I shall
never forget my first lunch at Fernand Point’s restaurant de la Pyramide in
Vienne (just outside Lyon)
In 1953, I
was taken to eat in what was then (and I think still) was the finest restaurant
in France, run by the formidable Monsieur Point. I was 10 at the time and it
was very unusual that someone my age would be eating at a 3 star Michelin restaurant;
but this was a special occasion and I was well aware of it.
If you don’t
know, M. Point was one of the greatest chefs and restaurateurs/food innovators
in France and trained the likes of Paul Bocuse and the Troisgros bothers among
others.
Some of the
items we were served were Pate chaud de Caneton au Chambertin, mousse de
Truites and perdreaux casserole and the sauces, oh! The sauces…
Unfortunately,
French chefs no longer cook like this nowadays, sad, oh so sad.
But what I
most remember from that extraordinary lunch was the humor of this large and gruff
looking man (who turned out to be very kind to me) and something he said at the
end of our meal and something I have never forgotten and have always carried with
me in my travels and eating worldwide.
‘That
anybody should come to my restaurant just to eat, instead of to taste, enjoy, appreciate
and dream’.
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