Meet Gilles “Frenchy” Epié,
Michelin rated chef

A Contemporary French Twist for Thanksgiving from Michelin-Rated Celebrity Chef

By Nadine Hennelly

October 11, 2015

Mentioned as one of Alain Ducasse’s favourite restaurants in Paris, voted by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the Top 100 Hot Restaurants in the world, as well as receiving a Tripadvisor certificate of excellence in 2013, the Citrus Étoile restaurant in Paris has a Michelin star rated Chef at it’s helm. Gilles Epié, who still holds the record for the youngest chef ever to receive the star, and was affectionately named “Frenchy” from his stint living in Los Angeles where he cooked for the likes of Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, Bruce Springsteen, Sophia Loren, US presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and countless other celebrities and people of note, was recently here in Montreal with his beautiful wife Elizabeth. Gille’s two adult children live in our beloved Montreal, so husband and wife decided to come for a week-long visit before our winter arrives!

Staying in Old Montreal at the fabled Hotel Place d’Armes, I recently met up with these two jet setters at the hotel’s main bar. Elizabeth and I go way back to our shared modelling days both in Paris and in New York. Gilles with his salt-and-pepper hair, tattoos, jeans and motorcycle jacket is closer to a rock star than what you’d expect to see in a Michelin-rated chef but that’s part of the appeal. Both of them are possessed of kindness and friendliness that makes you immediately understand why so many people are drawn to the couple.

Some of the local jaunts Gilles’ daughter and son took their parents to included Méchant Boeuf Bar et Brasserie, Enoteca Mozza Pizzeria Moderna, Chez Delmo, Suite 701, L’Atelier d’Argentine, and La Brasserie Le Pois Penche. They both rhapsodized about what a visually beautiful city Montreal is, particularly the Old Quarter because it seemed so European. Chef Epié was one of the stars of French reality TV. show “Dans la Vraie Vie d’un Grand Chef” in seasons 2013-14, is contemplating the possibility of doing something on our shores, but I can’t say more than that at the moment.

In light of Thanksgiving being just around the corner, Gilles shared two of his favourite recipes from his famous Parisian restaurant, each using two very Canadian ingredients: Fresh salmon and, what else, Canadian bacon. Known for his rich bold tastes that he creates without butter or cream, his focus is on using pure produce, and he takes pleasure in revisiting and lightening great French classics. The creations express themselves with originality and the dishes stand out by their lightness and their touch of originality. “I use a lot of steam, and with this pure and simple way of cooking you must only use the finest products”, the chef explains. So here are his two recipes. Saumon a l’huile comme le Harang, and Soupe de potiron aux chataignes, coriandre et citronelle. I hope you will enjoy giving these two twists on French classics a try this Thanksgiving Holiday. Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving… Bon Appétit!

Salmon in oil “such as herring” original version

for 4 persons

400g of Wild salmon without skin or bones
1 red onion
2 carrots
10 juniper berries
4 bay leaves
Coarse salt
Pepper, salt
Chive
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ litre of peanut oil

Marinate the salmon, skinned and boned, for two hours in coarse salt.

Cook the potatoes, with skin, in boiling salted water for 20 minutes
Cut the onions into slices, peel and cut 2 carrots diagonally
Rinse the chives and immerse them in water

Rinse the salmon fillets, pat dry, wipe
Put the fish in a pan with the vegetables, add the juniper berries, bay leaf and peanut oil
Marinate for 2 hours in the fridge

Dressing: 2 tbsp of vinegar, salt, pepper and 6 tbsp of marinade oil

Chop the chives
Drain the salmon on a grid
Cut the fish in the width direction, in half-centimetre increments.

Drain the onions and carrots, junipers and laurels and place on a plate.

Presentation: Cut the potatoes into thick slices, put only the interiors. Put the salmon around, with the onions and carrots on top, with the juniper berries, chives, and bay leaf as decoration. Season with coarse salt. And drizzle generously with vinaigrette.

Pumpkin soup with chestnuts,
lard, coriander and lemongrass

for 4 persons

1kg of pumpkin
1 jar of chestnuts
2 lemongrass
Coriander
12 slices of bacon
1 onion
Olive oil
2 chicken broth cubes

Peel the pumpkin and cut into large cubes
Peel and chop the onion
In a skillet, sauté the onion and chestnuts in olive oil
Top up with water, add the chicken broth and a lemongrass stick, season and cook for 30 minutes

Roll the chestnuts in a slice of bacon and stick with the toothpick
Brown the chestnuts in a pan
Blend the soup
Spread the chestnuts on each soup plate and pour the soup over.

Photo: Nadine Hennelly, Renée Jacob and Sébastien Suchodolski

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