This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Satay Brothers, this Saint-Henri restaurant that has become an essential address for gourmets in search of Asian flavors, hides within its walls a true artist who is still too little known. The owners of the place, Alex and Mathieu Winnicki, launched this project 12 years ago. The Satay Brothers offers harmonious cuisine combining different flavors of Southeast Asia. Cédric Fong, the artist behind a symphony of colorful dishes and executive chef, is originally from Madagascar and has, like the Winnicki brothers, Chinese origins. On the occasion of Easter, we asked him to tell us about his journey and his memories of Easter meals. Third text in a three-part series.
family memories
Cédric Fong grew up in an environment where cooking was an integral part of his life “My father had a Cantonese restaurant in my country of origin. When I was little, I was already helping him in the kitchen. Madagascar is a country with diverse cultural influences. The cuisine has Chinese influences, but also Indian, Arab, Creole, French and English. »
Cédric recalls with passion the dishes of his childhood: “a lot of curry, chicken or beef, prepared with cumin and coconut milk, fried chicken croquettes, fried rice, served with green onions and coriander , small Chinese sausages, lacquered pork, Buns steamed and delicious fried donuts menakely for dessert”.
The chef says that one of his fondest memories is linked to Easter Mondays, when many of these dishes were shared with the family. “My father worked a lot because of his restaurant, but at Easter he took Sunday and Monday off. It was an opportunity to get together as a family, to eat and celebrate. We are Protestants and for us, Easter is the most important holiday of the year,” says Chief Fong. Sunday was a day of prayer at the temple, but Easter Monday was the chief’s favorite day. “We used to go picnicking in the countryside. We spread a tablecloth on the grass and we feasted as a family, enjoying nature. »
Cédric Fong explains that, for Malagasy people, the family has always had an important meaning. He adds that the concept of family among Asians is rather broad, also including close friends, who are invited to holiday meals.
The Satay Brothers Family
However, it is cut off from his family that Cédric has had to spend the Easter holidays since his arrival in Quebec. “My parents sent me here to find a better future. I arrived alone with my older sister as a teenager, and we lived with a great aunt until we were adults. It was only recently that her parents arrived in Quebec. In the meantime, he discovered another family, one by adoption, with that of the Winnickis.
“Mathieu immediately welcomed me into his team and his family. I consider him today as a big brother. It was he who allowed me to rediscover my roots, to reconnect with my Chinese origins. He made me feel a little more at home. »
While he was working, about ten years ago, during the summer, in a crêperie in the Atwater Market, he met Mathieu. “We realized that we had a lot in common: similar childhood memories of our Chinese origins, me from Madagascar, him from Singapore. We had similar heritages of flavors and rituals around food. »
Discovering strong affinities with Cédric, Mathieu asks him to come and work with him. “I had no background in the kitchen. I was studying engineering then. Then, Mathieu’s mother, now deceased, took me under her wing, and I cooked with her. I felt that I was wanted in the team and that I was already part of the family. Mat showed me everything. I gave up my studies to follow them, his family and him. I rose through the ranks and was given the role of leader,” he says proudly.
While the Singaporean street food that forms the basis of the menu at Satay Brothers has some similarities to Cédric’s childhood cooking, many things are different. “I had several things to learn, including certain techniques for executing the signature dishes. For example, this crushed paste of herbs, chilies and spices typical of Singapore, which is called remah. I also had to master the names of the ingredients in the original language,” he explains.
Over time, a bond of trust was woven between the two men. The sustainability of the restaurant is ensured thanks to Cédric and his desire to do things right. It is now his turn to offer typical dishes from his childhood on the menu. Curry and fried rice are thus slowly appearing on the menu, as an incarnate example of the sharing of cultures between the Winnicki family and that of Cédric.