Message From The Editor
Deidre Loots
While we South Africans have perfected the art of resistance to affect social and political change, it was the French who started it all with the French Revolution in 1789. To this day the French citizens remain sceptical at best, and even hostile and antagonistic to any form of ruling party or class. And much like we do as South Africans, the French have a way of pulling down those who attempt to escape the trappings of mediocrity through hard work and dedication.
The latest self-imposed hobbling by the French comes as the controversial Michelin Guide has thought it wise to strip its longest-standing three Michelin-star restaurant of one of its three stars. And we’re not talking any restaurant here, we’re talking about the restaurant of the now deceased Paul Bocuse, the man who was honoured in France as the Chef of the Century at the turn of the previous century, and the chef who has held three Michelin stars for 53 years – longer than any other chef or restaurant. Paul Bocuse also happens to be the chef who, along with his mentee, Alain Ducasse, invented Novelle Cuisine, or French Cuisine as we know it today. Towards the end of his life, Bocuse often joked that their philosophy behind Novelle Cuisine was very simple: “Nothing on the plate and everything on the bill.”
The Michelin Guide takes issue with the Restaurant Paul Bocuse, now managed by his son, Jérôme, and the same three chefs who spent their life in the kitchen with Paul Bocuse, for a lack of creativity. Over the last two years, following his in 2018, two weeks before his 92nd birthday, Restaurant Paul Bocuse has continued to serve more than 45,000 covers per year, without missing a step, and adjusting its menu only to further highlight the iconic dishes perfected by Bocuse himself over a professional career that spanned 72-years. These include iconic dishes like his VGE black truffle soup, created for the President of the French Republic, Valéry Giscard d'estaing, when he was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1975; his iconic whole-chicken cooked in a pig’s bladder; and his sole meuniere, created in honour of his mentor, Fernand Point. At the time, these dishes were the epitome of creativity as Bocuse ushered in a whole new era of cuisine, which to this day remains the foundation from which every modern chef can expand with their own creativity.
Food has always been my greatest passion. In it, I find the heart of life, love, happiness and culture, and with literally millions of different tastes to savour, I have dedicated myself to the pursuit of gastronomic exploration. This dedication has taken me all over the world, yet somehow, I always return to Lyon in France, where my love of French cuisine first came to fruition at the hands of Master Chef, Paul Bocuse, referred to as “The Pope of Cuisine” by his peers. So dedicated am I to this culinary master, that I have now dined on his delightful creations no less than twelve times while he was still alive, and twice since his departure to that wonderful kitchen in the sky.
Not to put too fine a point on it, I beg to differ with the Michelin Guide, as much as I do with all other food critics, food guides, and restaurant rating guides. No chef or restaurant should ever be judged on a lack of creativity, and especially not when serving traditional dishes that have stood the test of time. At its most basic level, food provides nourishment and sustenance to all living creatures, but to us human beings it has always provided so much more than that. The truth is that the sharing of a meal marks every significant moment we will experience during our lives, and the success of each event usually hinges on the success of the dishes served. Every important memory will have some kind of culinary creation in it; a first birthday cake, a breakfast shared on Father’s Day, a proposal at a fancy restaurant, a toast raised over a specially cooked dinner. All of these memories will have something in common – enjoying good food with your loved ones. I have hundreds of perfect memories that all centre around the dinner table, sharing a meal with family or friends. I will never forget those dinners when one of my children celebrated a milestone, or when my husband made me laugh so hard that I almost spilled that precious French champagne!
At the bottom of the pot we find the truth – and the secret to that truth is not saffron or tarragon or a splash of red wine, but rather that the taste is enhanced by adding the good company of those dearest to us. No food critic or restaurant guide can ever account for that, so you be the judge. After all, you’re paying the bill, while the food critic is sponsored all the way to the bank.
“Au fond du pot, gît la vérité.”
(“At the bottom of the pot, lies the truth.”) – Paul Bocuse