 Interior of Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul, located on the 35th floor of Lotte Hotel Seoul |
Pierre Gagnaire Thinks Korean Food Is CompetitiveBy Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
``My restaurant's goal is to provide pleasure and happiness to the guests,'' said three-star Michelin chef Pierre Gagnaire.
Gagnaire was in Korea last week on a weeklong trip to check up on the restaurant that carries his name. It was his third visit since opening ``Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul,'' located on the 35th floor of the Lotte Hotel Seoul in the center of the city, last October.
The restaurant has become known for offering exclusive gastronomic adventures a la Gagnaire, and local gourmets flock to the restaurant to taste the culinary art of the man dubbed the ``Picasso of the palate.''
But Gagnaire is a man with a mission.
Currently, about 30 percent of the ingredients used are imported. He wants to increase that level to include those that can't be replaced by local products, the likes of French lobsters and mushrooms among them. ``I wish the Korean customs would simplify the process,'' he lamented.
That doesn't mean that Gagnaire wants to import everything from overseas and make the Seoul restaurant exactly the same as one in France. He simply wants to use European ingredients when they are the most appropriate for particular dishes.
Instead, he introduces a variety of local produce into his cuisine. ``The most important thing for the Pierre Gagnaire a Seoul is applying Korean produce as much as possible,'' the chef explained. ``I respect the Korean culture and want the Seoul restaurant to be assimilated with the Korean culture.''
Though the basic culinary skills come from French know-how, each of his overseas restaurants strive to adapt to the local cultures in which they operate ― based on their national traits, way of thinking, market situation and environment.
``For Korea, there are so many ingredients that I don't know of and it leads to a large possibility of more discoveries,'' Gagnaire said.
Indeed, some of the Seoul restaurant's dishes are made with local products, such as roasted tile fish, omiza granite and soju sherbet. It even serves kimchi ― French-style.
Since Gagnaire is unable to stay in Seoul, Jerome Roy, the restaurant's head chef, sends him regular reports that recommend local ingredients and Gagnaire then gets to work to create a new dish.
Globalization of Korean FoodTurning to hansik, or Korean food, Gagnaire believes the government's move to promote it globally is encouraging.
``There can be so many good effects from the globalization of Korean food. First, it will help the world know more about Korea and boost the local economy. It will also contribute to improving the quality of life,'' he said. ``The cuisine is a communication between Korea and other countries. Moreover, it can create business and jobs.''
The Michelin three-star chef highlighted Korean roasted meat as prime candidates as the face of hansik.
``Galbi (beef ribs) and bulgogi (seasoned beef) would be competitive enough internationally,'' he said. ``The Korean serving style, offering many side dishes on one table, can stimulate both foreigners' eyes and tastebuds.''
Bibimbap (rice topped with assorted vegetables) is another Gagnaire's believes can become popular. ``Bibimbap is an inexpensive and harmonious dish, just like Koreans,'' he said.
He added that Koreans should try to elevate the status of bibimbap and find out the features that can appeal more to non-Koreans. ``It is the duty for Korean chefs to find out what they are,'' he added.
Products Gagnaire is considering for inclusion on the Seoul menu include omija (schisandra fruit), Korean beef and jujube ― but they could also be headed for France. ``In addition to applying these to the local menu, I would love to bring these ingredients to Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. These interesting products will provide an exotic taste for Parisians,'' he said.
Being a Chef
As a renowned chef who has restaurants all over the world, he travels a great deal. But he treasures the quiet and solitary moments ― which happen most commonly at his home in Paris ― times when he can deliberate on cooking and gain inspiration. ``Those moments are my `raison d'etre,''' Gagnaire said.
He also wants to encourage more young people to take up a career as a chef, saying it a vocation full of potential. ``You can feel happy, meet many people, travel a lot and learn steadily by being a chef,'' he said. ``More than that, you can be close to nature by touching all those ingredients that come from it.''
Gagnaire aims to do this by acting as a model example of someone who emphasizes the merits of being a chef and leads the young generation to join the culinary world.
``When I was young, I tended to focus on the visual beauty of the dish I made. But now I know that the most important thing is taste, because the food is what you eat,'' he added, smiling.
meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr
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