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Born and raised in Brittany, France, Chef Amiel Guerin began his culinary journey when he was 12 years old while mastering his skill to present the best of French cuisine with a contemporary twist. Currently, via Amiel Gourmet, a collective establishment of modern French cuisine located in Bengaluru, he experiments with his unique French cooking temperament along with the emphasis on using fresh and locally-sourced ingredients render the diners a taste of clean flavours with seasonal ingredients.
After transitioning from a tourist to a resident, Chef Amiel currently resides in India where he passionately explores regional Indian cuisine and enjoys experimenting with the diverse range of culinary options available, particularly seafood which he adores.
Here’s the excerpt from the interview with HTSlurrp
You are known for your culinary experiments. What is mostly your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from many sources. My team of talented chefs at Amiel Gourmet consistently push the boundaries with their innovative ideas and techniques. Seasonal produce is one big one for me, locally sourced fresh ingredients and seasonal really get my creative juices flowing. And let us not forget the culinary trailblazers - the iconic chefs from around the world who are constantly creating and innovating. I firmly believe that keeping an open mind and actively seeking out new culinary advancements is essential in the F&B industry.
One French dish that you have recreated and is more Indian now than French?
At this point, none of my dishes would fall under that category. I truly think that if we want to preserve the ‘French identity’, we need to stick to French flavours, techniques, and recipes. However, I do love to imbibe locally-sourced ingredients in my dishes. I use ragi flour to make blini (mini savoury pancakes) for Smoked Salmon & Lemon Dill Cream Blini as well as finger millet for our refreshing & nourishing AG Diet Salad which is a part of our new summer menu at Amiel Gourmet. When it comes to catering to private events, we curate Indo-French menus for selected events.
If you have to draw parallels between Indian and French cuisine/food what similarities/differences do you see?
India and France both boast a large diaspora of diverse cuisine and culture. Each region & state in both countries have their own unique culinary traditions, ingredients, and cooking techniques. Having travelled extensively throughout India before starting Amiel Gourmet, I have come to appreciate the significant variations in cuisine from one region to another, across the North, South, East and West of India. Just like in India, France too has regions that boast of their own unique produce/ingredients, specialities, and cooking techniques. However, the key difference between the two countries lies in how the product is prepared. While in France, a simple dish of tomato with salt, pepper, basil, and extra virgin olive oil is enough, in India, more attention needs to be paid to elevating the produce. Nonetheless, I have observed an improvement in this regard, as passionate producers have recently come forward to introduce their range of organic vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, greens, lemons, and roots.
While designing the menu for this pop-up what did you take care of?
Whenever we have a special at The Courtyard, we get the chance to be creative and play around with the concept of the meal. In France, it is customary to indulge in a three-course meal accompanied by an aperitif, followed by a square of chocolate or a madeleine with coffee. With this tradition in mind, we have created a menu that includes an amuse-bouche as an aperitif, a salad for the starter, a main dish, a dessert, and a piece of chocolate to conclude the meal. Additionally, we have showcased different regions of France by highlighting a specific ingredient in each dish. To ensure affordability and sustainability, we have utilized locally sourced produce wherever possible.
How easy or difficult is it to understand the Indian palate and flavours?
Once again, it's important to note that within India itself, the palate and flavours vary greatly from one region to another. Each cuisine boasts its unique flavours, cooking techniques, and ingredients, which are delightful when presented in the right manner and place.
I feel like Indians, in general, are naturally curious about different types of food. With an increase in travel, people are more exposed to authentic international cuisine - French cuisine being one of them. Our customer base in India is open-minded, and they understand our vision and the message we're trying to convey. We never have and never will position ourselves as a product that is competing with Indian cuisine. We offer modern French cuisine as an alternative, providing a refreshing experience to our Indian guests.
What does it take to sustain the competition?
PASSION!
The primary focus is on ensuring consistency in the quality of the food, starting from sourcing the ingredients to the final presentation on the plate. This requires following our unique approach to cooking and adhering to our culinary identity. Additionally, we strive to innovate, create, and enjoy the process of cooking, which not only entertains our customers but also keeps us engaged and motivated.
What is your take on Indian food and the one that loves recreating?
I absolutely adore the diverse, vibrant, and flavourful cuisine in India. It's a great source of inspiration for me, and I often incorporate pickles and marinades in my cooking at Amiel Gourmet to enhance the taste and overall appeal of a dish.
Do we see you doing more pop-ups in India?
Absolutely we love doing pop-ups and have done quite a few already! Pop-ups and our catering business give us a great opportunity to be creative with food. We can come up with new concepts, and themes and really play around with ideas to give customers a truly unique dining experience.
What’s your idea of comfort food at home?
Well, everyone has their own version of comfort food based on their culture, tradition, childhood, origin or current location. My wife is from Nagaland, so my comfort food at home is mostly her comfort food! In France, my comfort lunch would be a sandwich or a quiche cooked by my mum and served with salad while a comforting dinner could be pasta cooked by my dad or steak with veggies.
