Culinary Demonstrations

Chef Babette de Rozières
(c) Discover Paris!

On Sunday, June 11, there were culinary demonstrations held in Les Halles, the central, covered market of the city. Babette de Rozières, French chef and television personality, hosted the events.

Chef Ben Thibodeaux
(c) Discover Paris!

The first demonstration was given by Ben Thibodeaux, chef at Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café in New Orleans. His prawns sautéed in a beer-and-spice sauce delighted the audience and persuaded the initially skeptical French hostess that beer and spice can be successfully used together.

Chef Daniel Ginsberg
(c) Discover Paris!

Chef Daniel Ginsberg, director of the central cooking facility for the town of Dijon, prepared a delicious gazpacho à la Dijonnaise served on a creamy foundation in a narrow glass.

Chef Stephanie Carter
(c) Discover Paris!

The next demonstration featured Stephanie Carter of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, and Emmanuel Hebrard of L'Abbaye de Bussière in Dijon. Chef Carter prepared Bananas Foster, a rum-based banana dessert invented in New Orleans,

Chef Emmanuel Hebrard
(c) Discover Paris!

and Chef Hebrard prepared Nonnette de Bourgogne, a spice cake that he reheated on a skillet. Scrumptous!

Chef Nicolas Isnard
(c) Discover Paris!

Nicolas Isnard, chef of Auberge de la Charme in the nearby town of Prenois gave the final presentation. Before and during the presentation, there was quite a lively, but friendly, dispute between Chef de Rosières and Chef Isnard over the issue of whether spices should be added to food. Chef de Rosières, who hails from Guadaloupe, took the position that spices should be used to enhance the flavor of foods, whereas Chef Isnard took the position that foods should be allowed to express their natural flavors without spices. There was no compromise in their positions! At the end of the demonstration, Chef Isnard had won the day, in our minds, when he distributed an appetizing, vichysoisse-inspired potato and leek dish that he had prepared before our very eyes.

Meet Some of the Louisiana Chefs Who Will Be at the Festival

Alex Miles recently flew to New Orleans to hold a press conference and to meet some of the chefs who will be serving up delicious food at the 4-14 Festival in Dijon. Pictured, from left to right, are Hosie Bourgeois, who combines classic French techniques with a love for Louisiana cuisine at the Beau Chêne Country Club in Mandeville; Alfred Singleton of Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, serving prime beef, local seafood and innovative Creole dishes in New Orleans; Alex Miles, organizer of the 4-14 Festival; Donald Link of the Herbsaint and Cochon restaurants in New Orleans—in 2007 Chef Link was named Best Chef:South by the James Beard Foundation; unidentified member of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum; unidentified person from Herbsaint restaurant; and Dooky Chase IV, grandson of Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cooking at the Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans.

See you at the festival!