Q&A WITH CHEF BESNARD
What is your favorite part of the day in the galley?
Right before service, when the prep dishes are done and the galley is all cleaned up and I can focus on plating the food with my finishing touches.
Is there an item you always have on hand in any galley?
I always need fresh herbs. I get different ones depending on which country we are in, but fresh rosemary, thyme, basil and mint make all the difference. And as with most chefs, I always have my personal knives with me. Our knives are a prolongation of our hands. They can be our best friends and our worst enemies. We need to take care of them and respect them.
What is the strangest food request you have had?
Someone requested a pasta dish with raw garlic and honey. I still can’t get my head around that.
Besides dreaming about what you’ll cook next, what are your other passions?
I like diving, both underwater diving and skydiving. Actually, I enjoy all things related to an adrenaline rush.
What do you do to relax in your spare time?
I like to work out, and I enjoy playing my guitar.
If you were to invite good friends over for a special meal, what would you make?
I would make black ink calamari risotto.
What kind of music do you listen to while cooking?
I like every kind of music. My moods dictate what we listen to in the galley. If I am sad or melancholy, I listen to sad or old tunes. If I am happy, I like good pop music, deep house or rock ’n’ roll. If I am feeling chill, then I’ll listen to Bob Marley. My sous chef and I tend to work in the galley to classical music or maybe opera. It is a bit of a cliché, but it helps us focus on what we are doing.
If you were not a chef, what would you be?
I’d be a surgeon. When you cut a piece of meat or fillet a fish, it is very technical. You need to have the precision of a surgeon. I feel quite akin to the medical profession. ◊