GOURMET GURU
With love from Paris
CITY OF ORIGIN
Strasbourg (France)
LEISURE HOURS
Fishing Food Wine Herbalism Reading
FAMILY
An amazing wife and four beautiful kids
FAVOURITE FOOD AND DRINK
Foie Gras with Black Truffles
Pinot Gris from Alsace
HIMSELF IN ONE WORD
Integrity Philippe Wagenfuhrer is the Director Culinary at the Ramada Colombo. Having gained many years of experience working overseas and opening his own restaurant in South Africa, he is ready to bring new flavours to the shores of Sri Lanka.
Q: As a chef, how does your day unfold?
A: I start with a good cup of Ceylon Tea: no sugar, no milk – as it should be. Then I visit the gym at 6 a.m. for an hour as the balance of body, mind and soul has to be aligned for the day ahead. I plan my schedule and review the list of duties I had envisaged the previous night, and change what’s needed.
Then I spend time in the kitchen and restaurants to greet my teams. Thereafter, I proceed to purchase the goods needed for the day, and allocate stocks for all the kitchens so that the teams can prepare according to the menu and set standards.
Early mornings are for negotiations and meeting potential suppliers. I’m extremely demanding about the quality of products we purchase. So talking to suppliers provides an opportunity to exhibit my food philosophy and set guidelines.
I then meet with the executive sous chef, sous chefs and chief steward, and issue directives for the day, followed by a quick brief of yesterday’s results and issues. A general meeting with the operations staff is next.
During the lunch and dinner service, I like to be in the kitchen and integrate myself with the team of chefs, cook with them and train them when needed. I’m a cook before being a chef and I love cooking. That will never change as it’s also my daily recreation and a moment of fun.
In the afternoon, I conduct a workshop and bring a few chefs together to develop new dishes. I also love interacting with guests and chat with our diners during every service. Usually, I finish around 11 p.m. unless we have a function that calls for my presence. I have a tendency to work every day, seven days a week; but I try to take at least two half days off when possible.
Q: Your first dish was...
A: Terrine de Foie Gras.
Q: What inspired you to venture into the hospitality trade?
A: My career began at the tender age of eight since I was living with my uncle who was running restaurants. So I have been in the food industry since an early age. I don’t know much else other than our amazing industry – it encompasses farming, supplies, cooking, wines, serving, marketing, business strategy, HR, psychology, mentorship, cultures without borders, politics, origins, geography and so on.
Q: And what was your most challenging experience?
A: I opened my restaurant Roots at Forum Homini Boutique Hotel in South Africa without a dining room or kitchen since construction was delayed. Nonetheless, I’d committed to bookings and had to cook out of a small camping trailer.
Tables were set in the wild African bush for 40 covers and I dished out a six course fine dining food and wine pairing lunch.
Q: Any emerging trends in food and drink?
A: With time, I am becoming a purist and a responsible chef, taking good care of the environment and looking at sustainability. I like the concept of farm to table produce.
Since people often return to honest, true and flavourful food, my new trend is terroir food – viz. food from the area, land, sea, organic and heirloom – free-range and antibiotic free products.
Q: Your three favourite ingredients are...
A: Tea – because it will heal everyone – no sugar, no milk. Aromatic tea has health benefits.
Wild mushrooms have always influenced my cooking – it’s one of the only natural products that are untameable. Nature supplies us with the perfect balance of wild food.
And butter – I am French, so what do you expect? There is so much more to butter that most don’t know. Quality butter is very rare; it’s used on fresh, cracking hot bread; it is used when cooking a filet of fish; it’s in croissants, many cakes and crèmes; it is rich and moreish; and it’s a gift from God!
Q: Name three favourite utensils that you can’t do without...
A: A knife, a good frying pan and chef cloth.
Q: Any cooking tips or tricks? A: Follow the recipe and don’t cut corners.
Q: Your advice to aspiring chefs would be…
A: Give one hundred percent to your trade and create a lifestyle – as this isn’t a job. Otherwise don’t get into it.