hungryformore

four hands dinner (loic villemin and david toutain)

here we are , on the road again...

snacking on home made muesli on the train...i forget the yogurt...

m.e.p. 

hot hot day, no shoes in the dining room...

version 1 of peas and crab (loic's)...there was a strong and delicious broth too...aiden and i drank it before snapping a photo...

version 2 of peas (david's)...little guy decided to help pour...

yummm yummmm yummmmm

oishiiiiii

mushrooms and coffee...it really works...

foie gras, raspberries...i heart...

strawberries inpregnated (i think)...with hibiscus, parsley...

enjoying the next day's beautiful weather and eating...

momma and son

meat on the bones...yuuummmmmmmm yummmmm

 favorite moment...papa and son...

it was a successful dinner...david and loic's cuisine balanced very well together...thank  you to loic, his family and staff's generousity.  and must not forget steph, the boys and girls from agape substance...

 

you read more about the four hand dinner here by photographer/journalist, miss stephanie...

http://www.cookcooning.com/2012/05/29/aime-les-practices-culinaires-de-18-mets-et-4-mains-par-2-grands-de-demain-villemen-toutain/

 

 

behind the scene: shooting for akrame's project.

now worship me!!!! hahahhaha!  no, not me at all...

...been busy standing on table and shooting...  a special thanks to my crazy friend, stephanie for letting us use her beautiful kitchen studio and getting messy...all photos are shot by stephanie biteau, except the first one, by david toutain...  

 

In the country

the importances...

the importance of mise en place...

the importance of passion...

the importance of hard work...

the importance of finesse...

the importance of seasoning...

the importance of trussing...

the importance of organization...

the importance of beginning and ending...

 

Crillon Hotel. Christopher Hache.

william, mister sommelier. 

peas and mint. 

red mullet, lettuce heart, grosielle.

bar, algues, gnocchi, bok choy, sea grapes .

monkfish, noodles, chorizo "mussels," nasturtium.

luttée of foie, mushroom leeks.  what a beautiful piece of art!

am drunk on how good it smells...i lost my focus for a second...

okay, i'm back...lick. lick...

voila!!!

pork cheeks, cabbage tourte, and a generous amount of truffle sauce.  heaven, heaven.

volaille du Patis. 

fromages. there was one that tasted like lavendar...

fraise de  bois  vacherin.  

i think it was pineapple and lime ice cream...

banana, chocolate. all dessert were tasty!

chef christopher hache. my kind of chef portrait...not so much smiley.

did you see their website? the photos are magnificent! http://www.crillon.com/#flavours/jardin

agape substance.

my only few times at agape substance...this time with my friend,  stephanie biteau to celebrate a "little"  project we worked on together for apicius magazine!!! it was stephanie with a BIG heart who passed on such a dream opportunity to shoot frenchie's food, to me! i still think she's crazy, and i thank her for such a selfishless act...speechless...and the cool part is that stephanie wrote the article!!! yuppy!!! 

two hours to eat frenchie's food is not enough, and on top of that, stephanie and i are obsess with photographying everything we eat...or maybe it's just me with the obsession...a few of the last photos are shot with an iphone...not bad at all.

William Elliott. Westminster Hotel

 chef William Elliott at Westminister Hotel. so down to earth and humble....we took the train there on our weekend...David was the babysitter when i went to "work." you must go there for a visit...heard there's a beach around there too...

the dessert with avoado, yuzu, and sponge cake is so so satisfying...out of this world. everything else  just as delicious...merci maryse masse, pascaline, chef and the team for a dream day. and my frenchie too.  

 

http://www.westminster.fr/restaurant-le-chef-touquet

 

Spinach

Testing out blogging with my iPhone...spinach ready to be blanch... With tozasu and shaved bonito flakes...

Restaurant La Marine. Couillon Alexandre

 

once in a while, we get lucky and meet people who are  genuinely nice...and we did just that: chef Couillon Alexandre.  and his food rocks too. 

behind a good man, there is a good woman. his wife. the staff is quite lovely too...

foodies

little veggies tarlets.

not your typical mackerel and coffee. strange? yes. good? absolutely.

 oursin, reglisee, bergamote

 

blanc de seiche, navet, noix de coco

l'huitre au bouillon de lard, encornet

langoustine, petits pois, frambois. i heart. i heart. i heart.

betterave, chou fleur boucane aux aiguilles de pin. so dramatic.

asperge blance, agrumes, bois de cannelle

la lotte, panais, myrtilles au vinaigre d'argousier. the husband's favorite dish.

l'agneau de lait, concombre, jus d'etrille. yumm.

eucalyptus glace, algue, chocolat

foin, noix, sauge. it was so good...so balanced...in my head the sage will overpower the dish, but i so was wrong. 

they have a bistro right next door too. another reason to return.

i couldn't help myself...had to snap a few shots... 

 

there are a few hidden gems still undiscovered..this is one of them.  thank you chef, the team, and fulgurances.

take a look.  http://www.restaurantlamarine.blogspot.fr/

 

 

 

Rafa Costa E Silva

caught this beautiful, natural moment of rafa. 

talented, knowledgeable, respectful of nature, a leader, and quite funny, i met rafa at mugartiz restaurant in spain. he was one of my sous chefs. i was working with one of the best. what i remember most about him? push push and why is he always yelling at me? the good thing is, i didn't understand him most of the time, so it's all good. my secret to serviving in that kitchen? OVIDO! (that is how Rafa prounouce it). it means, I heard you, I understand you. i still remember the day when i sent out a piece of skate, and a server brought it back to the kitchen, with a bone. my heart sinks to the bottom of the floor... he didn't yell. the look he gave me was louder then any yelling...i understand and it pushes me to be better.

thank you rafa for showing me to never stop. and keep going even though some days i'm exhausted, physically and mentally. and that is what he did when we met again at an event for fulgurances in paris. it was a mugaritz reunion, with linda milagros violago, alejandro chavarro, and david toutain.  excited for your beautiful future and i can't wait to visit you and malena in your restaurant. it will be amazing....

 

where did you work?  Mugaritz – 5 years, Rene Pujol – 2 years, Vong – 1 year, Olivier Cozan – Rio de Janeiro,  Daniel(stage), Il Bariloto - NY

why did you decide to leave Mugaritz? Probably if Mugaritz was in Brazil I would work there most of my life but, it is the moment to spend some time at home.

food you want to cook in the future? Market food with avant-garde techniques, where the most important is to take advantage of almost 100% of the ingredient, the experience of the guest and sensations

favorite ingredient? or ingredients? Not really good on saying favorite of anything. But the ones that I like the most is the freshest ones, and most common.

where will your future restaurant be? Hopefully in Rio de Janeiro, but you never know.

3 words to describe your cooking? fresh, products, techniques.

favorite smell? ocean & mountain, not good on saying one favorite……

your current obsession? Try to use 100% of each ingredient, weird, no?

no, not at all. respectful.

your first child hood food memory?  Probably sucking sugar cane, eating fry tiny “manjubinha”(some typical fish from Brazil)………

what project are you doing now? A garden right next to my house, looking for a place and a partner for the restaurant, working with some producer from the country side of Rio de Janeiro……

first thing you do when you come home from  18 hour of work? Take a shower and sleep.