- Title: Seafood, asparagus? Chefs dream up dishes for Macron at Paris food festival
- Date: 19th May 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GRAND PALAIS BUILDING WITH "TASTE OF PARIS" FESTIVAL POSTER POSTER READING (English): "Taste of Paris - Chef's festival" PINK FORK SCULPTURE OUTSIDE GRAND PALAIS PEOPLE EATING INSIDE BUILDING / PEOPLE MILLING AROUND STANDS BAND PLAYING VARIOUS OF FRENCH EXECUTIVE CHEF AT ROSEWOOD LONDON HOTEL RESTAURANTS, AMANDINE CHAIGNOT, PREPARING DISH (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH EXECUTIVE CHEF AT ROSEWOOD LONDON HOTEL RESTAURANTS, AMANDINE CHAIGNOT, SAYING: "I know that Emmanuel Macron, he is really into food. The chef from the Elysee palace is a good friend of mine, Guillaume is a good friend of mine. I don't know what he's after, but I reckon he's young, he's really energetic, quite fit - probably something like seafood or fish-based. There are some beautiful asparagus, we are in the beautiful season of asparagus currently in France so probably some green asparagus just grilled, a bit of langoustine, seabass and cockles, something really fresh and spring-y." VARIOUS OF FRENCH CHEF-OWNER OF "FRENCHIE" IN PARIS AND LONDON, GREGORY MARCHAND, PREPARING ASPARAGUS DISH FINISHED ASPARAGUS DISH (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH CHEF-PATRON OF "FRENCHIE" IN PARIS AND LONDON, GREGORY MARCHAND, SAYING: "I've heard he likes to eat light, so I could propose, if Emmanuel Macron, if president Macron would come to Taste of Paris, I would definitely do the asparagus dish we do here. It's seasonal, ethical, delicious - so hopefully he would appreciate that." PEOPLE ATTENDING COOKING WORKSHOP VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING FOOD FROM STALL (SOUNDBITE) (French) EXPAT LIVING IN PARIS, KARIM HAMENNI, SAYING: "Because there are a lot of Parisians but also a lot of foreigners who come also to discover. Well French gastronomy is known around the world, but to bring together around 50 starred chefs, it's quite something, it's a plus, and to be able to get to know all the restaurants. Me, I am an expat, I live in Paris, but there are restaurants and chefs that I did not know about in Paris. We have discovered them here in the fair." PEOPLE EATING WOMAN EATING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE-CONTRIBUTOR VISITING PARIS, FRANCINE REYNAUD, SAYING: "It's nice to have a nice light meal, something different, something that you don't have the time or the talent to do at home. And besides, it's interesting for people who want to travel because all these chefs have restaurants and the restaurant that won the best restaurant in the world is here in Paris so you can't go wrong." VARIOUS OF CHEF PREPARING FOOD IN MARTINIQUE STALL VARIOUS OF CHEF SLICING ONION PEOPLE WALKING PAST STANDS SIGN READING (English): "Taste"
- Embargoed: 2nd June 2017 16:25
- Keywords: Macron Grand Palais chef Paris Marchand festival Chaignot dish restaurant food
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0016HI92S9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Parisians and international foodies flocked to the "Taste of Paris" chefs' festival on Friday (May 19) to sample a range of specialities cooked by world-renowned chefs.
Highly-sought after French chefs such as Gregory Marchand and Amandine Chaignot - who now also enjoy a reputation in the London food scene - manned their own stalls at the festival.
Chaignot came from a scientific background and after beginning a post-graduate degree in pharmaceutical studies, decided "this was not for me". Starting out in hospitality as a waitress, she then enrolled in one of France's best professional culinary schools, Ecole Gregoire-Ferrandi. Following this, the 38-year-old worked in various top Parisian kitchens before starting out as executive chef at Rosewood London's luxury hotels' restaurants in January 2015.
When asked what type of dish she would cook for the newly-elected French president Emmanuel Macron, she conjured up a "fresh and springy" seafood and asparagus recipe, as she reckoned "he's young, he's really energetic, quite fit," and "really into food".
Founder and head chef of the popular "Frenchie" restaurants in Paris and London, Gregory Marchand, also suggested a similar-themed dish with seasonal asparagus for the 39-year-old president.
"I would definitely do the asparagus dish we do here, it's seasonal, ethical, delicious so hopefully he would appreciate that," he said.
Marchand, on the other hand, got into cooking "totally by chance". He was struggling at school and choose the manual route, saying he "could have easily been a labourer or a plumber."
But he found himself enrolling in a cooking course, among people who ignited his culinary passion.
The festival features signature dishes from Paris's top restaurants, cooking workshops and stalls from food and drink producers. It runs from the 19th to the 21st of May. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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