The most painful and difficult decision I’ve ever made was to leave Canelé and set up my own company. But sometimes, you just have to take that leap of faith and do something you’ve always wanted to do while you still can. It’s important to step out of your comfort zone and push yourself to that next level. And if you never try, you’ll never know. I’d rather try and fail then regret not trying at all.
My mind actually works best at night, especially just before I go to bed, which is quite a bitch because I don’t remember any of the ideas I had by the time I get up in the morning.
I’m not a morning person at all. If I could sleep in till 3pm every day, that would be ideal. I’d just bake bread through the night and sleep in all day.
I wish I had all the knowledge I have now, but 10 years ago.
After working 14-16 hour days, the last thing I want to do is listen to a cab driver go on and on about stuff. That really bugs me. I just want to jump in a cab, switch off and be taken home.
I got my ear pierced when I was 16. It’s one of those things you do when you’re young and stupid. I now have six.
If I could do anything in the world, it would be to take a road trip with my family around the French countryside in my dream automobile, a hippy-inspired flower power print vintage Volkswagen Camper.
I wish I could spend more time with my two daughters; I’m their playmate. They both have macarons inspired by and named after them.
The most elaborate cake I’ve ever made is, without a doubt, my wedding cake. It had five tiers, was 1.5 meters tall and the base tier alone weighed 120 kilos. It took me and my team a whole week to assemble. And yeah, my wife really liked it.
When I did sugar work in Spain for the first time, I burnt all my fingers because I didn’t know what I was doing or what to expect. I had to burst all 10 blisters at night, tough it out and still go to work the next day.
Molecular gastronomy is a great innovation in the culinary world and a real experience. But at the end of the day, I think people still want to eat something that they can relate to and are comfortable with.
I was very rebellious when I was young. I remember staying out all night one night and when I finally went home, my mom had locked me out of the house. So I did what I had to—I slept on a bench until the police came along and woke me up. Boy, did I have some explaining to do.
I really, really love spicy food. I’m quite inclined to eat it until my entire mouth goes numb.
When it comes to restaurants, opening is the easy part. It’s maintaining a certain level of quality, both in terms of food and service, that’s tricky. Consistency is the true test, especially in this climate.
My life philosophy is simple: Learn to be content with what you have.
