France Trance

And they would have been justified, considering the positively sinful things the master chef does with his imports. Rosemary honey makes an understated appearance in the Poelee de Foie Gras de Canard au Fenouil, Pamplemouse Rose au Miel de Romarin okay, that8217;s Pan-fried Duck Liver with Fennel, Pink Grapefruit and Rosemary Honey8212;a dish that is less of a mouthful than its name, so light it slithers off the tongue, and so rich you8217;d be a millionaire if it were money.

But that8217;s rather like spilling the beans on the climax of a thriller before allowing the tension to build up. According to the Michelin Guide, a two-star restaurant8212;such as La Belle Otero, which Chauveau headed at the Carlton hotel in Cannes8212;is a place where you should expect everything to be 8216;8216;top-notch, if not perfect8217;8217;. And there wasn8217;t much chance of anything falling short of perfection at The Imperial8217;s 1911 Brasserie either, where Chauveau set up shop.

He flew in on a Thursday, checked out the local markets over the next couple of days, and by Monday we had the first guests,8217;8217; says an awed Lionel Richard, director of the Imperial8217;s restaurants. Among the diners: Media barons, embassy officials, entrepreneurs and every other deep-pocketed foodie who doesn8217;t balk at the Rs 5,000-for-two with wine price tag.

And to think most of that was just for local produce! 8216;8216;Indian vegetables are fantastic,8217;8217; says Chauveau. 8216;8216;Bruno Cerdan, the Imperial8217;s executive chef, and I finalised the 19-dish menu8212;five starters and desserts and three entrees each in fish, meat and vegetables8212;even before I landed.8217;8217;

Expectations ride high. The string of French words8212;with English translations for the uninitiated8212;is intimidating, but the timbale of smoked salmon, stuffed with crabmeat and drizzled with Mediterranean vegetables, shows that foreign tongues are not a challenge for Chauveau. The smooth, familiar taste of the salmon is nudged out of complacency by the roughness of the pureed crabmeat; the tiny chopped aubergines, courgettes and tomatoes clear the palate more efficiently than the sparkling wine.

After that adventure, the eye seeks comfort8230; and pounces on the bekti, that slender-boned river fish so dear to all true blue Bongs. It comes disguised in a crisp Parmesan coat, and the result is an explosion of flavours and textures, the sweetness of the fish balanced perfectly by the distinctively salty cheese. One is forced to push away the half-finished fish, lest the stomach be satiated before the tongue8212;for the duck liver awaits.

Strangely, for the creator of such flamboyant delicacies, Chauveau, with his gimlet eyes behind rimless glasses, reminds one more of a university professor than a Vatel remember Gerard Depardieu as the impassioned steward out to impress Julian Sands8217; Louis XIV in the eponymous 2000 movie. His chef8217;s jacket bears a quiet 8216;F.C.8217; over the right breast pocket, and his fingers8212;well formed, but not a conventional artist8217;s hands8212;speak more volubly than his French.

It has something to do, perhaps, with the constant need for authority. 8216;8216;A chef8217;s job is one of permanent stress,8217;8217; he says. 8216;8216;One is nervous all the time inside, yet on the exterior one must be in control.8217;8217;

It is a trick Chauveau has perfected over 43 years. Born in central France, where his grandmother and mother8212;both glorious cooks8212;determined his calling early. Chauveau joined his first professional kitchen in a one-star Michelin restaurant at 14.

A year later, he made the cut in the eyes of his family, when he cooked a slap-up meal for his sister8217;s communion, complete with deep-sea lobster and a big dessert.8216;8216;I thought that was the most nervous I could be,8217;8217; he sighs. 8216;8216;I was wrong.8217;8217;