This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Romain Meder, formerly chef of the mythical and renowned restaurant Plaza Athénée, located on avenue Montaigne, in Paris, and now of the equally prestigious Domaine de Primard, a Relais Châteaux in Eure-et-Loir, is about to put down his bags to Montreal. He is expected on February 23 and 24 at Mastard, the restaurant of chef Simon Mathys, for two collaborative dinners offered as part of the Montréal en lumière festival.
If Romain Meder is a leader in the field of French haute cuisine, it should be noted that Simon Mathys does not leave his place in terms of reputation either. In 2022, he was crowned best chef of the year at the Lauriers de la gastronomie québécoise and his restaurant earned a place among the 10 best new establishments in Canada determined by the magazine. on the way, of Air Canada. Meeting with the Quebec chef, who is impatiently awaiting the arrival of his French colleague.
What motivated you to organize this evening where you receive a guest chef?
Hosting a renowned chef at my restaurant allows me to share and learn a lot, that’s why I do it. These are enriching and formative encounters for me. In addition to all the fun we have cooking together!
Why did you decide to invite Romain Meder?
He is a great inspiration to me. His book Naturally free. Let nature inspire your plates is so interesting, I consider it a cooking bible. I also really like the aesthetics of his dishes. The products are always showcased so well. I would describe his culinary style as being a tasty, plant-based cuisine. It still offers dishes that are off the beaten track. Somehow, I recognize myself in this, since I also work a lot with vegetables and local products.
How are you preparing for this meeting?
Am I preparing? Yes and no ! (laughs) Of course, my team and I are going to think about our menu, we’re going to have an idea of the foods we’re going to cook and the number of services we’re going to want to offer, but we also leave some place to the guest chef in order to make decisions with him.
What foods do you plan to cook during these dinners with Romain Meder?
We have beautiful products here, even in winter. Our market gardeners do an incredible job in the greenhouse to provide us with quality products year-round, and there is something to be proud of. I’ll send him a list of what’s available right now and let him decide first what he wants to work on. We’ll take the rest. He’s my guest, after all! The goal is really that he has a good time with us. I tell myself that he will perhaps rediscover foods, such as rutabaga. This one will have spent a few months in the vault, in order to keep all winter. Romain Meder will perhaps find that it is cooked differently and that it tastes different. It will be a great challenge. I really hope that we will have a seven-course meal in order to taste all that Romain Meder is capable of!
Romain Meder and the concept of naturalness
Three other meetings not to be missed
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.