Amaury Bouhours – Head Chef at Le Meurice – Alain Ducasse

With two Michelin stars at Le Meurice-Alain Ducasse restaurant, Amaury Bouhours is shaking up the rules of modern gastronomy. Interview.

Interview by Katia Kulawick-Assante

Tell us about your journey to 228 Rue de Rivoli.

Amaury Bouhours: I wanted to do something with my hands, immerse myself in the world of craftsmanship. I’m hyperactive, I don’t like sitting still, and it’s very difficult for me to stay focused. My father dreamed of being a chef, so I thought I’d give it a go. It was a chance to stay in school to make him happy and… to have some peace and quiet.

So it was an arrangement at first…

A.B.: To take it easy, yes. That said, food was a priority in our family, we’ve always loved to eat well. Everything else was secondary. My father taught me the value of money: When I was 16, I started working as an assistant at our local butcher’s shop on weekends. I cleaned, trimmed fat, peeled meat, and prepared pâtés and sausages. I liked it. It was almost fun. I was learning things and, at the end of the day, I got paid. I did my end-of-study internship at the Louis XV restaurant in Monaco. Until then, only the waiting staff went to Monaco, but I wanted to work in the kitchen under Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris – what more could I ask for? It was love at first sight. Not because of the location, the luxury or the beautiful cars, but because of the organisation and the rigour of the kitchen. I needed that, especially at that time. I had a good education, but I was a bit of a troublemaker at school. In the kitchen, no one argued, everything was orderly, structured and organised, which was exactly what I needed. The chefs – Pascal Bardet and Franck Cerutti – asked me to stay. For my part, I asked to go to Paris to be with my brother. I dreamed of working at the Plaza Athénée, and an opportunity arose.

A Nous Deux Paris! Since then, you’ve worked at a string of Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels…

I spent two years at the Lasserre restaurant, between the Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice, and I worked in private chalets and villas, but I felt that even as a good chef, I was missing something. I’m curious and I always need to learn. At Lasserre, as sous-chef, I learned about structure, management, procurement, all those aspects that seem trivial before you take on the role of chef. Everyone wants to be a chef, but it’s a different job: beyond cooking well, there’s staff management, the social side, which is extremely important, procurement, etc. A hotel is very different from an independent restaurant because the structure is not the same. At Le Meurice, we are lucky to have the finest products – in the broadest sense: the art of the table, the decor, the sourcing – and that’s what I love. For me, every day is Christmas here. Everything is done to give the customer the very best.

How would you define your cuisine at Le Meurice?

Alain Ducasse provides the framework. He is the tree trunk and we are the leaves. We are there to open up, flourish and create something different, to surprise and continue to develop the restaurant. Of course, you have to have your own identity and vision. I trained in Alain Ducasse’s galaxy of chefs and was lucky enough to be Jocelyn Herland’s assistant when I arrived at Le Meurice. He provided the guidelines and I was in Research & Development. When he left, Alain Ducasse and the hotel management offered me his position. It happened on a Wednesday. On Saturday, the government closed the restaurants because of Covid. That key moment allowed me to work on what I really wanted to do – what you never have time to do in life when you take on a job like this. I was 31 when I took over the kitchens at Le Meurice and I am in charge of all the hotel’s catering. And Le Meurice is a big ship. The return of short supply chains, the promotion of local producers, cooking at home and baking your own bread had become the new norm, and I thought to myself, we need to talk about our relationship with our producers. I took sourcing a step further. I went to see the producers, I got closer to the fishermen, market gardeners, winegrowers – but that can’t be the guiding principle, because normally everyone should be doing that. I emphasised the rough edges, the distinct flavours: sour, bitter, salty, smoky, etc. I focused the menu on taste. I wanted to be less demonstrative technically and more focused on taste. What makes an impression on people is the taste, the memory of a dish.

This also goes hand in hand with simplifying the menu descriptions…

Yes, we’ve removed the pompous side. With Olivier Bikao as maître d’hotel and Cédric Grolet, who was already at Le Meurice, as pastry chef, we ended up with a team of thirty-somethings with a desire for renewal and lightness in a palace that could sometimes seem a little old-fashioned. In this classic, unchanging setting, we needed to bring a new tempo, a new rhythm.

You work closely with sourcers. Can you explain what that involves?

People imagine that the chef goes to the market in the morning and then goes straight to the kitchen… I’d love to, but there aren’t enough hours in the day! We visit the producers from time to time, but to be honest, we can’t go every day. That’s why we have suppliers who provide us with produce throughout the week. This includes specific products, such as seeds, particular legumes, aloe vera, etc. Obviously, they have to follow my specifications: for me, the supply area is France. Local is great, but growing vegetables on concrete – even if it’s fantastic in theory – has its pros and cons. For me, endives are planted in the north, asparagus in the south, artichokes in Brittany, and we only choose avocados from Corsica or Provence. When it comes to maritime sourcing, I prefer fish from the Atlantic, where the water is a little colder, the flesh a little firmer and the territory is close by – we are two hours from Normandy and three to four hours from Brittany. The human aspect is also important: I have spent hours on the phone with producers. It’s a social connection, but also a learning experience. And I learn something new every day. You can never be too sure about preconceived ideas. For example, lemons may be untreated ‘after harvesting’, but what about before? My philosophy is to use the product at the best time of year. I was lucky enough to work on naturalness with Romain Meder and Emmanuel Pilon in Monaco, using a lot of fermentation. I use it for preservation, i.e. to fix the product when it is at its best, so that it can be used throughout the year in condiments and sauces.

Is it easy to put together a menu that you’ve dreamed up?

At Le Meurice, we serve traditional French cuisine – and I like to add – contemporary cuisine, with classics brought up to date. We offer a five- or seven-course menu where guests can choose, a bit like à la carte. My role is to create something new, to learn, to understand, to diversify the menu. Creativity is not that simple. I’m lucky to have my assistant, Dimitri Coly, who has been working at Le Meurice for 11 years and with whom I’ve developed a brotherly bond. I’m sort of the artistic and creative director. I give the direction, but what interests me is that everyone grows in the kitchen, not just creating a dish and giving the technical details to the teams. A new dish always starts the same way: I taste the ingredients, I have ideas, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, I make combinations and then everyone is involved and invested in the project.

So it’s a collective effort in the end…

Absolutely.

Where does your culinary inspiration come from?

Travel is interesting because it opens you up to other cultures. In French gastronomy, you realise that there are many products that don’t originate from our territory: the discovery of the Americas, the Silk Road with its spices, the influence of Catherine de Medici… Sauerkraut, for example, arrived with the invasion of the Huns in Gaul, although the recipe has been improved over the centuries, and each region has developed its own identity. When I travel, I’m very interested in techniques, flavours and all the details that make up a culinary identity. I tend to work with French products but pick up ideas from cuisines around the world. For example, we have a Japanese barbecue and I love working with fire; the primitive aspect of cooking gives the food a unique texture. Does a carrot have to be perfectly orange on the plate? If you have to boil it in water to preserve its appearance, it will have no taste. I prefer carrots sautéed with olive oil and salt, caramelised by their own juices.

You are truly passionate about the history of cooking…

I collect cookbooks. Our generation is focused on social media and digital technology, but paper leaves a mark on history. I recently wrote a book, ADN: Ducasse (Ducasse Editions), with Jean-Philippe Blondet (chef at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London) and Emmanuel Pilon (chef at Louis XV in Monaco).

Whether it’s biographies of chefs, the history of gastronomy or research into ingredients, I find it all fascinating. It’s not the recipes that interest me in a book, it’s the little details: discovering that in Lebanese cuisine, spices are roasted before use. I’ve always been passionate about history, even at school. Culture is important. Every Friday in the kitchens of Le Meurice, one member of our team gives a presentation on gastronomy. The theme is open, it can be about a chef, a product, etc. We also have a role to play in passing on knowledge and educating others. The chefs who came before me did it, and I feel obliged to do the same. Without lecturing, it’s an opportunity to share interesting stories, learn and exchange ideas.

What is your connection to Paris?

I was born in La Garenne-Colombes, and my father is Parisian. My parents were born in Paris, my grandparents in Neuilly and Issy-les-Moulineaux. When my mother died, my father moved to Compiègne, in the Oise region, to start a new life. I grew up in Picardy from the age of 10 to 18. Then I came back to Paris. I’m in love with this city. I really feel at home here. Sometimes I find it chaotic. But then I go on a trip, and when I come back, I think, “Wow, Paris is beautiful”. The architecture is unique, from the 1st to the 20th arrondissement – not to mention that I’ve been a PSG fan since I was a kid (laughs). It’s a lively, dynamic city where there’s always something to do. You never have time to get bored – sometimes it’s even too much compared to the provinces, but I love this lifestyle. There’s a crazy energy in Paris, whether it’s in culture, gastronomy or sport.

When you hear “Parisian cuisine”, what comes to mind?

People come to France to eat onion soup, escargots, beef bourguignon, veal blanquette, all these very Parisian dishes. The bistros, brasseries and bars. I’ve always known what it’s like to have your morning coffee at the bar with your dad reading the newspaper. The PMU where people come all day long, the terrace in the afternoon, it’s very Parisian and unique. Even though a lot has changed, this popular aspect of the café is becoming trendy again, partly because of purchasing power and partly because of the social aspect – talking to the waiter or your neighbour. Gastronomy, in the broadest sense, is the image of Paris. This melting pot of cultures, backgrounds and diversity is incredible. It’s Parisian and beyond, it’s France. If France is what it is today in terms of its culinary offerings, it’s thanks to this social and cultural diversity, which is what has made us strong and rich. We should use this in the rest of society. Because that’s what I see in my kitchen. In Paris, you can eat couscous, grilled meat, ceviche, sushi, kebabs, burgers or tikka masala – even if there are too many Italian restaurants (laughs). I’m joking – I love Italy.

Do you go to restaurants in Paris?

I love going to restaurants with my brother. Not to compare our cuisines, because every chef has their own philosophy, but for friendly visits. I love the big family aspect of the restaurant business. The main thing is to enjoy yourself and have a good time.

What is your favourite dish, at Le Meurice and elsewhere?

On our menu, it’s the matured veal with a barbecue vegetable sauce. Elsewhere, I’d say a dish by Alan Taudon at L’Orangerie, the jewel of the Four Seasons Paris – George V, which really made an impression on me: sea bream and courgettes with jalapeño peppers, simple, full of flavour and punch. Wow. Every time I go there, I’m always just as moved. Alan Taudon is a truly great chef.