Chef's Appeal

 

A MATTER OF TASTE

Even for France’s history of fine chefs, Pierre Gagnaire has made a special name for himself. Rama meets the culinary legend and learns how his global reach has not altered how he judges... 

Text by P. Ramakrishnan, images courtesy of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 

I am sitting with the legendary French chef Pierre Gagnaire at the bar in his restaurant Pierre Gagnaire at the Mandarin Oriental hours before the first customers arrive. Outside the rain is pelting down and Hong Kong is not looking its best. 

But Gagnaire, ever the gentleman, is speaking generously of the city. Aside from his restaurant in Tokyo, this is his only establishment in Asia and he clearly has an affection for this city. “It was the right time, and the right place,” he says of his decision to open a restaurant here. “There was another restaurant at the top floor of the Mandarin before. It was great, so I never thought I would open here but the right opportunity arose. In my career, the right timing has always come along.” 

With his suave good looks and gallant demeanour, one feels Gagnaire, 60, could have cut it as a movie star had he turned his hand to acting. Fortunately for the culinary world, he applied his immense gifts to cooking and his story is one of almost unblemished success. 

Born in Apinac, in France’s Loire Valley, by the age of 18, he was already a commis chef and within two years he was a cook admiral on the French submarine Surcouf. During the 1970s, he travelled the world, returning to France to work at Clos Fleury, a restaurant run by his father near Saint Etienne. He was honoured with his first Michelin star in... 

Full feature out in Crave magazine.