Interview with Anne-Sophie Pic, Chef and master restaurateur (three stars in the Michelin guide)
– Between tradition and innovation, what do you think are the must-haves for 2018 for end-of-year festive meals?
A.P:In my opinion, the chestnut remains a traditional staple of the holidays. It can be used both savory and sweet, and it remains a childhood memory for me. Today, they can be found cooked and shelled, making them easy to use in holiday recipes.
Citrus fruits also assert themselves as unavoidable by the very seasonality, and bring a note of freshness in both savory and sweet dishes which during the holidays are often richer than usual.
As for the innovative side, I think that honey and beeswax are products that are essential today and deserve to be integrated into end-of-year festive meals. You can use honey to deglaze a sauce, prolong the bitterness of a dish, give length in the mouth, or even give a shiny aspect to an element.
– Can you give us a taste of the menus of your restaurants for New Year's Eve, such as Anne-Sophie PIC, the restaurant or La Dame de Pic in Paris?
A.P:You will find my famous berlingots which for the holidays are available in Paris with brie de Melun, and a sparkling broth of Jerusalem artichoke and black truffle melanosporum, but also the Saint-Jacques de Normandie, which I am currently working on in Valence with bard dashi, Asian spinach, lovage and Beldi lemon.
– As a woman chef recognized among her peers, what are the particularities and what is the vision that you bring to the world of gastronomy today?
A.P:The vision that I wish to transmit to the world of gastronomy today is based on values such as transmission, sharing, listening and kindness.
For me, cooking is above all linked to emotion. A dish during its tasting must provide an emotion by the taste, the texture of the elements. The technique is certainly important, but the emotion remains first and essential.
Interview with Christophe MICHALAK, 2005 World Pastry Champion who is one of the most recognized chefs in his profession.
– Simplicity, taste and refinement, many are those who wish to make their festive meal an unforgettable moment. What pastry secrets could you share with us for a successful festive meal with family or friends?
C.M:The key word remains upstream organization. You have to put everything in place so that D-Day goes smoothly. A word of advice:also plan a light menu and not an extended menu and opt for dishes that are digestible and not gargantuan. My key motto is to keep it simple and effective so as not to keep a memory of severe digestion after endless hours at the table.
– What will be your 2018 recipe for Christmas and New Year's Eve?
C.M:A few tapas as an aperitif (Various taramasalata:smoked, yuzu, truffle), I'm simply crazy about it. Accompanied, of course, by toasted bread (Du Pain et Des Idées by Christophe Vasseur), a dish to share – cod brandade au gratin and olive coulis – with a few garnishes such as vegetables roasted with maple syrup, herb salad and its passion fruit vinaigrette and a lovely cheese platter. To finish, the traditional Yule log with a few candied chestnuts...Not bad, right?
– For those who would like to enjoy the art of a pastry chef, what dessert would you recommend ordering from your online store to celebrate the holidays in a small group?
C.M:Without hesitation, our yule log kit, to complete yourself, with a delicious box of candies, chocolates and marshmallows. The dream… quite simply!
– And for the curious:how, on a personal level, do you spend these festive evenings?
C.M:I always spend the holidays with my family and above all, in a good mood! It is for me the best time of the year and I share it well surrounded.
