Touring Le Cinq's Kitchens, Paris with Chef Le Squer

by Paige Donner

Every once in awhile there's a great chef who is as full of fun as he is talented. That chef, in recent weeks, would be Chef Christian Le Squer, the multiple-Michelin starred chef of the Four Seasons Paris George V Hotel. He is the Executive Chef not just for the flagship restaurant, Le Cinq, but also oversees the vast kitchens that prepares hundreds of meals daily for their two other on-site restaurants as well as the non-stop room service.

See FULL SLIDESHOW Here

 

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Eric Beaumard photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

In the kitchens of Le Cinq, Paris. Chef Christian Le Squer photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

 

On a recent afternoon, during a very priveleged tour of the working kitchens, one of the VIP habitués of this legendary restaurant made a quick stop in the kitchens to stay hello to the Chef himself. So if you see someone here you recognize from blockbuster movies and politics, it's not that he's taking up chef'ing as a new calling, it's simply that he decided to say a personal hello to Chef Christian Le Squer himself, totally unplanned and completely impromptu. 

@localfoodwine

 

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger's impromptu stop into the kitchens of Le Cinq.

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger's impromptu stop into the kitchens of Le Cinq.

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger's impromptu stop into the kitchens of Le Cinq.

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger's impromptu stop into the kitchens of Le Cinq.

 

Vive la cusine Française!

LISTEN TO Archived Episodes of Paris GOODfood+wine HERE https://soundcloud.com/paigedonner

 

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Episode 12 Paris GOODfood+wine airing December 2015

by Paige Donner

This episode of Paris GOODfood+wine is dedicated to Paris. Especially to the families, loved ones and friends of the innocent lives that were taken and injured #solidarité in the November 13^th attacks here. It's impossible to imagine the pain they are in and the grief they will have to overcome to pick up the pieces of shattered lives.

​Listen to the Original Edit Version of Episode 12 HERE on iTunes

iTunes - Paris GOODfood+wine

 

 

#Paris #Solidarité photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015 on iTunes listen to Paris GOODfood+wine

 

#Paris #Solidarité photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015 on iTunes listen to Paris GOODfood+wine

 

#Paris #Solidarité photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015 on iTunes listen to Paris GOODfood+wine

 

#Paris #Solidarité photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015 on iTunes listen to Paris GOODfood+wine

 

#Paris #Solidarité photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015 on iTunes listen to Paris GOODfood+wine

 

#Paris #Solidarité photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015 on iTunes listen to Paris GOODfood+wine

 

Listen to authorized edit of Paris GOODfood+wine Episode 12 on iTUNES.

Paris is a small city. There isn't a one of us who wasn't affected directly or indirectly. Whether that means we lost a friend, colleague, relative or loved one, or know someone who did. On France's declared Day of Remembrance, I went out to the site of Le Petit Cambodge and Le Carillon to pay my respects to my fellow Parisians.

The world is also a small place. And we must all ask ourselves, any of us who is a mother, a son, a brother, sister, father or daughter, where will this end? What will it take to live in a world where this kind of violence does not exist?

Courageously, for if the French are anything, they are courageous, as are their allies around the world, the Cop21 talks about climate change and environmental resolutions are still being held here just outside the city. To respect that global initiative, Paris GOOD food + wine is running an interview I did last year with the Cellar Master, Gilles Descotes, of the esteemed champagne house, Bollinger.

 #Paris #Paris GOODfood+wine

In this interview he discusses the certification of Haute Valeur Environnementale which is an agricultural certification that imposes best practices in regards to the environment and, in this case, viticulture.

Paris GOOD food + wine is now on iTunes

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Thank you for listening to Paris GOODfood+wine. You can find photos and links related to these stories on our website, Paris Food And Wine. You can also listen again on iTunes. If you'd like to make a donation to our show, as we are listener supported, you can do so by following the Buy Now link on iTunes.

LISTEN TO Archived Episodes of Paris GOODfood+wine HERE https://soundcloud.com/paigedonner

 

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Episode 9 - Paris GOODfood+wine Season Two Launch Show

posted by Paige Donner

Paris GOODfood+wine 9 – Season 2 / 2015 September

Paris GOODfood+wine airing on World Radio Paris

For season Two's kick off of Paris GOODfood+wine we'll be hearing from Sylvie Cazes, the civic-minded Bordealaise who is now the proud owner of her very own wine estate. She purchased Chateau Chauvin, a beautiful 15 hectares piece of St. Émilion terroir, that sits in the upper part of the appellation, just near Pomerol.

Sylvie Cazes, of St. Emilion Wine Estate, Chateau Chauvin, photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

She purchased this Grand Cru Classé vineyard from two sisters a bit over a year ago. 2014 is her first vintage release from the estate and one she is rightfully proud of. If you pay any attention at all to French wine critics, you'll be eager to not just taste this excellent Merlot -Cabernet Franc blend, but also buy a few cases to cellar for future enjoyment.

Sylvie Cazes being interviewed by Paige Donner at Chapon Fin, Bordeaux photo by Gene Donner

**

Next up we'll be hearing from the creative, talented, artistic, human, charming, 3-Michelin starred chef Alain Passard, direct from his kitchens at Arpège, the famed Paris restaurant in the 7^th arrondissement. I caught up with the legendary Chef Alain Passard of Paris' 3-Michelin-starred Arpège earlier in the summer, just before he was heading off to Bordeaux where he was the executive chef of the summertime Jurade festivities in St. Émilion.

Chef Alain Passard of Arpège Restaurant Paris photo by Paige Donner copyright 2015

Coincidentally, it was at this year's St. Émilion Jurade ceremonies in June that Sylvie Cazes was inducted, along with a few other celebrated personalities, into this exclusive brother/sisterhood of winemakers and wine industry experts and enthusiasts.

Music by Sting, Desert Rose

**

For our restaurant review we have a band of filles, - filles meaning, of course, in French, girls. This segment is called Les Filles Qui Mangent (Girls who eat) and for this piece we have two previously featured guests on last season's shows, Lindsey Tramuta and Margaret Kemp, weighing in on two of their favorite Parisian eateries.

**

For those of you visiting Paris in September and for those of us living here, September is always a busy month in the city with lots of events for the rentrée, what the French call the time of year when they are back from their July and August summer vacations.

This season, a few highlights having to do with food and wine are:

The Street Food Temple. For its second year running, the event space, Carreau du Temple, is hosting a weekend long event, from the 25^th - 27^th September, featuring street food from all over the world. This year, South Korea holds the place of honor and all are welcome to stop by and feast of these delightful tastes and aromas. The Carreau du Temple is in the 3^rd arrondissement, very close, in fact, to Paris's oldest covered market, the Marché des Enfants Rouges.

Another culinary highlight this month is the Floating Market or Marché Flottantes that is taking place September 18^th to 20^th in the 5^th arrondissement. Here, along the quais Montebello and de la Tournelle you will find boats, skiffs and barges all filled with small-artisanal producers of food gems from the Southwest of France such as foie gras, wines full of sunshine, fattened duck and other delectables.

And just a head's up to mark on your calendar for October is the festive and favorite annual Vendanges de Montmartre where the entire village of Montmartre and much of Paris, too, celebrate the harvest of the small vineyard that graces the sloping hill which descends from just behind the Musée de Montmartre. These 4 days of festivities are filled with parades, song and dance and, of course, quite a lot of wine drinking. Definitely not to miss especially if you've never been. The dates for this year, the 82^nd annual, are October 7^th – 11^th.

For more information about these and other Paris happenings go to Paris.fr

This show has been brought to you in part by the generous sponsorship of FUSAC.fr and by Paris Food And Wine.

And a Grand Merci! to our Paris GOODfood+wine team.



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Episode 8 GOODfood+wine on World Radio Paris

Episode 8 of  Paris GOODfood+wine

by Host-Producer Paige Donner

In tribute to last month's announcement that both Burgundy and Champagne are now included as UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites, I am running interviews on this topic that previously aired on this show and its predecessor, World of Wine.

Burgundy's Climats are now UNESCO World Heritage. Listen to Paige Donner's interview on GOODfood+wine on WRP

Each interview is with key proponents of these initiatives from each region. The first segment is a rebroadcast from my World of Wine show featuring two spokesmen from Champagne, discussing their region's UNESCO World Heritage site inclusion. That first aired in the Fall of 2013

The second is with Guillaume D'Angerville who worked closely with Aubert de Villaine and the rest of their team to accomplish this welcomed news for Burgundy, namely their inclusion as a recognized World Heritage Cultural site by UNESCO.

 

Gontran Cherrier, France's celebrity baker, takes Asia. Listen to Paige Donner's interview on GOODfood+wine airing on World Radio Paris.

Next, we'll be hearing a bit of a business slant to being a successful boulanger here in France. Cult baker Gontran Cherrier's team speaks to us about exporting their bakery concept to Asia. Gontran Cherrier is a regular on the popular French TV show, Best Baker of France on the M6 channel.

L'Abeille Restaurant, Paris, 16th Arrondissement. Review by Alec Lobrano

 

And, to round off, Alec Lobrano joins us again to talk about Shangri-La's gastronomic French dining restaurant, L'Abeille. The Shangri-La, located in the 16th arrondissement, is one of Paris's exquisite palace hotels.

(Music J by Domestic Pressures)

So stay with us for this latest episode of GOODfood+wine.

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Major League Kale - Baseball Stadiums' Rooftop Gardens

Mashup posted by Paige Donner

At the beginning of the 2015 season, Fenway opened a 5,000-square foot rooftop farm along a previously unused stretch of roof behind Gate A, dubbing the area "Fenway Farms." The impetus for the farm came from Linda Pizzuti Henry, wife of Red Sox co-owner John Henry. Linda had long been interested in figuring out a way to bring a focus on sustainability and healthy eating to the ballpark, and in the summer of 2014, Linda serendipitously crossed paths with Green City Growers, a Boston-based company that had been awarded a Social Impact Prize from Henry's foundation for its work in creating urban garden and farms.

Read More HERE on ThinkProgress.org

The overlap of more sustainable food options and the evolution of consumer interest is a tremendous business opportunity for the sports industry.

"The reaction is incredibly positive," Jessie Banhazl, founder Green City Growers, told ThinkProgress. "People are really excited to see this particular area of the park that was not being used for anything all of the sudden being a thriving farm."

And from the NY Times...

"This is great because although a lot of people love to come to Fenway and eat a hot dog, some people don't want to eat a hot dog, they want to eat something else — maybe a salad or a wrap with vegetables in it," Bunker said.

Growers use intensive methods, including drip irrigation and planting fresh crops right after others are harvested. That has enabled the garden to yield more than 2,000 pounds of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, rosemary, basil, dill, parsley, tarragon and kale in the first three months, Banhazl said.

"So we're growing a little bit of everything," she said. "It's our first year doing the farm, and so we thought we'd try out a bunch of different varieties to see what the kitchens were using and also to just kind of experiment with what people liked."

Read MORE...

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The Climats of the Bourgogne winegrowing region included on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Press release

 

 

 

 

 

The Climats of the Bourgogne winegrowing region included on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the recognition of 2,000 years of history

Beaune, 6 July 2015

It is with great pride that the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) welcomes the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's decision, taken on 4 July, to include the Climats of the Bourgogne winegrowing region on the World Heritage List. This decision recognizes the commitment of an entire region and an entire industry, inspired by the will of one of its most respected winemakers, Mr Aubert de Villaine. It also recognizes the Outstanding Universal Value of our vineyards, shaped through 2,000 years of history, and which produce wines that are recognized for their qualities around the world.

Find the complete press release on our press room here

© BIVB/ Aurélien IBANEZ

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Paris Food And Wine about.me/parisfoodandwine

Episode 7 GOODfood+Wine on World Radio Paris

by Host-Producer Paige Donner

In our July episode of Paris GOODfood+wine for this season one, we bring you a nice medley of food, wine and the luxury lifestyle.

Paris GOODfood+wine airing on World Radio Paris

First up, I sit down with Thomas Lignier, Brand Ambassador for the renowned champagne house Perrier-Jouët. Two hundred years into their history and the house is still going strong. He speaks to us about the house's close relationship with the world of fine art.

photo by Paige Donner copyright

Attention fine art and rare wine collectors – Thomas lets us in on a little insider tip – namely the two luxury collection items the house offers to serious connoisseurs – the first is their By and For Cuvée where you have the opportunity to consult with their winemaker to have a bespoke Perrier-Jouët champagne made just to your taste. The second is their Bicentennial Legacy Art Sculpture. This offers the purchaser two magnums of blanc de blancs encased in signed sculpture pieces. One bottle is to enjoy now, and the second magnum, is for you to store in the Perrier-Jouët cellars in Champagne for up to 100 years, to be collected by your designated heir. Prices for these programs upon request.

Next we'll touch base with fellow blogger and journalist, Lindsay Tramuta, founder of Lost In Cheeseland, the blog about all things Parisian. She talks to us about her love for this city now that she's made it her home and how food helped her forge that friendship.

Then, fresh from the Bordeaux Vinexpo exhibition halls, you'll hear an interview with Master of Wine Charles Curtis who recently was tapped to climb on board as one of Le Pan Magazine's senior editors. Le Pan is Jeannie Cho Lee's new Art of Fine Wine Living magazine. This glossy is based in Hong Kong and publishes in both English and Chinese catering to that burgeoning audience who embraces the chateau lifestyle.

Alec Lobrano, author of Hungry for Paris

To cap our program Alec Lobrano is back in the studio with us and tells us about Paris' cult fish restaurant, Le Duc. This restaurant offers not just superlative fresh line-caught fish but is also one of the city's shush power tables. Which explains their wine list – it's not every day you see Romanée Conti on a wine list, even here in Paris.

So stay tuned, with me, Paige Donner your host, as Paris GOODfood+wine takes you on another delicious whirl through the Paris food+wine landscape.

Paris GOODfood+wine is brought to you in part by the generous support of FUSAC, Paris' English language website and community resource since 1988, visit www.fusac.fr"

The show is also brought to you with the support of Paris Food And Wine, visit us at ParisFoodAndWine.net

And in case you're wondering who the chanteuse is, featured in this episode's musical interludes, it's Melody Gardot.

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♥Chérie Du Vin