Lunch with Chef Pierre Augé

Pierre Augé, does that name ring a bell? A finalist in Top Chef 2010, he is the grand winner of Top Chef 2014 and two Choc des Champions. Great news! Our little chocolate squares now accompany coffee in his beautiful restaurant La Maison de Petit Pierre in Béziers.

Like our artist friends, Pierre Augé played the Tac-O-Tac and the Q&A game! Get ready, it's hot. 🥵

 

The Portrait

Where did you get the desire to become a chef?

From my father, who was a caterer, butcher, and pastry chef, and my grandfather, who was a charcutier and butcher.

Your culinary training?

CAP cuisine at the Saint-Chély-d’Apcher high school.

Is it hard to become a celebrity?

I am not famous; I am a business owner, head chef, and a dad!

At La Maison de Petit Pierre restaurant, what is your cooking style?

Bistronomy

What's the atmosphere like in the kitchen at La Maison de Petit Pierre? (Really, no grumblers)

I complain all the time because I'm very demanding with myself and others, and the days are too short!

Besides the restaurant, any other projects in the works?

No other projects, my restaurant takes up a lot of my energy and time. You always have to try to do better, to improve, to be more creative, inventive, innovative, to question yourself. Nothing is given; that's my motto! You have to be rigorous, serious, and honest!

Is "Made in France" important to you?

Made in France, I love it. I cultivate it, I cook it, I transmit it! We have such a beautiful country, with riches and treasures that we use every day in my kitchen. I am lucky to live in a region with a heritage and talented producers. I work essentially with the market gardeners, fishermen, and breeders of my region!

 

 

Pierre's Quick-Fire Questions

Food category:

The recipe or creation you are most proud of?

The scallop carpaccio from my Top Chef 2014 final

Rather invention or reinterpretation of traditional recipes?

Invention

Should merguez sausages be pricked for cooking?

Yes!

Pasta carbonara, with or without cream?

With a lot of cream

 

 

 

Chocolatine or pain au chocolat?

Chocolatine

Ketchup or Mayo?

Mayo

How do you like your eggs?

Soft-boiled, fried, poached, surprise... I love eggs

An underrated food?

Offal

Your last meal before you die?

My grandmother's stuffed tomatoes

Your favorite chocolate-based recipe?

The "supplice," my father's signature cake

 

 

The food that will NEVER be on your restaurant's menu in your lifetime?

Industrial ketchup

If you hadn't been a chef, what would your dream job be?

Airplane pilot 🙂

The best restaurant after yours?

Le Bristol

The best advice you've ever been given?

Never give up, persevere, and give your all with heart and sincerity.

The recipe (so simple, yet) you'll never quite remember?

The measurements for baking

The city where you eat best?

Paris

Today's dessert is...?

Almond mousse with dragée cacao crumble, sesame, and blood orange sorbet

 

No category category:

What question do you not want to answer?

Anything related to money, I hate talking about money!

The best moment of the day?

When I kiss my children and then when I'm in my kitchen

An evening alone with Donald Trump, what do you do?

I tell him he's crazy!

What do you say when you stub your toe?

Damn it!

The first thing you do when you wake up?

Wash myself

The first word that comes to your mind?

My head is a pressure cooker, too many things in my head!

 

Category 2.0:

The last link you sent to all your friends?

A photo of me acting silly

The most absurd phrase you typed into Google?

"How to unclog a sink." I'm terrible at DIY!

Your last Instagram photo?

A parsnip and a porcini mushroom

 

The photo you like best on your Instagram account?

The boomerangs of my son in the kitchen with me

Hashtag or no hashtag?

Many hashtags

If Hashtag, which # do you use most?

#lamaisondepetitpierre

 

Pierre Augé's Multiple Choice Questions