Hello Thierry Le Quéau! The French executive chef at Mandarin Oriental, who began his career at 16 and has made a new twist on traditional dishes.
Bigouden Finistère, Brittany, France
What led you to Indonesia and how long have you lived here?
I lived in Indonesia since my Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta in June 2009. I worked in the business for 19 years and now Mandarin Oriental has always been a reference point terms of luxury hospitality. I feel privileged to work for a company that reputation and I always wanted to live in Asia and its rich heritage and food culture.
When and why did you start cooking? What inspired you to become a professional chef?
Being around food inspired me to become a chef and I started my career at the age of 16 by becoming an apprentice in 1991. The freedom of creativity , it has an excitation through various experiences or sensations relative to the product. With the kitchen, I am constantly in touch with nature at every change of season.
There were many people who inspired me along the way and continue to inspire. My mother and grandmother were my first idols. Thanks to them, I learned my values, my strong work ethic and desire, the desire to do a good job and do a little better every day. My father was a fisherman, and that gave me access to seafood, and you can have as a small-son of a farmer, I was always in touch with the reality of growing vegetables based on seasons and helping during harvest. This built my understanding and fundamental basis for the importance of the product until the final coating. I pay tribute to the three ladies to burn these beliefs in me.
Professionally, André Doll, chief mentor of my learning, gave me a solid introduction to the kitchen. He taught me almost everything I know today.
Who were your main influences?
I worked with Adolphe Bosser, inventor of nouvelle cuisine, the restaurant Bosser of the Relais & Châteaux in Audierne. He was sous chef kitchen. Having trained under French master chefs Adolphe Bosser and Eric SCUILLER, I refined my techniques by working with chef Raphael Rolland.
Could you describe or define your style of cooking?
My cooking style is more related to my country and the region. I really like the classic way of cooking. We care for our tradition in France, it is very important. In my career, I work with very traditional and conservative leaders. I use new techniques and products of course, but the food I cook is the same old spirit. The new cooking style is not my style, if necessary, I'm flexible. I like reinventing traditional dishes. It is in local products from Brittany that I draw my inspiration to create. Simplicity and elegance are the reflections of my creativity. The accuracy and simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve when creating dishes.
Usually when I get home at night it is very quiet. During an hour or two, I start thinking about the seasons or times of the day and I create a dish. You must find the right coupling between the best quality ingredients and well cooked. I want to find my own style and cook what is in my heart.
You are known for your continued demand for fresh produce, is it difficult to source fresh ingredients in Indonesia for French cuisine?
At times, yes, there are difficulties. But this is beyond our control and maximizes I on the best local produce and products. For example, fish or seafood and local seasonal Direct guarantees the best quality. We must also pay more attention to what ingredients we can get in our kitchen, so we have a role to play with regard to sustainability. We need to make a more sustainable way and cook a more contemporary kitchen to meet the demands of customers. There is no progress to be able to eat asparagus and strawberries all year, biodiversity must be preserved.
I enjoyed all my collaborations! It gives you the opportunity to share, learn and contribute at all levels of the brigade, it is not just one person. You must enjoy and be passionate about what you do; learn and listen to each member of the team and help your team strength. Another element is patience. You need to stay with one team long enough to really learn and there is no fast track. These moments have built my personality and career relationships.
I want my team to learn from me to help them do their jobs better, because at the end of the day, we define our success by how well we have done collectively as a group . I want to convey what is important to me :. Respect for food, commitment to our customers and building relationships with our suppliers
Working in the kitchen fast paced, hard work and little room for error, how voulez- relax after a busy change?
I usually swim or dive in my free time since I do not have an ocean nearby. I like working out, exercise, and also spend time reading.
What are your views on Indonesian cuisine, do you have a favorite dish?
The famous beef rendang. I like classical food and Indonesian cuisine guard their traditional dishes at their best using quality ingredients and spices fantastic. As long as you respect the product, the food is always at its best. Our cooks can see the individual, they can identify a personality behind it, and therefore include beef, how beef is high, it is slaughter, the whole purpose behind it and all these different things that really make this connection complete - that responsibility and respect for food.
What advice would you give to young aspiring chefs
3 words :?
Patience . Be ready at every moment; get ready for tomorrow. Chefs always want to move faster. I think it is important to enjoy the moment; to accept and embrace the duplication of work and improve what you do every day so you can put it back and use it as a solid foundation for building your career.
Desire . You must have the desire. People say you have to have the passion to do something good, but I do not completely agree with this. Passion is important but the passion ebbs and flows. We can be passionate about something one day but not the next. Desire equals success. Having a desire for something that means effort on a daily basis. The determination and ambition are important qualities in all areas.
Belief . A leader must also take ownership of what they do, and never give up! It is all about determination. Come in everyday life and do a little better than the day before.