Dinner with Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire
Dinner with Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire
Sponsored: We sit down with Chef Pierre Gagnaire of InterContinental Dubai Festival City to discuss the life, passion and new seasonal menu at Pierre’s Bistro and Choix Patisserie and Restaurant
Pierre Gagnier
The famous French chef Pierre Gagnaire, born in Appinac, France in 1950, adheres to a profound philosophy: “Cooking is not measured by tradition or modernity, but by the gentleness of the chef.”
This successful foodie has a career spanning more than 50 years and has been awarded multiple Michelin stars. In Dubai recently, at his Pierre’s Bistro and Choix Patisserie and Restaurant at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City, the unrivaled culinary master shared his approach to bringing dishes to life while taking us through the dining destination’s new menus and Future aspirations 2022.
Opened in 2018, Pierre’s Bistro offers authentic French cuisine with impressive and innovative flavours. Led by Executive Chef Mathieu Balbino, winner of the French Specialty Chef Award at the 2021 Pro Chef Middle East Awards, the restaurant features an ever-changing menu filled with seasonal ingredients.
On the other hand, Choix Patisserie and Restaurant is a sophisticated setting that gives diners a glimpse into the culinary lifestyle of Paris. Fine French cuisine is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while a breathtaking afternoon tea curated by Chef Pierre Gagnaire and his team is the highlight of the show.
“I was 17 or 19 when I prepared dinner for my friends on New Year’s Eve; when I first saw the smiles and joy on their faces, it clicked.”
This was one of those moments when Chef Pierre Gagnaire knew he was in love with food.
Tell us what Pierre Gagneel looks like outside the kitchen.
(laugh). I’m the same inside and out.
Honestly, my day is focused on my work. I don’t have a lot of time for other things. I am focused on my mission. I was in London for five days; I was totally focused on Sketch because my last visit was six months ago. With the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation is complicated. Today, I started traveling and I knew I had to go to Asia in a few months, I hadn’t been there in three years. I also spend a lot of time on my phone, chatting with the team. I was in Dubai for five days and it was crazy to see the team, working on the menu, serving guests in the restaurant. But after that, I try to be alone, quiet. I read, I like music, I call a few friends, but that’s about it. I do exercise, I try to go to the gym every morning to stay strong and energized. Also, I’m looking forward to having a great family holiday in May.
Can you recall how you felt when you got your first Michelin star for your first restaurant?
I took over the family restaurant and it already had one star, my father’s. Later, I opened my own restaurant and immediately got a star. But I must say, the real emotion is three stars out of 93′. That’s a real emotion because you feel it’s very important and very decisive in your career.
And now, how does it feel to be a multi-Michelin star?
A lot of responsibility because you feel like your business is big and dangerous – those Michelin stars. The fame of the stars and having all those stars is also a pressure because it’s tied to the business, if the business is run because of those stars. But if you lose those stars, your business might go down, so that’s the combination of keeping those stars, which is very strong — a feeling I didn’t have before. If you lose them, we are nothing. Mentally, a little tired. But this is actually the key to opening other businesses elsewhere, such as in Dubai.
Your Executive Chef Mathieu Balbino recently won the French Specialty Chef Award at the 2021 Pro Chef Middle East Awards. How did he break the news to you and how do you feel?
Pierre Gagnaire and Mathieu Balbino
Honestly, very happy for him because being a chef in a place like this is not easy. Because it’s a business, not just fun. You have to make money. For him, he’s a very good cook and, like chefs in town, he’s having a hard time dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. This is complicated for everyone. And getting that, for him, I can say, is very important. I am very happy for him. He waited four years for it, which was good for his career. This is a good choice as he is a good cook. He is honest and he loves his job. Mathieu is not a machine. He has talent, which is important.
“Here, you have nothing, but you have everything. Dubai is a new world, and it surpasses other countries. You can get everything here. That’s attractive in Dubai.”
Your team told me that Pierre’s Bistro has a new menu coming soon. What’s new this season and how do you keep it fresh season after season?
The seasons here are complicated because what are the seasons here? It’s Europe, it’s Asia, it’s India, it’s Australia. For example, now that you can see peaches or cherries in this place today, it’s possible here. In France this is not possible. Here, you have nothing, but you have everything. Dubai is a new world, it surpasses other countries. You can get everything here. This is fascinating in Dubai.
What was the inspiration behind this new menu? What ingredients and dishes can we expect to see?
Well, the new menu features signature French dishes, which I would say are very traditional. For example, we had Sweetbread on the menu before and now we have veal liver, which is a very French traditional bistro that people love. We work with this season to use quality French products, but it always has a twist, a fusion. So, we’re going to have tuna tataki with crispy rice and a glazed tuna sauce. That’s different parts of the world combined in one dish. Then you have the classic sole with different toppings and decorations; the foie gras is also changing and we no longer have mushrooms because it is not in season. We want to focus on European seasonality. Therefore, we do not use ingredients that we use in French and European winters. It doesn’t make any sense. The higher quality raw materials we import will be due to the right season. In the case of asparagus, it’s asparagus season in France, and it’s amazing.
Where do you import most of your ingredients?
Well, we work with brands that import beef from Italy, France, Australia, like lamb from Ireland. Only quality, which is the main and important thing for Chef Mathieu.
Describe your method of making a dish, from the idea in your head to reality.
I try to surprise myself. I’m trying to find a good route to serve something delicious, beautiful on a plate that has a real connection to the spirit of the place. For example, this is not a gourmet restaurant. Before we were here – we had four plates, a story about asparagus – now it’s done. Now it’s comfortable but delicious food. On the plate, I had to try to find a little idea to create surprise and emotion. After that, how I did it, can’t explain. All I know, I have to focus, I have to focus on my work. To that end, it’s hard to answer your first question, because it’s impossible to find this little story to tell season after season if you pay attention.
“The most important thing is to be honest with yourself. You have to pay attention to your emotions and stay open and closed. Open to the world, but closed to your work.”
How has your cooking style evolved since you started cooking? Are you influenced by modernity in any way?
No, the most important thing is to be honest with yourself. You have to pay attention to your emotions and stay open and closed. Open to the world, but closed to your work. I don’t go out and collect ideas, that’s not my problem. I don’t have time to do this. I’m very focused on how I feel.
A slight difference is whether you can treat us with afternoon tea at the Choix Lobby Lounge. Do you think afternoon tea in this area is doing well?
When we launched Afternoon Tea in London, it was a huge success. We decided to bring it here, and now that we do, it works even better. Every month, the number of our afternoon tea is increasing, which is very good. We played the classic English afternoon tea with scones, lemon cake, candied fruit cake; then you had the savory of the sandwich, which had a twist on the French and English versions, and we had the Croque Monsieur, and there was a game in between; and most importantly Yes, we usually enjoy beautiful desserts, including macarons and French biscuits. So, it’s a nice mix between England and France, and my twist is in it. Even egg sandwiches must be made of good quality and many flavors.It’s not just the eggs in the sandwich, it’s the seasoning and all the work you put into the sandwich that makes it special
What are your thoughts on the Middle Eastern pastry scene?
I love pastry, but it’s sugary. Our afternoon tea has less sugar so we try to please the locals with pastries. So, we don’t put so much sugar, but we also don’t put less. We try to find the right balance in the pastry. We do afternoon tea specials, like at the counter at Choix, we have twists during Ramadan, like the special date pudding, and we just play with the timing and what’s right. But we tried to stay classic with an Anglo-French twist.
How will the rest of 2022 affect you?
The plan is to reconnect with my team first, because with the coronavirus pandemic, people will ask questions and they’re not sure what to do next. When I can travel again, I can see the team perform and motivate them, bring energy to them and the people who come into the restaurant, and bring the connection and social life back to the way it was before, even if it’s not easy now.
Rapid fire wheel:
Favorite things to do in Dubai
Go to the desert, I like it. Like, if you go to the top of the mountain, it’s the same feeling. Hearing the wind, hearing the silence, is an incredible feeling.
favorite ingredient
Cornes de Gazelle in French (Kaab el Ghazal in Moroccan Arabic or crescent biscuits in English) is a pastry with ingredients I like – with honey, pistachios, almonds, I like it.
favorite relaxation hobby
Close your eyes, breathe, and listen to your body. Your body is your friend, but sometimes it is your enemy. When we have the opportunity to do nothing, we are alive. This is incredible. It’s better than a Ferrari (laughs).
most memorable meal
A good meal is always accompanied by friendship, which is a bond. The chemistry of the moments that happen in the restaurant, the atmosphere, the sharing with the people we really care about, all make some moments very unique and special.
favorite dish
I am a chef and I love to cook. It can be any dish, from veal blankets to children’s mashed potatoes. This is how you want to please the people at your dinner table. You can cook with passion for someone as long as the person you’re cooking for is happy.
Visit the lounge from 4pm to 2am and the restaurant from 6:30pm to 11pm.Call +9714 701 1199, WhatsApp +97152 898 8491 or email pierres.dubai@ihg.com. access website and Instagram.