit it heavily and then he cut it thinly.

Right. This is fine.

It's good.

Thank you very much.

- Then we have 10 John Dory. - Yes, Chef.

Tables 6 and 4.

Ladies and gentlemen, 6 covers. Four Grands Menus and 2 Child Menus.

One person is no seafood or shellfish, so 3 shellfish and 1 cauliflower.

Then 6 asparagus.

Then 4 John Dory, 1 mushroom tart substitution.

Then 4 snail, 5 John Dory and 1 salmon substitution.

Then 5 lamb, 1 beef substitution.

It takes a long time to heat up.

These are beautiful.

Wow, they're wonderful.

You can be certain that it will be hot right through.

The à la carte, two minutes on the pass.

So, this is for the frog, right?

Take this out first.

- Table 2, yes? - That's right, table 2.

Take that out first. Just wait one second.

- Send this out, César, or..? - It can go.

Gentlemen, 11 covers with substitutions.

Two Child Menus with 2 soufflés,

1 fried fish, 1 snail, please.

And then, at the same time, 7 Grands Menus

with 1 teenager and 1 à la carte,

so that's 5 shellfish, 2 cauliflower, 8 asparagus,

5 scallop, 2 mushroom, 5 snail, 2 frog,

6 John Dory, 2 truffle risottos,

then 8 lamb and 1 John Dory à la carte with fewer truffles, please.

Fewer truffles means what?

Half? Half the truffles.

And those tarts are without crab?

- No shellfish? - Yes.

Yes, two menus with no crab. That's what was requested.

Is the frog ready?

Can you hand me a pan?

Put the right one.

- Damien, there won't be enough shiso. - Oh yeah, right now?

Service, please. Three people to take out.

Here, please. With a spoon.

I'll put you some butter in there because I took too much.

Sauce, Kang-Hu.

Ladies and gentlemen, 4 Grands Menus.

One person with no shellfish.

Three crayfish and 1 foie gras substitution.

Then 3 John Dory, 1 pollock substitution, please.

Do you have time?

It's to go out to the dining room.

All done?

- Any questions, Monsieur? - I don't like chocolate.

I'll make a change to the dessert. No need to be sorry, it's my pleasure.

So the first dessert will be changed, capers and chocolate.

And then, just to let you know, there's what we called a boiled egg,

which is a trompe-l'oeil.

The shell of the egg is made of white chocolate.

White chocolate is fine. It's cocoa I don't like.

It's the bitterness?

So I'll change the first and keep the second, is that alright? Perfect.

- Sorry. - My pleasure, no problem.

I'll let you know of any changes so there are no unpleasant surprises.

I'll leave you the menus as souvenirs and I wish you a wonderful lunch.

Here we have the crayfish, the vivacity of crayfish,

done with shiso, Japanese basil, you'll find fresh leaves on top,

as well as a little shiso oil to finish it off.

On the side, glazed tomatoes, a little radish and oyster mushrooms.

Goat Cheeses first.

These are fresh and cured local goat cheeses.

This is the Charolais, also from the region.

A goat's milk Tomme from Les Noës, above Renaison, above the dams.

That's local.

Ash-coated, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Pyramide de Valençay, Selles-sur-Cher.

From Montesquieu in the Haute-Garonne we also have this ash-covered one.

And a blue goat cheese.

From ewe's milk, there's a Corsican. Fougère.

Brin du Maquis with more flavor. A local Tomme, the Lavort.

And a Roquefort from ewe's milk.

From cow's milk, there's Fourme d'Ambert,

a bleu d'Auvergne from raw milk,

Brillat-Savarin, brie de Meaux, camembert,

a local Comtesse de Vichy, Saint-Just-en-Chevalet,

Saint-Nectaire, Reblochon, Soumaintrain, from Burgundy.

That's a bit like Époisses, but not such a strong flavor.

The Soumaintrain is washed with white wine.

Saint-Marcelin, Livarot from Normandy.

A little Salers and an aged Comté, 36 months.

Another goat cheese from the Pyrenees I missed out.

Do you have a preference?

- Look. - She's hungry.

- Mushroom pasta. - Ah, little feet.

- It's hot, isn't it? - No, it's not hot.

Oh gosh, when you've eaten all this and all the milk...

Doesn't she need lifting up, César? She tends to slip down a bit.

I don't know if I... Isn't this a bit tight?

It's alright.

I'm not hurting you.

It's good, she has some character. Don't tell her off for it.

Oh, Dad's purée is very good.

With the little bits of pasta in it.

She's playacting already.

Mm, I was a hungry one!

As my grandfather used to rightly say: "Cuisine is not the movies."

This is not the movies. This is for real!

You see she caught the sun?

- Don't you think she has some color? - Yes, she has some color.

Definitely.

It's because of Mamie Ma-Pi and Papi on her mom's side.

She's tanned.

And I do stunts. Did you tell Papi what you did?

What does she climb? The drapes?

Yes, there's one without gluten.

Have a look, though, because... Yes.

As there's no gluten in the desserts, they don't mention it anymore.

So, in that, there's feta, smoked pork belly, spinach,

shallots in vinegar,

cumin...

Yeah, but you taste the feta, pork belly, spinach, and cumin.

Okay. And cumin especially.

The salad?

The salad that gives you strength. It's a completely red salad.

- So, there's tomato... - Why does it give you strength?

- Well, it gives strength to Ukraine. - Yes, I get it.

Tomato.

Glazed tomatoes.

Pears in red wine, grapefruit...

- Is that the crown? - Marinated radish, grapefruit crown.

Marinated radish.

Marinated red onions.

Haddock.

Can you remind me what's in the red salad?

- Smoked bacon. - No.

- Does it have strawberry? - Strawberry.

A lot of things. Pink grapefruit, pears in red wine, beetroot origami,

beetroot pieces.

- A lot of things. - The main things...

What do you taste most? The haddock...

- I've told you everything. - Strawberry, beetroot, and that.

Glazed tomatoes, too.

Let me grab the sheet. Some people have allergies or intolerances.

Oscar?

Get everything out to prepare when we come back from the table.

Yes, except the beetroot origamis.

Hang on, I have one person with no lactose.

So, we can't give her the pirojki. What else is there?

Well, I can do her the egg or...

Hang on, she's intolerant to egg white, too.

- And all dairy products. - I'll make her a tart and polenta.

You need to tell her in advance. We'll see.

Red polenta, with beetroot.

Beetroot and pork belly.

Then, the salad that gives you strength...

- I think that's fine, no problems. - I have a pesco-vegetarian.

We'll leave out the haddock.

- No, pesco-vegetarian, she eats fish. - Oh yes, right.

And we'll do the salmon for her.

There was another, a person with no meat.

What can we offer in place of pigeon?

- Salmon. - Salmon, or ceviche as a main dish.

It's all people with no meat in the end.

Or if they want frogs, we can offer them frogs.

- I have some. - Okay. And Mr. and Mrs. Silbermann.

They have the beef... The merlan.

- Did you suggest an appetizer to them? - They should have the menu appetizer.

You said beef. Beef merlan, you need to show me that.

There's no foie gras in the Kyiv pigeon, you said.

No, it's ceps.

It's like the Kyiv pigeon, it's stuffed. It's pigeon with ceps inside.

- Wrapped in... - Wait, pigeon with ceps.

- Wrapped in spinach leaves. - And caul?

In caul but you don't need to say that.

- Then it's... - Is that right?

It has an E.

- No. - E-S. Yes, "cèpes".

Spinach. Then it's breaded and fried.

And we're doing that because the traditional recipe is chicken?

- Chicken Kyiv usually. - Yes, that's right.

- The sauce? - Pigeon gravy with vinegar.

Is it glazed at all?

Yes, but it's pigeon gravy.

Pigeon gravy with vinegar. On a bed of little endives.

- We'll do endives and ceps. - That's the garnish?

No, it's under it. On the plate. Steamed endives.

- So, what's the garnish? - A vegetable julienne.

So, in the julienne there'll be carrot...

rhubarb...

- The one from..? - There are more things. Asparagus.

Carrot, rhubarb, asparagus,

celeriac.

Zucchini.

With a little sauce. I'll make the salmon sauce to go on it.

- White wine and blackcurrant sauce. - On the julienne.

- That's in the garnish. - Yes.

Clément? Or Mathilda?

Can you explain the Saint Sophia?

So it'll need a fork...

Yes, so we should put a knife and fork and a sauce spoon?

For the pigeon Kyiv?

They don't need a sauce spoon.

Tell me about the Saint Sophia.

So, there are two tubes of meringue,

and in each tube is a lime and raspberry liquor zabaione.

Lime and raspberry liquor.

And on top of the tubes are soft meringues like Nipples of Venus.

Yes, so it looks like the...

- They're colored golden yellow... - The Saint Sophia.

I don't know if it's a church or a cathedral.

It's a church. No, it's a... What's that called?

I don't remember.

- Is that it? - There are three strawberries on it.

Agrodolce strawberries?

- The variety? - Gariguette.

- So, three strawberries. - Yes, three strawberries

cooked in lemon juice and sugar,

and then they're lightly baked for five minutes in the oven.

- Have you cooked them yet? - Yes, I've cooked them.

- I'll say "glazed." - Yes, glazed is fine.

- And that's it? - Yes, that's it.

And the mignardise, the matryoshka. You know, the little dolls.

- And what's the blue? - They're the colors of Ukraine.

- Yes, I know that... - She had the same reaction as me.

- What's the blue and yellow? - But is it a fruit that gives that?

- Blueberry. - Oh, is it a meal for Ukraine?

So, it's marzipan colored yellow and blue.

And underneath, a lemon pastry and a sweet pastry.

So, I prepared all the little tiles for when they're requested

but not this.

For the mignardises and the... I wrote "pirojkis"

so it comes out as an amuse-bouche.

- Yeah, okay, that's fine. - And here I'll just put mignardises.

- Instead of "matryoshka." - Yes, of course, we know.

So you have marzipan, lemon pastry and..?

Sweet pastry. It's a shortbread.

Okay, so that's it?

One person can't eat the dessert.

- Yes, what shall we do for her? - The apple arlette with no arlette.

No, it's someone who's no lactose and no egg white.

Shall we offer a fruit salad?

Fruit salad, or we can do the apple-cherry-strawberry salad,

but without the arlette on it.

- And I think there's Madame Kowalski. - Yes, I don't get that because it says:

"Madame prefers a dessert with no cream.

- Strawberry arlette if possible." - Yes, the new arlette.

But there's cream in the...

Yes, tell her it has cream. We can do it without cream.

Okay, so that's that... One person no meat...

But there's no cream in the Saint Sophia.

Yes, but she wants strawberries.

Let's go.

Do you have a lot left to do?

- We've done half. - We only have 5 minutes left.

Yes, Chef.

Don't forget the raisins.

- We're good, then. Not bad. - Not bad, Chef.

These grapefruits are great.

- You can go, Bébert. - Anything else?

No, it's fine. You can go.

See you tomorrow, Bébert, 8:30.

As usual.

Chop the ceps.

Put your board here.

Are you good? Working hard?

I'm very pleased with myself. You know why?

I worked out how to cook them.

- 25 is long, I think. - Yeah, but bread dough takes a while.

So, this evening is unusual.

Brian won't be here until 7:30 and anyway he'll be on the bar.

This evening we'll have 35 covers. It's the "A touch of Ukraine" evening.

It's a tribute on the one hand,

and a part of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross in Ukraine.

Regarding sections, I'll put Antoine

on tables 9, 17, and 15.

Anaïs, you have the section by the wall.

Marie, you have 2, 3, 4 and 21 but Ali will go back and forth for 21.

Oh, great, Valentin... Because it's his big buddy.

How are you, Val? And finally, Ali, you'll have...

Your section is a bit odd because it was full here.

You'll have 1, 18, 19, and 20.

So, Val has brought us the menus, I think.

They'll be on the tables. I printed 40.

Wonderful.

"Sometimes, you discover a flavor and you want time to stop..."

It's a lovely message. It's from a book.

Do we know which book? Okay. And who's the..?

It's "Ukraine", published by Martinière.

It's a quote from Olena Braichenko.

"Food is a language that speaks to us."

Wonderful.

This evening, there's no soup. Things move quickly, so watch out.

For those who've never done one of these, you need to keep an eye.

The menus will be placed on the tables.

We'll bring the wine lists and offer an aperitif.

I'll run through it because some tables are not having the set menu.

On 1, we have Madame Verchère, the cousin of the chef, Michel.

We'll offer an aperitif on the house from him.

And we'll type "amuse VIP." Léo will do the amuse-bouche...

I'll explain everything.

The amuse-bouche from the menu, plus the VIP amuse-bouche.

On 2, Monsieur Viale. There'll be a child with them.

The two adults take the menu, the child will probably want frog.

The chef knows already.

On 3, Madame Paret, nothing special. On 4, Monsieur Peillon.

It's either Monsieur's or Madame's birthday, I'm not sure.

It's a gentleman we had a minor issue with.

The table dropped from nine to two this morning.

He was meant to pay a supplement for that issue.

I let him know it wasn't necessary

because we managed to find some other people.

In the end, it's a drop of two covers.

On 5, Monsieur Nicoud.

This is why I gave you so few tables, Antoine.

Get them settled in the Blue Cabin.

These people are intolerant to egg white, lactose,

and all dairy products.

I'll fill you in about the menu.

On 6, Madame Guet, two people.

Madame is allergic to coconut. No problem, there isn't any.

She is pesco-vegetarian, which means she doesn't eat fish...

She doesn't eat meat but she eats fish.

And it's Monsieur's birthday.

On 7, Monsieur Chapard, two people.

On 8, Monsieur Péribert, also two people.

On 9, Monsieur Détaye.

I think it's Madame, we need to check, but one person no meat.

On 15, Monsieur Dessert. They'll take the menu.

On 17, Monsieur Moissonier.

For those who know him,

that's Nelly's family, so Madame is offering them aperitifs on the house.

Last year, he ate with her at the music evening.

On 18, Monsieur and Madame Silbermann, who asked to have table 18 again.

They'll have the menu appetizer but they'll probably choose something else

and that something else will probably be the meat from tomorrow's menu.

So, that will be...

He said it was merlan.

Beef merlan, marrow bone and gremolata.

I'll check that with Léo at the time. He agreed with them.

Then, on 19, the Leloups will be back. They're regulars.

We can make them VIP if there is the VIP.

They get an aperitif on the house.

On 20, we all know them, the Kowalskis.

Two people. Madame will take the dessert from the new menu.

- You said she wanted no cream, right? - She doesn't like lots of cream.

- There is some cream. - In the arlette.

But she usually eats the arlette, even with the cream.

It's just because she asked me what the Saint Sophia is,

and as I didn't really know...

I'll talk to her. It has strawberries.

We'll see.

But I sold it as something between a Saint-Honoré and a religieuse,

and it's not that at all.

So, I'd rather someone told her,

because I didn't really know and she asked me: "What's the Saint Sophia?"

I thought: "A saint is religious, so a Saint-Honoré or a religieuse."

She said: "I don't like creamy desserts but you know I like strawberries."

We'll see.

On 21, Monsieur Lisowski, another VIP if we have VIP amuse-bouches.

This gentleman loves Ali.

And now they have a clothing brand called Delikatessen.

So, look after him.

That's fine, just stop.

I think that's pretty good.

A bit of salt.

I think that's pretty good.

We'll strain this.

Taste it. I think it's pretty good.

Do you have more plates?

You didn't tell me about the vinaigrette in the red salad.

Beetroot juice, pink radish juice,

soy sauce, lime.

Beetroot. Yes, okay.

Shall we do the next one?

Okay, grapefruit.

- Origami. - Nothing else?

The bouillon on top, cut with olive oil.

I can add something. For the moment, I took out...

the onion petals that we'll put on at the last minute.

Maybe a little pear. I only put one pear.

We'll cut some more...

What do you think? Do I add more?

Seems very good to me.

This one's impossible to do.

When they're very slippery, they need drying properly.

It's more complicated than the foie gras.

Yes, it's slippery.

I thought it would be.

Once they're dry, we'll wrap them in caul.

I wonder if we should wrap them before drying them, in fact.

I think that's better.

Don't put them in the paper yet. Just put them on the sheet.

- That one's no good. - Yes, I'll redo it.

But that happens, Paul. You just have to retouch them a little.

Get them out, put away the things you don't need.

Throw it out. We'll put a garbage pail there.

Is it full?

- Where are the pastry chefs? - There.

Hey, guys.

Do you have time to strain that, Clément?

The big...

- The big sieve? - No, the sheet with holes in.

I think that will do it.

Shall I put it in a GN tray?

- In a bag? - In a jar, please.

There's the vinaigrette to do, too.

We'll do it when we're back.

Make sure there are no clumps of egg on them.

No, it'll come up, it's on max. All good, Ali?

- Which table was it, guys? Table 2? - Yes, Chef.

I wonder if we should put the sauce...

- On top? - Yeah.

Don't mess around with sauce jugs.

- No, not on top. - Underneath.

- Not in a sauce jug. - Yeah.

Yes, I agree with you.

Shit, we didn't set the timer. How long ago did we put them in?

30 seconds.

Paul, are these good for you?

This one's not great.

They look good.

- The ceps on top? - Yes, spread them out a bit.

Another slip has come in here.

Antoine, we need some people, please.

Alright, 2 covers.

Two salads, followed by 2 pigeons, then 2 Saint Sophias.

If you'd like more wine, Madame, we also have this by the glass.

Is that good?

Is that enough?

There's really not much. I'll bring you another glass.

That would leave you a little dry. You're welcome.

Bon appétit in the meantime.

How long for you?

- For me, Chef? - No, for Oscar.

On to the next, Chef. Steak, salmon, 2 cabbage.

After that, we need to add 10.

Which table was that, Marie?

Table 1.

- Can you send out 9? - There's another one after that.

Okay, here we go. The big moment.

I'm doing the frogs.

- All good, Léo? - Good for me.

What? Shit, can you come with me?

- Here. - Yes.

Right, go.

Next one.

Ali, you have some to go out. Table 7's going to go out.

- Dishes for 7, please. - Thank you.

We'll do 9 and 7, Paul.

We'll do 21, 17, 9, and 7.

Which do you want, Chef?

I'm going to heat it up now.

You can put a spoon in it.

There's no panna cotta with it?

No, it's just that.

Service, please.

The appetizer is surprising with the fruits.

Yes, it's surprising. I've been working on it for a while.

I've spent every afternoon for a month on it.

It has a lot of fruit in it, it's quite fresh,

each mouthful is different.

It's quite unusual, sweet and sour, almost sweet.

Yes. It could almost be a dessert.

That's what I said to my father. The haddock is a bit of a contrast.

- You're so like your father. - It's incredible.

- I look like my father? - No, you have his voice.

Oh right, the voice.

I spend too much time with him. I shouldn't, so my voice will change.

I was saying, he really has his dad's voice.

But his mom's face.

I have a meeting with him on Friday mornings.

I've taken on his mannerisms.

No, no, I'm kidding.

- I'm kidding. - It's funny, huh?

Voices are funny like that.

The voice and the gait, too.

People always say he looks like his father, which is true…

It's not obvious.

But I think he has Marie-Pierre's face.

With a beard!

I try hard not to look like him.

I started growing my hair 18 months ago.

We choose to raise our own animals, even though it takes time and energy.

So here, the young...

Males or females?

Yes. These are all females.

They're all females.

They stay with their mothers until what age?

For the first week, they drink their mother's milk,

because it has colostrum, all the antibodies.

It's good for them and their gut flora,

so they develop well.

And then, our profession is making a living from our goats,

so we don't share, we take the milk for ourselves,

and the kids are raised on organic cow's milk.

- We buy it from a colleague. - Oh really? Alright.

And then they become independent, they feed themselves...

That's right.

They're over there, where there are a few males,

in their little enclosure, heated, with straw.

All the conditions are right for their well-being.

So, for two months they're...

They're monogastric, they only drink milk,

and then they're weaned and they eat hay complemented with cereals.

- After how long? - Two months. Alright.

And then they go to produce milk?

Then you have to wait seven months so they grow and become fertile.

At seven months,

we bring in a boyfriend and then there are five months of gestation.

The aim is that at a year old they're producing milk.

And then we incorporate them into the herd at that point.

And the boyfriend comes in how often?

Same with that, we work with the sun,

so when the days get shorter, which you notice at the end of July,

the goat comes naturally in heat.

Since we're organic, we respect their natural cycles

and we bring in the billy goat at that point.

We bring him in in August.

- Once a year? - Only once a year, yes.

So how do you produce cheese all the time?

The thing that starts milk production is having a baby.

The baby will be born around February 1st usually.

Then the goat will lactate for 10 months.

Lactating for 10 months?

Lactating for 10 months, and by her fifth month of lactating...

she'll be gestating again from the billy,

and the last two months of gestation are her maternity leave.

She can rest, her teats can rest, and she makes colostrum for the baby.

Go on, Plume, move up, move up.

There are more of you than usual.

- Compressed air? Or how does it work? - Yes, it's suction.

- It's a cooler temperature in here. - It's 14°C.

14°C and 80% humidity.

These are the stages of maturity with the dates on them.

Right, that's it, exactly.

Do we have the very fresh ones like this?

- Do we offer these on the cheese board? - Yes.

- Before they form the skin like this? - Yes.

- These are the ones we give you. - That's very fresh.

You can taste the difference.

So, you salt them afterward, on the surface?

They're not salted in the milk, in the body?

No, no. You can do it.

It depends. We sometimes make faisselle.

And a faisselle, for us, isn't salted.

So, from our basic curd, we make all the cheeses we want.

- And we salt them as we make them. - I see.

So, it's salted on the surface and it seeps in to an extent.

The very fresh ones like this have half a gram of salt,

so it's not dominant.

If you want to add more, you can.

But the salt does various things.

It helps to bring out some of the liquid,

and it preserves the cheese, too.

- Then it forms a little crust. - Yes.

And then… I'll help myself.

And above all it adds a seasoning.

- With no salt, it's like it's wrong. - That's right.

Then you can always add salt.

You can start by adding a little.

With no salt, you can taste other things.

And when you add the salt, it rounds all that out.

The salt is indispensable.

- What temperature is it at here? - It's 20°C.

I would have thought the temperature was a little higher.

Because it's very nice on the palate.

A warm temperature

that works with the mouth temperature.

Yes, that's true.

It's this roundness, so it…

You said goat's milk is low in fat, but it feels like there's fat,

because there's a smoothness.

- Yes, you can feel it, that's true. - As though the two are in harmony.

Come, come, come!

Come on, Biquette.

Bell peppers.

These are carrots, in the grass but they're young carrots.

Pointed cabbage, oxheart tomatoes.

Climbing beans here.

Right here.

We'll look in the other one. There are some but they're very small.

- They're like creepers. - These are the first flowers.

I might have two or three in the other greenhouse.

In 10 days they'll be out.

Then it climbs up to the top of the greenhouse and hangs down.

We use stepladders to pick them up to this height.

We don't pick them up there.

- It hangs back down? - A little, yeah.

It looks a bit like vanilla.

Sometimes we go into the middle to pick.

But we mostly pick from the outside. And reach in.

- You can come through 10 times. - Oh yes, you always miss some.

It likes the sprinkler, the watering on the leaves.

They like plenty of water

So I water them and there's the dripline.

But it's already damp.

You can see it's still moist here.

The dripline is here.

And I water a bit on top, too.

With a micro-spray.

Especially when it's very hot. The hotter it is, the more we spray.

Are there male and female flowers?

No, all the flowers give fruits, give beans.

- The flowers taste good, actually. - It's funny, it looks like vanilla.

- Vanilla is in the orchid family. - Yes.

It's not the same family. This is a legume.

Like peas, broad beans, fava beans...

The tubes go in two weeks before we plant.

In two weeks, we gain 3°C in soil temperature.

We put the tubes in in January or February, when the soil is at 11°C.

By February 15th or 20th, it's at 14°C.

It's especially important for tomatoes because below 14°C they don't germinate.

You plant a tomato in the soil and it won't germinate, it won't grow,

because the soil is too cold.

So, we've seen the effects on soil temperature and on precocity,

because that's also what we're after.

I plant a single row, but two strands.

We use grafted plants for soil diseases

and for vitality, but that doesn't make them fruit earlier.

A normal plant will fruit earlier than a grafted plant.

And what do you mean by grafted?

There's a rootstock, which is a nightshade,

the same one for tomato, eggplant and bell pepper.

It's resistant to soil diseases and makes the plant more vigorous.

That's the interest for us.

Okay.

And as it grows you twist it around...

Right.

These are already really high.

Do you cut them a little to lighten the plants?

Yeah, we cut off some fruits, the ones you saw over there.

If you want to take some, help yourselves.

We take off some leaves to aerate and help them ripen.

But you see here, I lost some flowers. That was last week's heatwave.

Will you have fruit right up there?

Yes, this is the fourth or fifth flower head.

Yes, I'll get fruit up to around here.

We're organic, so it's not hydroponic or intensive growing.

We don't fertilize them while they're growing.

We add compost, manure, organic matter before planting, and that's it.

Then, you can do things with liquid fertilizer from plants.

- Spray it on? - Spray it on to help them but...

But while they're growing we don't add any other fertilizer.

So, you get big tomatoes to start with

and as you go up the plant they get smaller,

but that doesn't mean they're not good.

How many kilos do you get from a plant?

Oxheart tomatoes give a huge yield.

I hope for... The cobra is pretty good, too.

Seeing the size of these tomatoes...

Here, I'm getting 3 kg from the first flower head.

I hope to get 12 kg.

12 or 15 kg.

There are some really big ones at the bottom.

There's a bit of blossom-end rot, so these are unsaleable.

Is this what he wants?

Ideally, small ones, so you have some skin.

Yeah, that's the thing.

This kind of size.

So, he has these strings hanging down,

and he clips them on.

And it goes all the way down.

CHEESE RIPENING COMPANY

Ripening cheeses means taking them from all over France, selecting them,

getting them from farmers, small dairies,

some slightly larger cheesemakers.

We take batches of cheeses, bring them here,

and ripen them in our cellars.

We care for them.

The first care we take of all the cheeses is turning them,

and then we rub them, brush them, wash them.

You'll see all the ripening methods we use in the cellars.

Then we decide when a cheese is perfectly aged,

older doesn't necessarily mean better.

There's a peak.

Each cheese in each season

has its moment of truth, and that's when you need to sell it.

So you have to manage that and that's the hardest part.

Take the cheese, ripen it, and then sell it when it's good.

Those are the three jobs.

We also use this room to slow things down.

It's very cold, which slows the ripening of the cheeses.

Some lactic curd cheeses we get are very fresh.

Sometimes we have to dry them off,

because there's too much humidity on the cheese.

It's the main issue with goat cheeses. If it's too wet it will be bitter.

So, what we do when we have a cheese

that will be too bitter and a little too moist,

we put it in here.

It's a bit rough on the cheese, so you have to keep a careful eye,

but it's dry and ventilated, so it will dry it out.

But it doesn't dry the inside of the cheese, only the outside.

You'll see why I mention that difference.

Step that way, move over toward the door.

The first thing we use is the dryer,

to take the humidity from inside the cheese.

With lactic curd cheeses, all of them,

we get them fresh, they're two or three days old at the most,

and we put them in this room for 24 to 72 hours.

This room does two things.

One is taking the humidity out of the cheese.

There's an evaporator with a heating element and the air circulates.

The air is heated, which evaporates the water contained in the air,

and that causes a drying inside the cheese.

Nine times out of 10, especially for lactic curd cheeses,

they come from fermenting milk,

so it's acidic, when the cheese arrives here it's very acidic.

To grow the molds that make the crust you have to make them less acidic.

The molds come from fungi and bacteria,

and these molds, fungi, and bacteria live in a neutral environment,

so we have to increase the pH, break that acidity,

and we do that with yeasts, like in beer.

We put them here, the yeasts grow, and we dry the cheeses out a little.

Once the job is done here, after 12 to 72 hours,

they go to the cellars, which are colder and much more humid,

because the job of ripening is to ripen it, not to dry it out.

In your fridge, it dries out. In a cellar, it ripens.

That's the big difference.

These are Barriquets. You may have had it.

- It's a dairy cheese. - We've started again here.

A soft crust that's washed or smeared, it depends how...

Cheese techniques are vague to define.

He will wash them four times.

He washes it to encourage the yeasts, rub them in and add some nutrients.

This is salt water and a little annatto.

Annatto is a natural colorant that adds this slightly orange color.

That terracotta orange color you see on a cheese

is a bacteria characteristic of soft cheeses from northern France,

and it's called Brevibacterium linens.

It has a strong smell and colors cheeses orange.

Langres, Époisses, Maroilles, Munster...

- What's the bacteria called? - Brevibacterium linens.

Or B-linens for short sometimes.

So, we do four washes and ripen them for 5 to 8 weeks.

It's very creamy. You can almost eat it with a spoon.

It's a divine cheese.

How much time do you leave between washes?

Often three times a week.

It depends on the cheese. The larger cheeses...

the first three weeks, it's every day, then it lessens.

Over time it goes down to once a week.

These, three times. Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

These are Gaperons that come in fresh. They've just left the mold.

They'll start blooming, like a Brillat-Savarin or a Camembert.

It blooms, it forms a crust, and then the proteins get to work

until it's mostly covered and it gets a nice yellow crust.

Yellow is a good sign in a cheese. It's a bloom called chrysosporium.

No one's really able to say what it adds to the flavor.

What we do know, the reason we like it,

is that it will only develop in really great conditions.

So, it means everything's right.

Good levels of salt and humidity,

right temperature, the cheese will soon be ready.

It's a good sign.

I can't tell you what it adds in terms of flavor,

but it means everything is right for it to grow,

and that's a good thing.

Earlier, we were talking about the red.

This is the same family as the yellow.

Characteristic of cheeses from the Pyrenees.

It's turning red, it will make large red spots,

a bit furry.

And it's a good sign.

Ossau-Iraty is a ewe's milk cheese.

You can see the care we take of these cheeses.

These are called "smeared," rubbed with salt water

and sometimes a cocktail of bacteria.

I take the oldest and best-looking cheese in the cellar,

I rub it first and then I rub all the others with that.

The veterinary service hates it, cheesemakers love it.

It's called reseeding.

Beaufort is one of the last cheeses made like that today.

When it's made, they keep some whey,

they boil it the next day and use that to reseed the next day's cheese.

So, they use their own native bacteria to reseed each day's cheese.

Like a sourdough starter in bread.

But if you rub all the cheeses with the same solution,

a health problem in one batch means the whole cellarful has to...

be disposed of.

So, there are techniques.

You choose one cheese per batch, put batches together...

These are normally used on old cheeses that present very few health risks.

The older the cheese, the lower the humidity,

so it becomes relatively acidic again at the end of the ripening,

so bacteria have difficulty growing inside it.

If you eat the cheese without the crust, there's no risk.

Comtés go up to 40 or 45 months, and then it gets tough.

We get Comtés at eight months

and take them up to 12, 18, 24, 30, depending on the quality.

I could show you a very old Comté whose taste, just talking about taste,

is great, really great,

but in terms of texture it's floury and dry.

Well, that's no good, I'd rather have a good aged Parmesan,

which is dry but I know why, it's a cheese that's meant to be dry,

and it's strong because it's aged 3 or 4 years

and it was made to be aged that long.

Out of 100 rounds of Comté, you might find two that can go to 40 months.

Comté these days is kept in a cellar for a month or two,

sometimes three, following the older methods,

and then it's kept at 6°C.

Consumers today want many months of aging,

they want Comtés aged 30 months, 36 months, 40 months...

And the only way for a cheese to keep that long, especially a summer milk,

is to cool it down,

slow down what's happening so you can keep it longer.

That's what's done now,

so all the Comté cellars today are kept at around 6°C.

We have them at 8 or 9°C, which carries a certain risk.

There's some swelling, some cheeses crack,

because there are lots of different bacteria and molds in the milk

which will multiply.

The lower the temperature, the smaller the range of bacteria.

Higher means more.

So we're taking something of a risk,

but then we're rewarded with cheeses that have an unbeatable flavor.

There's a curve to ripening, peaking and dropping,

like in laying down wine.

But in cheese, there's the taste, which will keep developing,

and the texture, which will develop and then will deteriorate.

And it's very difficult with Comtés to get the two perfectly aligned.

You don't want a Comté that's floury and dry.

You want something that's not stretchy, but melts,

that's nicely acidic to add some crispness,

and you want some powerful, almost toasty aftertastes.

And they don't go together.

Beaufort...

This concave edge, characteristic of Beaufort,

comes from the wooden mold,

because they used to be made up in the high mountains

and they were brought down by mule.

So, they hung one mold on each side

with a rope around each mold to hold them.

And they kept that for the Beaufort PDO,

they asked to keep that.

It's tradition, no one lugs them by mule anymore.

You see the plaque clearly on the young ones.

25 is the day it was made and 11 is the vat number.

And if we scraped it we'd get the producer's number.

Talking about agroforestry on vineyards,

people replanting trees in the vines,

we naturally have hedges around the edges,

that support a diversity of fauna and flora.

And there are trees up there, so we won't plant trees in the middle.

We have these surroundings that bring biodiversity,

a really interesting diversity.

- Including fruit trees actually. - Right, the neighbor's fruit trees.

It's great.

They do a lot of good, they're very important.

Even just in terms of looking at the landscape.

It's not monotonous, there are other things to see

than just vines.

People used to enjoy that

and now we're getting back to things being more balanced.

And you really feel it on the vines, on the parasites,

because there's a lot less pressure from mildew,

and there's a better balance of insects.

We haven't used an acaricide for years in the whole Côte Roannaise wine area.

We can use some organic insecticides but it's very rare that we do

because there's a balance created

and there aren't enough parasites to destroy the grapes, which is great.

Have you ever thought of growing lettuces between your vines?

Here, look. Yes, look.

Or chervil, or mint.

This is...

- That looks like a radish leaf. - It is radish.

These are radishes we planted... This row was sown this year.

It's rough like a radish leaf.

It's radish.

Vine radishes.

- These aren't broad beans, are they? - They were fava beans.

Oh, fava beans, right.

This is clover that self-seeded.

This is rye that we sowed.

The clover self-seeded.

And I'm looking for the field peas but I can't spot them.

They obviously didn't grow here but we do have some field peas.

- Dandelion. - Yeah.

But that's the diversity we're looking for.

But I can't spot them now.

The field peas didn't grow here. Maybe further up.

You're looking for... Can it also happen naturally?

Or does it spread because you guide it, in a way?

Yes, this we actually sowed to bring things back.

In fact, we need a real diversity of plants,

so we bring other things in

that get established without competing with the vines too much.

To have ground cover without competing with the vines.

I can't find my field peas here. In other vines, I do.

So, it can compete with the vines, take too much energy from the soil?

If we left the grass for years, tufts of grass like that, Michel...

If you left grasses like that for several years

the vines would be on their knees.

It would draw too much water out of the soil?

In the summer, when we're short of water,

the grass takes it first and the vines don't get it.

But they're not at all at the same depth.

Its roots are near the surface, while the vines go deeper.

Yes, but when it gets dry in summer, the grass takes it first

and the water doesn't seep down.

So, you need that balance, some grass but not too much,

so your grapes are healthy and your vines are not too tired.

A vine that's tired and doesn't yield much

gives grapes that are unbalanced.

It's funny, because wine is all about the soil.

And we went to see a cattle farmer at Ouches, Monsieur Chaize.

He said the same thing as you about his cattle.

For him, it all starts with the soil.

- The meat quality comes from there. - The pasture.

If you have a soil that's depleted and lifeless...

your vines just depend on fertilizers that you have to add to sustain them,

and it's not the same soil quality or soil characteristic.

So, if you want vines to reflect the quality of your soil,

you need a living soil.

And you have to work for it.

You have to feed it, have some grass but not too much,

you have to look after it, but I don't think...

There's a trend today of doing nothing to the soil.

But when your vines get too tired, it's very complicated then.

Man is there to give that balance.

Leave some grass but not too much, harrow,

step in when the weather and your observation dictate.

Right now, the vines need more light. They're a very light yellow.

They need a little more light.

Luckily, we're going to get more light and they'll get stronger.

It's important. If they don't get enough light we have to add silica.

It's not a polenta. It's chopped tomatoes.

Instead of the piece of meat there are some chopped tomatoes.

The cornflakes are to put on the dessert, on the panna cotta.

I need some more panna cotta, please.

The soups are to eat cold.

Keep the panna cotta in the fridge until this evening.

And these are the little cornflakes to go on top.

The breads need to be reheated.

Set your oven to 180°C.

Leave the paper on, so the bread doesn't burn,

the paper around the sandwiches.

Just heat them for five minutes, that's all.

17 times 4, that makes €68, please, Madame.

Monsieur, two full menus, is that right? €34, please.

Yes, we have onions.

We're fine.

- We still have enough. - We've done 70 covers.

- I don't know how many we've done. - I need more panna cotta, guys.

- Here, sir. - Is there cutlery?

There's everything you need. The soup, you can just drink.

The sandwich doesn't need cutlery

and for the panna cotta, you have cutlery and cornflakes.

- Great, thank you. - Bon appétit. Bye.

You check it's straight.

- Shall we push the bed back? - Yes. Here we go.

- We don't have an iron. - No, we don't have an iron.

A KIND OF NOBLE ROT

Here. This one's for you, Michel.

And I'm going to give you...

How are you? On form?

Glasses all wine-coated, that's good.

Number 1. So, César, I was saying I redid number 1 and number 2.

- There were three batches. - We chose number 3, didn't we?

Either 2 or 3. You weren't sure.

So, you haven't done a new blend. This is the same blend we tasted.

The two that are still possibilities.

They're just two months older.

Right, exactly.

- So, two months in what? - In the vat.

Partly in a concrete vat, partly in a wooden vat.

Is that your glass?

I think we have one too many.

This is number 2?

- Or is it 3? - It's 1.

It's slightly reduced.

- You can taste the reduction. - You have to overlook that.

Overlook that.

It's bitter in the mouth.

- A reduction concentrates that. - The reduction adds some bitterness.

There's a taste of green tannins, slightly clingy,

which needs a little more time to round off.

That's the slightly clingy tannin.

For 2021, which wasn't a sunny year, there's a good mature fruit flavor.

And there isn't that taste of vegetation, I don't think.

That vegetation or pyrazine taste, as it's called.

It's actually quite mature.

It tastes of fruit and granite...

- There is that concentrated taste. - Of a Roannais.

And it's more distinct.

It's going well. It's all there. And it's getting better.

Compared to two months ago when we tasted, they were closer,

but now there's a clear divide.

- This is number 2? - Yes.

- Do you still have any 2020 in stock? - Yes.

I've kept you some, so we won't move onto the 2021 before September.

So, there'll be enough for 2023.

I'll keep them at my place instead.

That's what we have to do.

So, Friday is possible,

but again, only one night because we're full on Saturday.

Or at the Colline du Colombier, where we have our cottages,

they do accommodation for two nights.

If that might be more suitable for you.

Yes, of course. We can organize a gourmet meal.

The touch you have with the decor is...

- I don't know, it's just natural. - Do you work with an architect?

No. Well, at the beginning we worked with Patrick Bouchain.

We built everything, but then the objects are our own.

Which they have to be, otherwise it's not human.

It's wonderful. But where do you find these objects?

- That's the secret. - New York.

I went to the antiques district in New York and there wasn't a lot.

People told me to go to this district and I didn't find anything...

Maybe close to…

I don't remember but I was disappointed, it was really...

I find things all over. Flea markets, Emmaüs...

- I don't know. Anywhere. - It's incredible.

Every time I go somewhere, I bring something back, too.

Nothing for myself, just for the clients.

It doesn't matter.

- It's really wonderful. - It's interesting, too.

Yes, I don't know, there are things…

I mean, the house needs to be alive.

The idea wasn't to make a hotel that...

With a lot of money you can make a beautiful hotel

but it can be very boring.

You have objects chosen by a decorator but they're not your own.

I think if you've chosen something...

That's what I noticed. I've been coming four or five years...

Yes, it's aging well.

You can see that the house has taken on a life of its own.

With the flowers, the furniture, all sorts of things.

It's starting to feel settled, not forced.

It's wonderful. Congratulations.

I already feel like it's missing an element here.

And the garnish is the fennel.

Yeah, alright.

- You can really taste it. - The reduction was a little spicy.

Too spicy, I think. There was too much sriracha.

We put quite a lot in.

A bit too much sriracha.

But what's good is that you really taste the passion fruit.

I mean, people will taste it before diving in.

Yes, too much. You need less sriracha because...

- It's really very... - You can put it on the table.

Yes, that's fine, thanks.

You need to be more generous.

The quantity? We took some off. We had put a lot more.

No, honestly, there's some missing from the plate.

I don't know if that works.

This and that, I don't know if that works.

We can look at something else.

I'd rather have a taller pot,

and it needs more salt.

Give me a little sea salt.

But...

it's good.

The good thing is that it really tastes of passion fruit.

- I've had only good feedback. - Kidneys, I put 5 elements.

- Did you want a main dish portion? - No, no.

I just wanted to know, because the weight is a little small.

I think there's at least 180 g, easily.

There's an element missing. Well, I mean...

The weight scale is one thing but the plate is another.

When the plate arrives... There were five.

One, two, three, four, five. It needs six.

We don't usually put 6, though.

With 5, we're always over 200 g.

Do you have more of this, please? With less...

- Less sriracha. - I can't eat anymore.

You can really taste the passion fruit.

But yes, it's spicy.

A little too spicy.

But since the kidneys give out a lot of blood,

a lot of juice and a lot of blood, it really needs to be concentrated.

Do you want a taste?

You can taste the passion fruit.

You need some sauce with it.

It still needs more salt.

What do we have for this evening?

Not enough?

The spiciness...

I don't find it too spicy myself.

It's not too spicy. The sriracha is…

Do you find it too hot, Chef?

Yes, because I'm eating a whole plate of it.

Between a mouthful and a plateful…

Eating a whole plate, for me, my mouth is too hot.

The clients don't usually take as much as you did.

You put all the reduction on it.

Often when we clear away, there'll be some reduction left.

- No. - Yes.

If he puts this much sriracha in it,

I would tend to... Just to follow what you were saying.

I would tend to put more sauce on it.

- This isn't enough for me. - Okay.

Because I love the taste of passion fruit.

I find it so...

There's the acidity and at the same time it has a lot of charm.

It has a lot of depth, it's very...

The flavor is very light and at the same time it transports you.

To come back to the presentation, Chef.

Something needs to be done.

We come with the plate, there are the elements, the garlic.

And the reduction but...

It's almost minimalist. Is that what the client expects?

I've never had any bad feedback but Thierry and I were wondering.

It's an à la carte price, so it has a certain price tag.

- Put what? - Pardon?

- Put what? - I don't know.

White asparagus, maybe. César.

Jean-Philippe's right, when the plate was presented to me it was a bit empty.

- Well... - Yes, but wait.

- You're the one... - Yes, yes.

- Maybe there's a compromise here. - It has some fennel and onions.

No, but when you eat it it's very nice.

- It has this aspect... - And there's the garnish.

There are no hangers-on

softening the taste of the sauce,

so I find it very nice, but to look at...

What if we put some strips of white asparagus?

I'm just saying that, it could be...

You know, just al dente, a little bite to them.

And put a few of them on to dress the plate.

But would white asparagus go with this?

Passion fruit and asparagus, we tried that the day before yesterday.

It will dilute the taste a little, inevitably.

You're adding an element...

But less than the pieces of fennel...

- Like a carpaccio. - Or it could be...

Strips of white asparagus marinated in passion fruit.

If you like.

So, blanched...

Blanched and put in passion fruit juice.

- We can try it. - They'd just be... I don't know.

Not too long, so they're easy to take.

- We can make a few. - You'd rather see a sauce boat, Chef?

Do you taste a smoky flavor in this? I'm getting a smoky flavor.

Did he add a smoked chili or is it the sriracha?

There's a smoky flavor on my plate.

This isn't what we usually do.

- It is. - Is it?

Well, I don't know, that's the thing.

- It's not usually so reduced, is it? - No, and not usually so hot, is it?

- I was saying to the chef. - No, but just tasting it like that...

He was a bit heavy on the chili.

The only "negative" feedback I've had is that it was too spicy, so...

But it depends on each person's palate and their sensitivity.

- It's too spicy but when you eat it... - Yes, it's an ensemble.

It's still too spicy, my mouth is burning,

but it's a lot less spicy.

No, I don't taste a smoky flavor.

It needs some changes, but that said, I enjoyed it.

I find it very good.

Also, when we explain... I know I explain what it is but...

- I'm afraid a client will say... - We'll try it with asparagus.

Can I have 4 snail, Pantry Chef?

Four asparagus.

Are the aperitifs for 2 going out? Service, please.

Take out the 2 aperitifs.

Table 7.

Four scallops.

Four scallops.

Three asparagus.

That's table 2, Clément.

Four shellfish on 2.

You need to change that water for your spoons.

Amuse-bouches for 2, please.

Amuse-bouches for 4. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2 à la carte with 1 tart and 1 frog,

1 turbot, 1 John Dory,

followed by 1 rare beef and 1 kidney. It's VIP, please.

Ladies and gentlemen, 2 Grands Menus.

The table has one person gluten-free, 2 asparagus, one gluten-free, please.

Then, ladies and gentlemen, 4 covers, set menus,

with 4 Grands Menus, please.

Four scallops.

Two times two.

Two times two, Oscar.

Right, 4 asparagus. Amuse-bouches VIP.

Shall we get started, Oscar?

Give me 30 seconds, please. Léa, are the à la carte onions ready?

Four covers, please. Four Grands Menus.

We have 2 snails, 2 salmon with sorrel, 1 well done.

The whole menu well done for one, a pregnant lady.

In the butter first?

When they go out we'll roll them in butter, a little salt,

and we'll set a plate with the beef.

I'll take it home.

They're not demanding it but they soon will be.

I'm ready with the kidneys.

When you're ready with the scallops and the John Dory.

We have to send the tart and the frog first?

- There's 1 frog first, à la carte. - Yes, go for it.

We need to do the tart and the frog first.

The garlic flowers, Léa, please.

Alright, I need 8 asparagus, VIP.

Right, guys, if I put these back in the butter, they need to go out.

Wait a little, Chef.

Okay, get on with the frog, Oscar!

Do you have the sauce? Passion fruit.

Yes, they're both over there, Chef.

Still nothing?

It'll be quick.

Right, I'm doing it.

Damien, plate, please.

Shall I get the sauce jug ready, Chef?

Do you see how much blood that gave out?

Huh? Crazy, huh?

Right, let's go.

So, make sure you put...

Put the rounded side up.

This thing's a pain in the ass. Here!

There are 7 or 8 pieces.

- The garlic cloves. - They're on the pass, Chef.

The sauce. Give it to me.

That's it, put the garlic cloves on. Every other one.

Spread them out a little.

That's it. Come here.

Do you have the butter, please?

Try to make a central point.

See, your kidneys aren't centered.

Ladies and gentlemen, 3 covers à la carte

with 1 turbot, 1 frog, 1 vegetable dish,

then 2 lamb primavera medium rare and 1 beef rare.

It's Monsieur and Madame Fischer, please.

I need someone here, please.

Clean the edges of the plates from the other side, please.

Alright, let's go. Come on.

Did you find the rau ram? Where was it?

In the herb box. But it doesn't look great.

- Did you put it on ice? - I put a few leaves on ice, Chef.

Very good, Floris.

Service, please.

Which one's the more cooked? This one?

I think so.

Give it a flash at the top of the salamander.

Service, please.

Is it needed now?

I don't like it when it's swimming in it.

Oscar, there are too many in this pan.

I can't stand this, Oscar.

This is exactly what I said to you this morning.

There are too many snails in one pan.

They need to be fried, caramelized. Look at this.

This isn't how it is at all.

Pour it on the cabbage.

Did you empty the pan?

Yes, Chef, but they're the first so they didn't ooze much.

Service, please. John Dory on the pass.

Now, 2 asparagus.

Let's go, guys. Let's get moving. Go on, prepare your sauce.

That's the thing with cuisine.

It's funny, huh?

It's just chance.

Chance.

It's hard to explain in English. Already in French...

Thank you, Michel, for making the effort.

In the tall grass. Bon appétit à vous.

We've made you a dish with crayfish and shiso,

the red herb you have on top there.

It tastes like cumin, a light cumin flavor.

This dish is by my son, César.

He put it together. The shiso is from the garden.

The shiso is prepared with vinegar, as you'll find,

so it's not to be eaten by itself, it should accompany the preparation.

It's a seasoning, a seasoning herb.

I'll wish you bon appétit.

Just to let you know, if you take the set menu we can either add it...

Yes, that's right.

Either add it or swap the John Dory,

the fish initially included in the menu,

or if you take it à la carte it can be an appetizer, a main dish,

as you like.

In any case, we knew in advance so... I'll leave you to read and I'll be back.

We're very proud of our kitchen, we like to show it off.

We know people enjoy it and at the same time

our cooks enjoy seeing the clients.

We get to know each other, at least by sight.

We can put faces to the table number.

It's important that...

You have the reassurance of seeing the kitchen,

and the cooks are happy to put your faces to the table number.

- It changes things. - Absolutely.

It creates a connection.

So, that's the original cork. Original bottle, original cork.

That's fine. Uh... That's fine.

I believe we've tasted these bottles. Let's do it.

The level was low.

Some of the original corks were...

They were at the very end.

- That's fine. - So, I'll change one of them.

It's an airy soufflé with a dash of amaretto for the alcohol,

served with an almond panna cotta and raisins marinated in ginger

to balance it all out.

Perfect.

But you were inspired by Japan. I remember 12, 13, 14 years ago.

I was lucky to have visited Japan very early,

so maybe I saw and tasted...

I was one of the first, as the son of Pierre Troisgros,

and my dad often visited Japan so I was opened up to that culture,

to Japanese flavors,

maybe a little earlier than chefs of my generation.

I had that good fortune, so in that way...

I was inspired by that, maybe 25 years ago already,

and I was even labeled at that time...

People said: "Michel Troisgros is a bit heavy on Japan."

And I didn't even realize it.

I didn't realize I had that Japanese inspiration.

It's just that I liked so much the things I was given to eat there

that I brought ingredients back with me,

and then I tried to interpret those ingredients in my own way in Roanne

in our kitchen,

and I enjoyed how I was doing things.

And people said of me, well before Thierry Marx,

who has a strong Japanese culture...

I don't like his cuisine so much.

I don't know his cuisine. But he's very inspired by Japan.

He goes there often.

And also, unlike me, he's a real judo athlete.

He's a judoka.

- He goes and trains there. - They're not mutually exclusive.

Anyway, bon appétit. Thank you.

- And how are you? - How are you, Michel?

We're very happy to see you again.

Very happy to welcome you back.

- We missed it. - So, you've left the house behind?

- For the evening. - Just for the evening?

We've just come to your place.

We've done 250 km, we'll eat and then head back.

Don't you leave it to the boys a bit now?

- Oh, completely. - Right, you're retired. Okay.

But we love the job so much, we still keep a hand in.

They're always saying: "Why don't you take a trip?"

We can't help ourselves. We're happy doing the job we love.

- Especially you. - Yes.

You're a bit ahead of me.

- You know, in that sense... - Yes, in terms of age.

Yes, right.

Getting out but above all handing over responsibility.

You've given your sons complete responsibility,

so you're ahead of me.

I think about it but I still can't quite...

I've given a lot of responsibility, delegated the kitchen completely

to César but...

Out of courtesy he still comes...

Or out of kindness.

Maybe also because sometimes

he's looking for the best creative solution.

With his chefs, he might have discussions that give him a solution,

but he also comes to me sometimes, not always.

We have a meeting every morning but...

You're still the main person for the vines.

The wine, for the boys, is...

They have to put their stamp on the wine.

And you accept that, even if it's not how you would do it.

Yes, but they do better than me, so it's easy to accept.

- Really, I prefer their wine to mine. - It's good to recognize that.

- You prefer their wine to yours? - Yes, our vines are older now.

When we started, we planted them. The vines were young.

Now, the vines are more mature. They're 40, 50, 60 years old.

So, the plant matter is more...

And the cellar materials count for a lot...

And what they do in the vine growing, in the care for the vines, too,

is different than you?

Their knowledge of the soil.

No, the soil and the plants…

I've been working these plants for 57 years.

I think I know a little, but I don't know it all.

I don't know if I was a precursor, but this plant interested me a lot.

When Florent joined in 2001...

Uh, 199...

He was born in 1980, so 2001.

He started doing biodynamics. He was very focused on that.

His brother followed suit very quickly.

And I realize, with their biodynamics, they do far better than I did.

- It's good to recognize that. - I approve of their vines.

And generally,

the people taking over now, today's young winemakers,

have winemaking and growing methods

that are just extraordinary.

- It's a renaissance in vines and wine. - Absolutely.

It's radical but it's wonderful.

We just tasted a Bellivière as an aperitif.

From Nicolas. It was extraordinary.

You know, I'm almost tempted to say the same thing for cuisine.

Again, I haven't taken that step yet of leaving without really leaving...

But I'm not yet... Aren't you a year older than me?

- He's 70. - A lot more than that. A lot more.

So, I still have some time.

No, but you're actually ahead... Those amuse-bouches earlier...

The vivacity, the acidity...

That's César, that's César.

Well, listen, don't change a thing.

We often come back here because that's what we like.

- Like the minerality in a wine. - Then you'll like this.

You'll like this pear and shellfish appetizer,

which you should eat quickly, because you need to break the ice.

It's very fine and it adds freshness.

But below that you have the vivacity of a vinaigrette, let's call it,

which is softened by the sweetness of the pear

and the saltiness of the shellfish.

- Madame? - So...

I'll taste your Cathar goat cheese.

- And with that? - The local there was...

- This is the Comtesse de Vichy. - Yes, right.

Do small portions because she's going to have a lot.

- Is she going to take the whole cart? - She'll take the whole cart.

And above that?

That's a blue goat's cheese.

And with that, Madame?

Well, the Comté...

- It's an aged Comté... - No, the Salers.

She's not going to stop.

Well, hey…

She loves cheese.

Take another 10 of them.

The Barriquet is good.

It's from our cheesemonger. He makes it.

- It's quite creamy, you'll see. - Alright. That's it.

Is that all?

There's still this, this and this.

- To go with your cheese... - One of those two.

- There's a little preserve as well. - One more.

Pumpkin and orange, or cherry and mustard.

- Which would you prefer, Madame? - Cherry.

No, I put both on anyway.

What was that one there?

One more on the tray.

- The cured goat's cheese? - No, in front.

- The Cathar? - You had that one.

- Selles-sur-Cher. - No, behind that.

- Fiancé des Pyrénées? - Yes, that one. A little of that.

- Bravo, César. - We'll do this again.

- It's interesting. - You've never eaten fried artichokes?

No, never. The way you presented them, they're really...

- You can eat it all, the leaves... - It's very airy.

The incredible thing with artichoke is the lingering taste.

You'll see.

In fact, it's very complicated with the wine,

pairing it with asparagus.

Sommeliers are always...

It's complicated with this lingering flavor

that's not there when you eat it but it comes later.

It's very specific to the artichoke.

Welcome. You've chosen the Grand Voyage,

the Food and Wine Pairings.

We have chosen the Grand Voyage.

With each course, I'll give you some technical explanation

of the wines, the whys and wherefores of choosing that wine with that dish.

And there's a progression. We've really worked on the pairings.

I'll interrupt because some wines have been added, I haven't noted them.

These are some current pairings that I like to put together sometimes,

just a little touch to taste, especially with the curry.

There'll be a John Dory flower with a green curry.

- I'll pair a young Puligny-Montrachet. - That's her favorite wine.

I'll give you a glass of Puligny-Montrachet

and with that a chardonnay from the Jura,

a chardonnay from the Jura that's aged in wood for three years,

so there'll be this oxidizing character of the Jura chardonnay,

and the Puligny-Montrachet,

expressing its minerality and its limestone.

When it comes to the cheese, I'll leave you to choose your cheeses,

and I'll orient you towards families of wines

that might be paired with those.

Those are the marriages that work. You choose depending on the partner.

Exactly. The cheese is a very important point.

I'll leave you time to choose your cheeses

and then I'll give you some advice on the wine for your plate of cheese.

So, gentlemen, next is another wonderful recipe from César,

sea bream with endives, tarragon,

also limequat, the Asian citrus fruit,

and miso, a miso reduction.

Enjoy.

- A kumquat, but lemony. - Exactly.

What I find remarkable is the excellent description you give.

I try my best. Thank you, Monsieur.

- We saw your son in the kitchen. - Yes, César. I have two sons.

César is the head chef here,

Léo is the head chef at La Colline du Colombier.

That's our second establishment, north of Roanne,

about 30 minutes away.

It's also a country inn

but more relaxed than here.

It's not Michelin-starred but it has plenty of charm.

It's very beautiful, at the end of a track in the countryside.

Different from here, it's the Brionnais, the Charolais,

there are valleys, cows everywhere, it's very beautiful.

So, Léo is over there.

And there's our daughter, we have three children.

César, Léo and Marion, our daughter, who's with us.

She works more in the hotel business,

the administration, reception, reservations.

Then there's Marie-Pierre, of course, my wife, who oversees it all.

Marie-Pierre oversees it all and makes the connection between us all.

She takes decisions and looks after the "beauty" side of the house,

the aesthetics, the care, the little details...

- Big details, too. - Including the construction work?

I understand you moved here not long ago.

Our friends told us that historically the restaurant was opposite the station.

That was 6 years ago. We moved in here 5 years ago.

We did a lot of construction because it wasn't a hotel-restaurant,

it was a house that belonged to a family,

and we bought it in 2012, around there.

We had to get it ready, remodel it,

and then the construction work lasted 2 years,

so we finally opened in February 2017.

The construction period was wonderful, that's why we made a little book.

- Did you see the book in your room? - Not yet, no.

Oh, you'll see, there's a little book that shows the construction,

with pictures of the companies, the artisans...

the architecture, too, that was being created,

both here and in the hotel, in the kitchens, all over.

At that time, we carried on running the business opposite the station.

We did all that in 4 or 5 years

that were very busy but very exciting at the same time.

Tiring, but at the same time thrilling, you might say.

We finally opened and it was...

I don't know how to put it, the wonderful feeling when we opened,

but at the same time it was difficult for me

because I was closing down the house where I was born,

in which my grandfather, grandmother, my father, my mother, and my uncle

had made their lives.

The life of the Troisgros family was there for over 80 years,

and I was putting an end to that but it wasn't the end.

It was sad and at the same time happy.

It's funny, I was torn between those two things.

It was hard to close a house where everything had happened,

but at the same time it was like opening new possibilities.

And I hadn't really foreseen that, what would happen.

Then, there was the moving-in, which took six weeks,

but as soon as it opened here, it was like doing my job differently.

- A renaissance? - No, but with more freedom.

I wasn't in my father's footsteps, I was taking new steps.

Like I was making my own path, you might say, my own trail.

And I hadn't foreseen that at all. That wasn't why we bought this place.

With Marie-Pierre and the children,

we bought it because we see it as the future.

Our two children were chefs, Marion hadn't joined us yet,

the two boys were chefs so we saw it...

We saw it as the place where they could grow.

In Roanne, space was tight, we didn't own it...

No, we didn't own it in Roanne.

It's incredible. We rented it for 86 years.

So, that was the thing, escaping that,

and at the same time, we saw their future and our future here.

Our future, to a certain extent, because we're 60 now,

but their future mainly.

But for me, it was refreshing,

a second wind, like a light.

And it freed up everything.

Attitude...

wellbeing, the freedom to cook...

And yet, everything I'd learned, all my past is here.

That's like the base. But somewhere new.

And did you change the menu or did you keep some..?

Not immediately, but over time.

Enjoying the countryside around us makes things happen.

They come, the inspiration is different from living in a town.

Living in the countryside every day, having a vegetable garden,

having a strong relationship with the countryside,

with the weather.

In Roanne, we were at the station... You never came?

It was all within those walls.

We shut out the outside, because it was all disturbance.

Outside, there were the cars, trains, scooters, the noise, city life.

But here is the opposite. We'd made that place like a citadel.

It was luxurious, but luxury in isolation, indoors.

But here, we can't say it's not luxurious, it is,

but just because the trees are beautiful,

the light is beautiful, the views...

Everything is beautiful.

This film was made in spring 2022.

After years of working with his father,

César Troisgros has taken the reins of the Bois sans Feuilles restaurant.

Léo intends to work independently in a place yet to be found.

With sincere thanks to the Troisgros family

for their help, understanding and generosity.

Thanks also to the teams at the Bois sans Feuilles,

the Colline du Colombier and the Central,

as well as their artisan suppliers, for their hospitality and openness.

Translation and subtitling: Craig Priestley - Le Joli Mai