Blogs and Stories
A Superstar Chef Does the Unthinkable
Whereas most young men would have hung up their pirate hats by adolescence, as soon as possible Roellinger began retracing the routes once run by the Malouin corsairs. To date he has returned from his travels with more than 120 spices. Most of them are available at Epices Roellinger, on a corner next door to the former residence-turned-restaurant.
Entering the boutique is like stepping into a treasure chest. Corked glass bottles of spices, infused oils and vinegars beckon from antique cupboards like jewels. Bewitching scents waft from a stone vessel holding multicolored powders, herbs and seeds. There are nine varieties of pepper, vanilla beans from Tahiti and Madagascar.
Roellinger's signature spice blends can contain up to twenty named and secret ingredients. I can vouch for their power to transform. Poudre de Neptune (dill, fennel, star anise, seaweed) is by far the most-used seasoning in my kitchen. Poudre de Voyage (sesame, sumac, cinnamon, thyme), added to steamed cauliflower pureed with a little coconut milk makes for a ridiculously simple but exotic side dish. They are not yet available in the United States—but one hopes, with the stress of the stars behind him, Roellinger will expand his spice business to more distant shores.
Indeed, he announced: "I will transmit and share my cuisine differently, more in line from now on with my deep desire to communicate. I will go towards a wider public, and be more available than I could have been by keeping the three stars."
For now, that means his other enterprises will continue, run by the associate chefs Roellinger launched them with. Three of his most famous dishes will be available on the bistro menu. The hotels and cottages will remain open under the direction of Madame Roellinger, and the residence will serve as a kind of "spice laboratory" and exhibition space. Those unacquainted with the chef can visit his website to view recipes and tutorials in French and English.
Though he claims he can't paint, can't write and only adequately expresses himself in the kitchen, each of his recipes is given a title, and sometimes a sketch, before a single ingredient is committed to paper. In fact, Roellinger describes spice as the punctuation of his culinary storytelling. "I use spice to express the meaning—sometimes a new or hidden meaning—of the main ingredients," he says.
"Remember, back in the 17th century when privateers brought back not only gold and silks, but also spices to France, some people still thought the world was flat. It was a very religious era, and everyone dreamt of a Garden of Eden. The plants and spices were proof that such paradise existed."
Despite his insatiable wanderlust, Roellinger still finds paradise in his own backyard.
"I'll tell you a story," he said, yet again. "Last week a television journalist from Japan came to interview me. She said the Japanese don't understand why I won't open a restaurant in their country.
"I told her that I like Japan very much. One of my favorite things to do there is to have matcha tea—but prepared the authentic way, by a tea master. I asked, 'Can you imagine that tea master preparing his service out here on a dock in Cancale?' She said she could not. 'Madame,' I said, 'You have just answered your own question.' "
Translation: there will never be an O. Roellinger New York or Las Vegas—or anywhere else. "Give up your identity," he shrugs, "and you have nothing to exchange."
Amelia Smith moved from San Francisco to Paris in 1997, all the better to write about travel, food and culture without borders.
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Being a chef, when you have a physical presence in the kitchen, is a very physically demanding young man's game. Very few old chefs can work 12 plus hours on their feet in the constant sturm und drang of a professional kitchen of such high quality while procuring and prepping food as well as possibly having to run the day-to-day business.
I would much rather have a chef be honest about not being the kitchen and letting his talented staff make their own names than have a Food Network star just slap his name on a menu he or she planned and never actually serve food to anyone save for the investors that approved the initial tasting menu. Which is more honest and which is more of a fraud to the consumer?
What an interesting article for us "infuriating foodies". Though I can't appreciate making a pilgrimage to a location simply to eat at a specific restaurant or a meal that would make me cry it was so good, Roellinger's story is utterly fascinating.
Excellent, informative, insightful interview/article. Thank you.
I thought it was interesting that this article appeared so close to the release of the article denouncing the very behavior expressed by the article's author. That aside, I found it to be an interesting insight into the level of dedication of a revered chef. As someone not terribly knowledgeable about high cuisine, I found it a fascinating look into a world that I have never been fortunate enough to experience for myself.
I began my restaurant career by learning pastry arts from my grandfather in 1974. I was 13. Two years later, I spent a week as a dishwasher in a German restaurant before becoming prep cook. 25 years later I was running my own restaurant but age had crept up on me. After years of getting into the low boy coolers, my knees are shot. I've lost most of the cartilege in my knees and will need a knee replacement. The only thing I can do now is write about food and shre my experiences with others. My kitchen days are over. I know how he must feel having to say goodbye to the line. (Tony Bourdain has the same problem).
Great article, and thanks.
what a great article! i want this to be a PBS special or something.
I recently ate at an incarnation of Wolfgang Puck's Spago on Maui. I had remembered it as an excellent food experience. This time the risotto was "crunchy" & the overpriced menu uninspired & so-so. I thought what would Wolfgang Puck think of this mess but that's what happens when you lose control of that which is cooked in your name
A very interesting article, although I'm not sure I'd call the act unthinkable since Marco Pierre White did something similar in the late 90's.
I have just returned from Relais & Ch�teaux's annual congress in Vienna, where Olivier was reluctantly called up on stage to one point to share his news with the 479 fellow chefs and hoteliers of this esteemed association. It was incredibly moving, with many brought to tears and all compelled to stand long on their feet in applause and shouts of adulation. In an industry that is too often fueled by ego, I must tell you that Olivier is the real deal. He has a purity and sincerity about him that is, I think, unequaled. If you ever met the man and spent time with him, you would recognize these traits...as Amelia did so beautifully in her piece. Thank you for sharing that story with us.
Thank you.
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