Harper’s Bazaar (Malaysia)

PERFECT HARMONIE

Laurent Eperon, Michelin-star chef de cuisine at Pavillon in Baur au Lac, talks about redefining the classics, organic sourcing, and making his own honey. By Natasha Kraal.

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What does modernity mean to you? Tradition is very important and French cuisine techniques are my basics; I learned it from home, through my apprentice­ship, and during my travels. Modernity is taking the tastes from here and there, while being in focus with the new generation. Chefs should always be ready. Tell us more about Harmonie, the seasonal menu you change six times a year. The idea came as we reopened Pavillon in 2009, after the complete renovation of Baur au Lac. We wanted to create something new, and came up with the Harmonie menu as a seasonal pairing of wine and food. We make a Black Edition from January to February, using only black truffles. For spring and summer, we use seafood and vegetables. I love vegetables, and our guests do, too. How about your choice of highlighti­ng Swiss produce and wines? This is luxury for the future, to stay in the region, to stay local. At Pavillon, we get our organic vegetables and local meat from France and Switzerlan­d. We no longer use American meat— our guests have gotten quite sensitive to this new luxury. It takes forward the idea of working in collaborat­ion with your local farmers. You’re able to control the quality and be more supportive of the local community. Exactly, and we also create stories for our guests, on the gardener or farmers behind the dishes we make. Right in front the hotel is our beehive in our little herb garden. About 80,000 bees work for us, and we produce only a limited amount of miel de jardin. It’s incredible to produce honey right in the middle of the city. The honey produced in the city is actually higher in quality than those produced in the country. In the country, they still use a lot of pesticides. It’s becoming a big problem now in Europe with the farmers and honey producers. And it’s really important for us to support the movement and take care of the world for the future generation. I had the Swiss veal because that is your specialty. Oh yes, the Swiss veal, Zurich-style. It truly is a delicious recipe. From its original recipe 20 years ago, we’ve since added an extra ingredient: kidney. In the Swiss kitchen, there are two kinds of ways of cooking it. The farmers’ style is made entirely with vegetables and bouillon. For the Zurich style, we use a lot of cream. What is your signature cooking style? I’d say freshness. I keep the season and the new trends in mind, but I love that my dishes are very personal to me. As a child, I used to go to Lausanne to my grandmothe­r’s, and we would have oeufs à la coque—the six-minute egg—with mollet, a piece of bread. You cut the centre, put in the eggs, and eat it with salt and butter. That inspired A Sunday Evening at My Grandmothe­r’s on the Harmonie menu, but of course I added caviar. Eating is so sensorial, emotional, and visual. How do you give your well-travelled guests something they’ve never been exposed to? It is challengin­g. I think Switzerlan­d has the most Michelin star restaurant­s in the world, in comparison to the area size. For me to receive the Michelin star, it was like winning the gold medal in the Olympics. I am happy but I don’t want to ever change. Modesty is very important for me. Chefs are known for their temperamen­t. How are you in the kitchen? This is an insider. If my team does or makes something I don’t like, I make them do push-ups. But now, my team does push-ups just for the motivation. But, you know, in the kitchen, sometimes it’s hard. I don’t make them cry, but I’m a perfection­ist, so they just know to do well. They know it’s not a time to joke around. But we’re also sometimes a little crazy, it’s all adrenaline. Pavillon, Baur au Lac, Talstrasse 1, Zürich, Switzerlan­d. Tel: +41 44 220 50 22. www.bauraulac.ch/en

 ??  ?? Chef Laurent Eperon with Natasha Kraal
Chef Laurent Eperon with Natasha Kraal
 ??  ?? Veau Suisse Seasonal produce accentuate the classics
Veau Suisse Seasonal produce accentuate the classics

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