At Agecotel Chefs Demonstrate Talent

After the success of the first edition of Espace Chefs, Agecotel 2014 hosted a larger and more dynamic Espace Chefs dedicated to gastronomic demonstrations.

Jean-Denis Rieubland, executive chef of Nesgresco, was behind Agecotel’s Espace Chefs. Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2007 and chef of the Negresco two restaurants, La Rotonde and Le Chantecler, he said: “I wanted to create a place bringing together professionals, be they chefs or pastry chefs, and enable them to make in one hour a recipe that is close to their heart. During the preparation, they were able to share their knowledge with the public as well as their feeling about products or techniques used and transmit the little tricks that make great cooks and a very successful recipe”. The Negresco, emblematic of the Riviera, was very engaged in the course of the show.

The principle was the following: the Espace Chefs hosted six different chefs every day for 4 days in this temple dedicated to gastronomy. Each chef was accompanied by an amateur who had the privilege of assisting him in his cooking demonstration. Enthusiasts were chosen from a random draw made after the operation “1 hour with a chef” in Nice Matin.
The chefs succeeded after for a one-hour demonstration and for the first time, students and apprentices took part in the demonstrations and conceived the aperitif cocktail of the day. On Sunday February 2 , the Cannes Faculty of Trades and Ecole Hôtelière, Tuesday February 4, the professional Auguste Escoffier School of Cagnes-sur-Mer and Wednesday February 5, the Paul Augier Hotel and Tourism school of Nice.

Among the chefs who facilitated the Chefs area were David Le Quellec, Ô service, Jérôme Nutile, Stéphanie Le Quellec, Patrick Raingeard, Hermance Carro, Nicolas Denis, Axel Wagner, Philippe Joannés, Sébastien Sanjou, Joël Garault, Éric Finon, Grégory Mirer, Luc Debove, Denis Fétisson, Jean-Luc Lefrançois, Didier Aniès, Philippe Joannès, Jacques Rolancy, Fabien Cocheteux, David Vaqué, Luc Salsedo, Michel Devillers.
As to Denis Courtade, surrounded by Michel Bouvier, Sébastien Cavailles Michel Lang, Thierry Desmollien or Olivier Novelli (Director of Negresco in Nice), they shared with visitors their passion for service.

Restauration techniques, poultry cuts or bar in a salt crust, an entire know-how and gestures were shown that belong both to the heritage of the French gastronomy and its future. After the demonstration, verrines were distributed to the public so that everyone could enjoy and comment on the recipe concocted by the chef. This was an highlight of the trade with direct and close exchange.

All chefs present, be they starred, MOF or novice cooks, readily played the game. Each demo also gave voice to sommeliers, like Dominique Milardi, head sommelier at the Meriden in Monaco and Jean-Paul Rous, President of Slow Food Monaco. Lotfi Kahlaoui, Head Bartender of Nesgresco, successfully livened up the VIP bar of the show.

If all the chefs could show many talents, it’s also because they use first quality products: many of these products, often from the local terroir were showcase by the exhibitors at Agecotel. We show you pictures of some of them.

www.agecotel.com

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