An Interview With French Chef Cesar Troisgros: Part 1

This is the first installment in a two-part interview with chef Cesar Troisgros. You can find the second installment here.

There is an explosion of young culinary talent in the French kitchens embodying the propagation of modern French cuisine though many of them have come from other parts of the world like James Henry, Heideki Nishi, Kazu Nakatani, Hayden Clout, Simone Tondo, and many more. They have fueled the "bistronomy" movement spreading casual dining in France, gleefully adopted by the Gallic food fanatics as they braved the economic recession.

At the same time there are chefs like Mauro Colagreco, Bertrand Grebault, Yannuck Alleno, Julian Boscos, David Toutain, Pascal Barbot, and others who are gathering stars and accolades as they move onto the "best of" lists also bringing a renewed vigor and interest to the French dining scene. The well known culinary dynasties in France are attempting to maintain their hegemony by sending out second, third, and fourth generation cooks such as Cesar Troisgros, from the house of Troisgros, into the mix. Unlike other young cooks gaining a foothold in the industry, this young talent carries on their shoulders the burden of responsibility and expectations of a famous lineage.

Cesar, the progeny of Michel and Marie-Pierre Troisgros and grandson of Pierre Troisgros, joined his father in the kitchens of the families three Michelin-starred La Maison Troisgros eight years ago. Instant celebrity may be what many of his peers are aiming for, but Cesar is working to mark his own place amongst his already famous family. This young chef grew up in a living schoolroom of sorts watching his father and grandfather cook while absorbing the family cooking traditions as if by osmosis. Like any other teenager he went through a rebellious stage and announced to his parents his plans to join the music world instead of becoming the next generation of Troisgros cooks. The similarities to other teens ended there since he had his godfather, the President of the Relais & Chateau at the time no less, to guide and channel his energies into his passion for cooking.

Maison Troisgros is an hour's drive from Lyon, situated in a region with strong culinary traditions and other famous names like Bocuse and Pic. The Troigros name is a benchmark of sorts in the world of haute cuisine with names like Pierre and Jean Troisgros, a hard act to follow even for  Michel, the father of the two young fourth generation cooks Cesar and Leo. The familial traditions are continuing in other areas as well, and while Michel Troisgros spent time in the Chez Panisse kitchens in Berkeley, California with Alice Waters, young Cesar spent time with yet another famous American chef (Thomas Keller) at the French Laundry in the Napa Valley. Well-traveled and trained in reputed kitchens such as that of El Celler de Can Roca (presently #1 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list) while having learned the basics at Institut Paul Bocuse, Cesar is now his father's wingman in the Maison Troisgros kitchen, efficiently handling his sous chef duties.

The 28-year-old personable and candid chef shared his insights about his work, training, family and other chefs who have had a major impact on him:

The Daily Meal: Were you expected to join the family business, or did you choose to be in this line of work?
Cesar Troisgros: I did choose it myself, though I did decide at 18 which is late in France since here you can begin to cook or start an apprentissage at 15 or 16.

Did you always want to be in the kitchen?
Not really, since as a teenager I did not know which career I wanted to pursue. At first I wanted to be in the music industry and become a sound engineer. At that time I was in high school and though I was always around the kitchen, especially during summer I didn't want to be a cook. All through my childhood I had been hearing the same thing about "oh you are the next generation" and so on. I got tired of hearing that and at that young age I wanted to do anything other than that. I was 15 and not really aware of the world.

So did you pursue training for the music industry?
No, since after finishing high school I took time to think and in a conversation with my godfather (Régis Bulot, the then president of Relais & Chateau association of the finest small hotels and restaurants) he asked what I wanted to do. I said maybe a sound engineer but I was not certain, since after training I didn't know if I would find work and I didn't know anyone in the industry. He said 'but you like cooking and why don't you pursue that' and I realized in that conversation that yes, I did like cooking, so I announced to my very surprised parents that I want to go to cooking school. They were happy with any choice I made but this did please them.

Are you passionate about cooking?
I am more passionate every day. I meet new people, do new things every day, and when I spent time with the Roca brothers in Girona I learned more about passion from Jordi, Joan, and Joseph at El Celler de Can Roca. I learned not only about the work in the kitchen but also about the patience, simplicity, humility, and how important those elements are.

So both Leo and you went to culinary school. Did you go to Grenoble like your parents?
Actually we went to the Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon. Leo always knew what he wanted to do and took a more direct path, and incidentally he has just finished school. For me it was a great learning experience to be at this school as there were people from so many countries and 40 percent were from South America, Korea, Mexico, and elsewhere.

Where did you go after the formal training?
After graduating in 2007, I worked in Paris, then with the Roca's and then back home to work with my parents. At that time we opened our auberge La Colline du Colombier and I spent that summer in the kitchen there. After that I went to the French Laundry for a year and half. (Laughing) That is why I know Orange County in Southern California! [pullquote:right]

Were you planning to travel to Japan around that time?
Yes, that was to be the next project and I organized my trip in order to spend one year there and everything was ready including my visa and plane tickets. The plan was to spend time in kitchens specializing in different Japanese cuisines like sushi, tempura, Kaiseki, and others.

I was to leave on Monday but on the Friday before the Fukushima disaster occurred. So during the weekend I had to change my plans and since at that time I had a position in the kitchen as chef de parti, I had someone taking over for me. I kept reporting for my position in Japan but soon a year passed and my visa expired. So I never went to Japan and other opportunities come up here for me. I graduated from chef de parti to sous chef here at Maison Troisgros. It was good in a way as I had an opportunity to work alongside my father.

Do you enjoy working with your father, and is there any clash of wills at times?
Absolutely, I enjoy working with him. Sometimes we disagree but it is never major. Mostly it comes from me and my youth and I get impatient more and quicker than him. He knows a lot that I am still learning. It's the usual father and son stuff, gone in a few minutes. He says he has memories of the similar incidents with his own father.

Where else have you traveled for training?
I went to Brazil for three months after California to work with my uncle Claude Troisgros, and I have visited Tokyo many times on short trips and am going there again. I have been to Bangkok, London, Norway, Spain, Montreal, and I want to go to Mexico soon, probably after my next trip to Brazil in August with my brother, sister, and our girlfriends and her boyfriend. I will be cooking with my cousin Tomas at Claude's for two nights.

I've want to go to Mexico ever since I met Enrique Olvera from Pujol. I love traditional Mexican cooking and also hear about a lot of exciting stuff happening in Mexican cuisine. I would love to spend more time in California as I fell in love with the culture and food when I was there. Whenever I am in New York I try to visit Mexican restaurants there since I find that Mexican cuisine has so much taste.

When you travel to all these places, do you incorporate elements from those places in your work?
Yes, especially from the French Laundry more than from other places like Brazil. I always come back with ideas and ingredients from wherever I travel since it is my passion. From French Laundry I brought a lot my techniques and cooking capacities, and I learned especially the organization, which was very different from Europe.

Are there chefs around the world that you look up to?
Rene Redzepi, Mauro Colagreco who I admire a lot and he is a true food-lover, Pierre Gagnaire, and Pascal Barbot; they all have their own style and their own personality. Nowadays you see people imitating and copying rather than develop their own style. Rene Redzepi for example created a new style all his own with a novel aesthetic. A lot of chefs copy the aesthetic but not the flavors. These days if you open five of the top cookbooks randomly in the middle, the pictures of food look the same in each one.

This is the first installment in a two-part interview with chef Cesar Troisgros. You can find the second installment here.