PRODUCE AND KINFOLK

People and produce are the chef’s greatest inspirations

PRODUCERS

“We have to go see them, try the products and build relationships. I have visited most of our farmers to see how they work. For example, on a recent trip, I met a butcher in my hometown who specialises in an old breed of cattle that’s fed so that the meat can be dry-aged for a long time. They are 80 per cent grass-fed and, towards the end of their lives, they are fed corn. We are going to work with him soon.”

INGREDIENTS

“I’m always inspired by what ingredients are in season. Inspiration can come from travel, from other people or from techniques that I’ve seen other chefs use. But the base for us is always to choose the right ingredient.”

TEAM

“I have evolved as a chef and a man because of the people around me. I make dishes that I like to eat, but I also need to give people what they like. When I taste something, I do it with my closest team and we share our feedback. We always adjust the flavours based on each other’s palates. Sometimes, we each have an idea of what we want to make, but we adjust that last touch of seasoning or acidity as a team to make sure we please as many people as possible.”

Step by Step

Time and easy access to much of Asia’s bounty have presented Royer with the opportunity to understand the preferences of his diners. He has spent years tasting as much of the flavours of the region as he can “to understand what deliciousness means to our guests”.

Taking inspiration from the idea of a dish like Vietnamese pho, for example, is a new dish of foie gras and Japanese abalone paired with smoked eel that’s torched tableside. It’s topped with nasturtium, kinome leaves, tarragon, chervil, cilantro and spring onions, and finished with a hot smoked-eel dashi consommé. “It has layers of textures; the flavours are both subtle and intense,” he explains, adding that the hot broth releases delicious, delightful aromas from the herbs. “The dish evokes the idea of pho. But in technique, ingredients and flavour, it is Odette.”

It’s dishes such as this that offer clues as to where Royer’s culinary path is headed. And while it must seem tempting for a chef who’s clearly at the top of his game to make plans for bigger things, Royer says he’s perfectly happy with what he has right now. “The focus is to work on our base and evolve our food for our diners. To purvey this kind of dining experience takes a lot of time and energy, and I don’t want to burn the candle at both ends. So I take it step by step, stone by stone.”