LANGUEDOC & PROVENCE SUN

 
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Earlier this year local chef Jérôme Nutile won the prestigious award of Meilleur Ouvrier de France. L&P Sun meets the two starred Michelin chef at his restaurant, Le Castellas in Collias (Gard).

What made a young boy from
Alès want to become a chef?

My grandparents were bakers and I come from a family that loves eating. But I think I just had a natural passion for cooking which started at a very early age. To succeed as a chef you have to have passion, it’s a hard profession to get into and I was lucky enough to get my first break with the Abbaye de Sainte Croix. Back then it was all about who you know and my family knew no one. Nowadays, luckily, it’s more what you know rather than who you know.

Are your roots reflected in your style of cooking?

Absolutely, I use a lot of recipes with ingredients from the Cévennes; cèpes, Cévennes onions, trout, pélardon. I aim to make dishes using traditional ingredients but that are more refined and contemporary.

How are you inspired?

I am continually looking to evolve my recipes and methods. My inspiration comes from my past experiences, my contact with my suppliers, from my children, from simply walking in the countryside. In fact, I am constantly thinking of ideas so it could be any time or any place, even while I’m cooking.

Do you have a role model?

If I had to give a role model then it would be Georges Blanc. He was the first French chef to speak English and go to America, he has a vision for a cuisine évolutive, he owns his own restaurant and is his own boss.

What three rules do you have in your kitchen?

I don’t have three I have two! In fact I insist my team work to the highest standard on all fronts and the words I would use are "exigence et rigeur."


What are your faults?

I would say that I am too shy. I am not good at putting myself forward and it is something I have had to learn. In my profession, you have to know how to promote yourself, to approach journalists and market yourself. It’s not something I enjoy doing!

What is your favourite part of the process of creating a dish?

Actually, I like every stage. From meeting the supplier and buying fresh produce, to eventually tasting it. I am very lucky to love what I do!

What is your favourite dish?

I love eating haute cuisine but if I am honest I would say a good couscous or stuffed tomatoes. It’s basic but tasty.

Where do you like to go on a free day?

I very rarely have any free time but when I do I like to spend it with my wife and children. I particularly like going to Les- Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer to see the sea and blow away the cobwebs.

What do you think of Nîmes’ new signature dish, the Crocus Nemosensus?

Oh I haven’t heard about it. Send the recipe and I’ll try it out, perhaps reworked as a mise en bouche. It sounds interesting. (Recipe page 18).

30 Grand’ rue

30210 Collias

04 66 22 88 88

What it takes to earn the title Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France

The title of Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (shortened to MOF) is a unique award in France and is a contest organized among experts in the same profession.

This award for special abilities is unique in the world. Created in 1924, the candidate is given a certain amount of time and basic materials not only to create a masterpiece, but to do so with a goal of approaching perfection. The chosen method, the organization, the act, the speed, the knowhow and respect for the rules of the trade are judged by a jury just as much as the final result. The winning candidates retain their title for life.

This prestigious title is equally recognized by professionals and the greater public in France, particularly among artisan- merchants such as pastry makers, hairdressers, butchers, jewellers, and others whose trades are recognized, particularly those for more luxurious goods. This competition requires months, sometimes years, of preparation. Technical skills, innovation, respect for traditions and other aspects  are all practised repeatedly to a level of refinement and excellence, effectiveness and speed to succeed and be crowned by the jury, which makes its decision according to the distribution of points awarded during the entire process. The awarding of medals takes place at the Sorbonne in Paris followed by a ceremony at the Elysée in the presence of the President of the French Republic.