Secret of the Chef

à table | article 4

28.30.2023
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So who, or what, are the ‘Belles Perdrix’? Some may think of the irreverent circle of learned ladies with a strong penchant for spiritual and culinary banquets. Others will conjure the restaurant at Troplong Mondot, where vines penetrates the room as much as the light.
The desire to discover more is overwhelming. On opening a discreet door to the side of the building, we feel the feverish anticipation of a stowaway about to discover a brave new world.

A stolen glance to left and right reveals garde mangers, cold stores, temperature and weight panels, all as immaculate as a laboratory. It’s eerily quiet.

The passage continues past the hygiene station to suddenly reveal the kitchen brigade preparing for the starting gun. Here the energy is palpable – it’s a hive of activity, laughter abounds, steam rises from pans to the sound of fervent whisking. And yet, this whirl of energy is like a perfectly tuned orchestra. The buzzy atmosphere does not preclude extreme discipline.

Tasks are enacted with painstaking attention to detail, work surfaces organised to the millimetre, plating performed with the precision of a swiss watch, instructions passed on with a mere murmur.

Nothing is left to chance. “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” The words of Saint-Exupery seem to apply directly to Chef Charrier himself. Sticking to the basics, achieving the epitome of simplicity is his goal.

You should see the look of determination in his eyes. Completely calm. No flashiness, no kowtowing to fashion, never a raised word. And the unequivocal commitment to seeing his ideas come to fruition, to trusting his instincts, to taking risks even, in his determination to get it right. And with each plate that reaches the pass, ‘authentic’ food. A cooking style that pays tribute to the ingredients. That enhances the flavours with fiendishly skilled cooking and just the right seasoning. That creates emotion and stirs the senses. That quite simply makes you long to come back for more. Surely there is no greater reward.

It’s certainly why Chef Charrier has the wry smile of a man who has achieved his dream. With the mere mention of ‘Belles Perdrix’, it’s Chef Charrier to a T.