Restaurant la Bolée

“Flambéing is important for the presentation, people love when we light the flambé at the table.”

Why did you choose this profession? What was most appealing to you?

Because I’ve always loved cooking and pleasing people, as well as sharing what I cook.

How did you learn your skills?

I first learned to cook in an apprenticeship, under a chef who has the Meilleur Ouvrier de France title. After that, I worked in several restaurants in Reunion and Switzerland.

For the mirabelle Vaute, I learned on my own, by observing. A friend at the Château d’Adomenil restaurant in Rehainviller near Lunéville modernised this recipe and gave me the idea to make it my own, and to present it to the Nancy Passions Sucrées label.

How long did it take you to perfect your craft?

We made about thirty before it came out well. We had failures, times when it overflowed (laughs from the chef), was undercooked or overcooked. It’s hard work to find the right balance. Now it’s perfect. That’s what my clients tell me.

Do you bring your own personal touch to your work?

I began with the idea from my friend who had made the dessert and then I created my own recipe. I decided to flambé it because it wasn’t initially flambéed with mirabelles, and I added a scoop of mirabelle ice cream. Originally, it was just made with the mirabelle plums, and served without sorbet and without the flambé. Flambéing is important for the presentation, people love when we light the flambé at the table.

What has experience taught you?

This experience, and more specifically Nancy Passions Sucrées, introduced me to fellow chefs, because we didn’t really know each other before. Our jobs don’t leave us much time, and it is difficult to connect while working in our kitchens. So it helped me meet colleagues and share a common idea of showcasing Lorraine recipes to the public. It was important.

Who do you want to pass on your expertise to? And how do you plan to do it?

We try to pass on our know-how to apprentices, who are a rare commodity. We hope they will carry on the skills they have learned here. All the staff at La Bolée know how to make this recipe, since I’m not always there to do it.

Any tips to share or pass on to non-pastry chefs?

To avoid burning yourself, once your dough is baked underneath, rather than turning it over, you can pop it in the oven. The top will cook, and this way you don’t have to turn it and risk dropping it. But you’ll need a metal skillet for this, not one with a plastic handle.