Saint-Estèphe is a lovely village perched on a hill just above the banks of the Gironde estuary. It’s a tiny little place with a huge reputation – a reputation for making fine wines. Saint-Estèphe wines are considered to be some of the most robust and earthy of the region.  Saint-Estèphe also happens to be my favorite [...]

Sometimes on Sundays I get the call of the sea, especially when the sun shines through my bedroom window as I wake up in the morning. The ocean is only a few minutes away and it’s as if the rays of the sun bring la mer closer to my home. On beautiful days like that, [...]

A well-spent Sunday is one of my favorite things. No matter what we do on a Sunday, it always involves a long family walk in the forest or by the sea, with all our children and most of the dogs. It’s a heart-warming ritual, good for the soul and revitalizing for the mind. There’s an [...]

Chicken Basquaise is a typical Basque dish, cooked in ‘piperade‘ sauce.  It comes from the Basque word ‘biperra’ meaning chili.  The piperade sauce is composed of onions, garlic, chilis, Bayonne ham, tomatoes and olive oil.  Since fresh chilis (piments doux) aren’t always in season, they can be replaced by peppers and piment d’Espelette instead. I [...]

This week I’ve been under the spell of two very different but equally delightful things. A favorite movie and a grand old restaurant. All the magnolias surrounding me, in the house and as I drive through Médoc keep taking me back to my walks in Palais Royal. This special place in the middle of Paris, [...]

Cooking food I love is my biggest passion. Our kitchen reminds me of a temple, plates covered with fruits and vegetables, brightening the room with all the bold colours. Inspiration comes from my past food memories. I’ll have a sudden idea, a craving for a taste. That’s when I get driven to create le plat [...]

Some of my most delicious childhood food memories are linked with Shanghai. Growing up in Hong Kong, my family had a lot of Shanghainese friends with whom we would often feast on amazing meals from their region. I have such a soft spot for Shanghainese style cuisine.  The food is all about slow cooking, seasonal [...]

Blanquette de veau (veal stew) is what I call the mother of all French dishes. It’s the ultimate French home cooked meal, so traditional, bourgeois yet simple. Ever so often, when I go to the butcher, I have a natural inclination to say, ‘Michel, prepare me some veal for a little blanquette de veau please’. [...]

There are days when I just don’t know what to make for lunch or dinner. One thing I know for sure is that whatever it is, I will most likely add red wine and butter to the meal. These two ingredients will turn anything into a special something. It’s the sauce, the gravy, the juices [...]

Today’s lunch was all about indulging. For me January is a month of promise and possibility but often it is also wet and cold, so what better way to sizzle it up than with a hot peppery steak? When you add an exquisite cognac cream sauce and pommes allumettes french fries, you’ve reached pure happiness. [...]