Chef Pierre Gagnaire: inspiration from the senses

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Gagnaire's comfort in his own skin comes in part from being nurtured in a family restaurant. Famously easygoing in the kitchen, he is never the cartoonish French chef of the movies: No shouting, no throwing inferior butter (or sous chefs) against the wall.

"My kitchen team is the gold of my life," he says. "My philosophy is simple: honesty, kindness, sincerity, and making opportunities to give pleasure. Relating to guests and to my team is a necessity - and a gift for me."

He notes that 30 years ago nobody spoke to chefs, but now chefs' personalities have become an expected facet of their job. That's partly because of those TV shows, he says, and partly because chefs now work the "front of the house" as well as the kitchen, circulating among the guests and putting on events and menus, like his special program for Art Basel.

Gagnaire is a good example of the changing times. Despite what is now five decades in a celebrated career, he didn't open a second restaurant (London) until 12 years ago.

The Hong Kong restaurant, the fourth to bear his name, is like many an independent restaurant where he consults on menus and approach, provides trainings and works with a resident chef who has been with him before. Jean Denis Le Breas has run kitchens in the Pierre group, including in London and St. Bart's, for eight years. He came to Hong Kong in 2013.

When asked why he is a chef, Gagnaire jokes: "I had no choice. My father was in the business, and when I was 5 years old he put a toque on my head and - voila!" But he didn't enjoy it much when he really started kitchen work at the age of 15. "It was too hard, too complicated and impossible for me to do sports. It's a job that gives you no time for a social life.

"But one day I saw that it was giving me the opportunity to do something different, very creative. I realized how important food is for people, and that made it exciting to focus on creating a good plate."