French JRE Chefs share secrets behind memorable dessert creations

Even though French chef Pricillia Lebon (32) never had any specific professional training, her cooking has been out of this world since she was 22. She learned to cook “on the job” and now owns restaurant L'Ogustin, in the picturesque town of La Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martinde-Castries, about a 45 minute drive from Montpellier. It is a cosy restaurant in an old farmhouse which is also home to a small hotel with 25 rooms. The beautiful outdoor terrace with 25 seats is shaded by several huge trees. ‘It is the perfect place to unwind,’ says Pricillia. The way she cooks here is very personal. ‘I call it “cuisine d'auteur.” Techniques are not necessarily invented; they are passed down from one chef to another. Through personal experiences, you make them your own. I try to serve dishes that reflect what I experience and what I find around me, for example in the market, or on the Larzac plateau. I also like to bring influences from my origins in Madagascar, Normandy and Réunion.’

Since the age of 25, colleague and chef Grégory Doucey (44) has thrown himself into his first love: cooking. He completed his culinary training within nine months and worked on placements in top restaurants in Montpellier. After that he worked in Chablis for a time, but eventually returned to the south of France. In November 2018, Grégory opened his own fine dining restaurant, In-Fine, in Frontignan. ‘My restaurant is focused on sustainability. I use fresh products that can be found within a 200 kilometre radius of Frontignan. We are on the coast, so we have a wide range of fish, shellfish and crustaceans available. I like to use “forgotten fish”, like sardines, mackerel and anchovies. I also have my own 250 square metre vegetable garden, where we grow fruit and vegetables
for the restaurant.’

Grégory also likes to use local, seasonal ingredients in his desserts. ‘Guests sometimes find it hard to move on from chocolate or citrus fruit! However, I have a strong preference for regional and seasonal produce. It should be the cook who adapts to the producer, or in other words, man who adapts to nature – not the other way around. If our grower in Fabrègues can’t supply asparagus yet because the soil is too cold, we simply have to adapt. Due to global warming, some things are different from the way they used to be. We are losing some products, but now we suddenly have kiwis, for example. As chefs we have to move with what is available.” Grégory believes that a good dessert should evoke childhood memories. ‘A memory of meals shared with your family or a festive occasion, for the sole purpose of providing comfort and a little indulgence. In my view a surprising dessert should be soft and crunchy at the same time. That's why I focus so much on textures and flavours.’

Pricillia wants to tell a story with her desserts. ‘It might be inspired by an encounter or something in my personal life. Right now I am thinking about the cotton flower: a symbol of slavery that marked my family and my upbringing. The creative process is important to me. With the right combination of textures, flavours and ingredients of the
best quality, my dishes bring a story to life.’

Neither of these French chefs are very keen on the trend around reinventing classics; the so-called "deconstructed desserts". ‘Take lemon meringue pie,’ says Grégory. ‘If you replace the Italian meringue with a dried French meringue, it's a completely different dish. It is very difficult to reshape a classic dessert.' Pricillia wholeheartedly agrees. ‘For example, I remember the Paris-Brest from my childhood. You can look at that recipe as hard as you like, you can make it lighter, change the praliné or alter the choux pastry ... but the Paris-Brest of my childhood will always be my favourite! It is better to come up with something new than to keep pushing things that are already there.’

One signature dessert for Pricillia is her mignardise. ‘Fifteen years ago, I was inspired by a great Ladurée classic. Once I had perfected and tasted my mignardise, filled with a little pink lychee and raspberry gel on a shortbread dough, the memory of that delicious dessert I enjoyed with my best friend at Ladurée came flooding back. That was a very special experience.’ Grégory calls his Tarte Tatin a signature dish. ‘With a wonderful light cream and just the right amount of sweetness. It's a very simple dessert, but I think it is delicious and comforting.’

Grégory says that as a chef he puts himself under more pressure for his desserts than any other part of the menu. ‘It's the last memory of your cooking that your guests take home with them. If you have crafted your first courses with great skill, taste and quality, you can't just finish off with a mediocre dessert. A good dessert that fits your menu and your restaurant requires a lot of thought, reading, experimentation and preparation.’

Pricillia likes to use fruit and vanilla in her desserts. She also loves to experiment with confectionery, although it doesn't always end up in her desserts. For Pricillia, a chef can make the biggest impression with a simple dessert that everyone knows by adding something extra that leaves a lasting impression. ‘I recently received some very positive feedback on my vanilla ice cream. I found that particularly satisfying: making a classic unforgettable by using exceptionally good vanilla and choosing the right flavours and infusion. It might seem simple, but it is a complex challenge.’