Gastronomically speaking, Taiwan is definitely on the map.
In less than three years, four of the 21 French chefs who were awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide have made an appearance in Taipei. After Alain Ducasse, the Pourcel brothers and Jacques Lamelloise, the Ritz Landis has invited Jean-Michel Lorain, the chef and owner of La Cote Saint-Jacques in Joigny/Burgundy. The epicurian delight takes place at Paris 1930 and will last until Nov. 30.
PHOTO: COURTESY TAIPEI RITZ LANDIS
Rigor and finesse
Jean-Michel Lorain belongs to that new breed of world class chefs who have brought French cuisine to new heights. As he speaks, one can notice a mix of rigor, discipline and finesse in his manner. Speaking about his father, Lorain admits, "I grew up in the family business so it was almost unavoidable not to follow my father's path. But nowadays it takes more than continuity to reach and stay at the top." Not to mention the peer pressure and family's expectations.
From 1977 to 1983 he made his "Tour de France," working for the Troisgros brothers in Roanne, Taillevent in Paris and Freddy Girardet in Crissier, Switzerland, much like the compagnons (certified craftsmen) used to do in the middle ages to perfect their skills before settling down and setting up shop.
La Cote Saint-Jacques was awarded its second star in 1976 and in 1985 father and son were admitted to the exclusive circle of three Michelin star holders.
The menu
Lorain has designed two set menus for lunch and two for dinner, which, considering the fame of the visiting chef and the quality of the ingredients used, are reasonably priced.
The menus are a combination of dishes for which La Cote Saint-Jacques is famous. We tried the pumpkin soup with a hint of chestnut garnished with asparagus and stuffed crab cabbage. Using a simple ingredient like pumpkin, and marrying it with chestnut, enhanced with crab, cabbage and asparagus is representative of Lorain's style.
A very special dish is the sea scallops with Belgian endives and chanterelles mushroom juice frothed in cappuccino. The chanterelles are blended to extract more flavor and liquid, which is then added to the foam of the milk. For the main course we had the pigeon with baby artichokes and spinach in a spicy chutney. The dish is rather exotic but the flavor is pleasant simply because the sauce is not overpowering.
We ended this magnificent meal with the rice pudding with gingerbread, caramel cream and salted butter. The combination of simple ingredients is judicious while the utilization of salted butter is almost imperceptible.
Obviously Lorain has a passion for perfection, and although he is assisted by his number one chef Claude Leblanc and pastry chef Cecile Sagory, he looks over every plate before it leaves the kitchen.
The Michelin rating
"It is hard to get the stars, it's tougher to keep them. The examiners from the Michelin guide are very strict but very fair," says Lorain. They don't solicit any advertisement or financial contribution so they cannot be pressured. Coming always incognito, everything is carefully checked and evaluated; service, food, cleanliness, reception and so on. But as they say, the guide is not made for the chefs or restaurateurs. It is for the guests. Michelin's rating of a restaurant is not entirely based on their visits. For a restaurant like La Cote Saint-Jacques they will receive 300 letters per year, one a day on average. Clients in France still write a lot to the publishers of guides, especially to comment about their dining experience. If the guests are pleased with the guide's assessment, the Michelin people consider that they have done their job.
"As long as 90 percent of the comments are positive you are fine. Although we aim at perfection you can have a day when not everything is exactly the way we want. If you fall below the 90 percent, they will pay more attention to you," Lorain said.
Behind the stars
Chef Lorain enjoys what he does and values what his parents passed onto him. "But even in a three-star restaurant, you have to take care of everything. There is the glamorous part of it and it feels good to see our efforts acknowledged, but we must also face the every day challenges. We employ 60 people (20 in the kitchen) and we serve 80 covers a day. Of course because we are what we are, it is easier for us to find employees. But we ask for dedication, commitment and not everyone is ready to make that type of sacrifice because it affects their quality of life," Lorain said.
Having tried some of Chef Lorain's cuisine, you might be enticed to dine in Joigny. It will only take you 90 minutes by train from Paris. One more reason to visit one of the finest restaurants in France is that La Cote Saint Jacques is located in Burgundy, home of some of the best wines in the world.
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