Chef Joel Robuchon – Equipped with His Special Culinary Touch

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Chef Joel Robuchon is one of the most popular chefs in the culinary world, particularly in France. He owns a number of fine-dining restaurants in different parts of the world, and he gave each of them his special culinary touch, making sure that his restaurants serve only the best dishes with the best and freshest ingredients and products. All his efforts paid off as three of his restaurants were included in the top 50 list of S. Pellegrino’s World’s Best Restaurants. His L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in France got into the 29th position. His restaurants’ getting into this prestigious and much-coveted spots and his exemplary cuisine is proof that he is one of the best chefs in the world.

Chef Robuchon was born on the 7th of April 1945 in France. At the tender age of 15 years old, he went on to work at the Relais of Poitiers Hotel where he became an apprentice chef. When he turned 28, he became Hotel Concorde La Fayette’s head chef. this was in 1974. It was in 1981 that he opened hi own restaurant in Paris, Jamin. It was a small French restaurant, but it earned three Michelin stars three years after he launched Jamin.

With his culinary skill fast becoming famous and more people visiting his restaurant, Chef Robuchon opened a bigger one in Hotel du Parc. Just like Jamin, it also received there Michelin stars. However, at the age of 51, he closed his restaurant and semi-retired in 1996.

His became restless though, and after some considerations, he opened a small restaurant in Japan and then launched L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Paris, France. In his new restaurant in Paris, he completely redefined haute cuisine. In fact, it was a radical change that defied fine dining in the traditional sense. Instead of dividing chef and diners, he gave his restaurant a flowing space by placing seats around a counter that shows the kitchen. The contemporary feel that his new restaurant exudes created an informal yet elegant atmosphere.

Instead of stopping with two restaurants, he opened more. Aside from the modern L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, he opened the more traditional and formal restaurant, which is the La Table du Robuchon in Paris. Chef Robuchon also went international and opened his own restaurants in New York, Las Vegas, London, Hong Kong, Japan, Taipei, Monaco, and Macau.

His perfectionist approach to his cuisine has earned him and his restaurants numerous awards. He is a firm believer that two or three flavors are enough to make a very delicious meal, and that, instead of adding more flavors to make a dish exciting and interesting, it is more important to bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients by combining it with ingredients that can bring out its essence.

Right now, Chef Robuchon is considered as the best chef when it comes to French cuisine. It can be said that his cuisine is simply French.

Chef Joel Robuchon’s Sautéed Bass with Lemongrass

Ingredients:

1 medium tomato, quartered and seeded
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 thyme sprig
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for frying
10 lemongrass stalks, bottom two-thirds of tender inner bulbs only, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small shallot, sliced
One 3-inch-long strip lemon zest
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
4 scallions, white and pale green parts only
1 medium leek, white part only, cut into fine julienne
Four 6-ounce skinless sea bass fillets
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°. In a small baking dish, drizzle the tomato quarters with the olive oil and scatter the garlic on top. Add the thyme sprig to the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and arrange the tomatoes skin side up. Bake for about 1 hour, or until very soft. Peel the tomato quarters. Leave the tomatoes in the dish and discard the thyme sprig. Leave the oven on.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup of vegetable oil with a little more than half of the sliced lemongrass and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain the oil.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining lemongrass and the lemon zest and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and simmer over low heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce into a small saucepan. 4.

4. In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the scallions for 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer them to a plate. Cut the scallions into 2-inch lengths. Add the leek julienne to the water and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

5. In a medium skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the leek and fry over moderate heat until crisp but not browned, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the leek to paper towels and drain. Season with salt.

6. Put the scallions in the dish with the tomato and warm in the oven. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, warm 1/4 cup of the lemongrass oil until shimmering. Season the bass fillets with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned and just opaque, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the fillets to plates and arrange the tomato quarters and scallions on top.

7. Bring the lemongrass cream sauce to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter until smooth. Season with salt. If desired, froth the sauce using an immersion blender. Spoon the sauce around the fish and drizzle some of the lemongrass oil around the plate. Top with the fried leek julienne and serve.

Notes: The remaining lemongrass oil can be refrigerated for up to one week. It can be used to sauté seafood, chicken or pork. Or it can be used to make a vinaigrette or as a garnish for finished dishes.

Image Credit: restotendances.com

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