Chef Michel Troisgros – Sticking to the Old But Opening to the New

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Some of the best restaurants in the world practically dates back to the early 20s or 30s – and one of these restaurants is Troisgros. The original owners, Jean-Baptiste Troisgros and his Marie, probably never imagined that their humble restaurant would someday be included in the prestigious S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Troisgros, however, is one of the best places to eat.

How Did It Happen?

In truth, it was not Jean-Baptiste and his wife who did the real work. It was actually their sons Jean and Pierre who actually made the real efforts in order to build a first class French restaurant. They actually studied the art of cooking under the tutelage of some of the best chefs in the country. By the time they took the reins in 1950, they were ready to create a gourmet restaurant.

Now, the management of the restaurant has passed hands. It now lies on the third generation of the Troisgros family – and the chef slaving behind the stove is another Troisgros, Michel. With the help of his wife, Michel has managed to place their family restaurant in the list of the world’s best.

The Happy Chef behind the Stove

You would expect that with an aged-old restaurant, Chef Michel would be more traditional in his cooking techniques. Au contraire –as the French would say – he is more attached to the modern methods; albeit, he does stick to true French style. Still, he tends to borrow from various influences. He continually travels all over the globe in order to get new ideas. He gets his ideas from Asian cuisines. His grandmother, an Italian, has also largely influenced his style.

Chef Michel’s true heritage is not the restaurant. What he has really inherited is his family’s love for cooking. As a child, he was always drawn to the kitchen. He loved the rhythm and the vitality. Not surprisingly, he pursued courses that are geared towards prepping him up for the business. He studied hotel management and then he moved on to study the culinary arts. As a top chef, he prefers to stick with minimalist cooking. He does not prefer flounces or excesses; although, he can be a bit playful with his ingredients, recipes and dishes. He ensures balance in texture and flavor.

The bottomline though is this – you wouldn’t really appreciate how he expertly and perfectly prepares his creations until you find yourself sitting at a table in Troisgros waiting for your treat.