Live webchat with new TV chef Rachel Khoo 19 March 1-2pm

glassortwo

Hi Rachel,

What do you think of the French stating that their cuisine is superior to any other.

Thanks

Glass

Bonjour! Every nationality thinks their cuisine is the best - the Italians say that about their food, my dad, who's Malay-Chinese says that about Malaysian food, so it's not just the French.

frenchtoast

Hello Rachel,
Did you come up against some French resistance towards "English" food? I've lived in France for 22 years and I'm often accused by the locals (who have never even set foot in England) that English food is rubbish and we eat boiled mutton with mint and only other sweet and savoury meals, which the French never do.
I do point out that I really enjoy their onion jam and foie gras, the duck and orange sauce and the turkey and chestnuts etc.
Anyway, once the initial prejudice was over they do enjoy my meals even if I'm not really English, I'm an English speaking expat from South Africa.

All the time! They always say that the English can only cook rosbif. But I agree, that once the initial prejudice is over, they enjoy my meals. It was certainly the case when I cooked for French people in my restaurant last year.

I used to cook for a French family and even the French grandma liked my Shepherds pie!

rosiemus

Hello Rachel

I saw your photo on the book jacket. So can you let us in on the secret of how to make tarte tatin that doesn't go straight to your thighs? (if the answer is - don't eat too much of it it may be best just to ignore the question if that's ok)

Unfortunately, there's no answer to this that's not moderation. Or doing exercise to make up for it? Sorry!

Aurelia

Hello Rachel,

When you eat out in Paris which is your own favourite restaurant and which dish do you enjoy the most?

Best of luck with your book. Aurelia.

Depends on my mood. There are a lot of exciting new restaurants in Paris with young chefs cooking French food but in a modern way. For instance, Frenchie, Au passage, Aux deux amis, who do French-style tapas.

Recently, I went to Aux deux amis and I had pan-fried chicken livers - very old school and simple but delicious!

snailspeak

Hi Rachel

Is good cooking something that can be easily learned or is it an instinctive act of love?

Carol

I think it's easier to cook if you have a love of food, but it can be learned. I grew up in a foodie household, but neither of my parents are professional, and that definitely influences the way I cook and enjoy food.

sneetch

Is it true what they say about French men? Are they all unfaithful? (I live next door to one, in fact, and when his wife goes away, his mistress moves in). Has the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair changed any of this, or does that way of going about things work for French women too?

No it hasn't changed any of this. I always believe there's a bit of truth in cliches. I don't want to get in trouble with my French male friends, though.

jakesgran

With the success you are having (reviews, book, TV series) aren't you tempted to have a bigger restaurant?

No. The reason why I opened my restaurant was to have a way of testing recipes for the book and not wasting the food, and also it was a great way of meeting people from all over the world.

For a bigger restaurant, it gets complicated, too much paperwork! It's a big commitment and I have a lot of other commitments going on.

flopsybunny

Have you introduced any English tweaks to classic French dishes?

Yes, tonight on the show I cook a spring lamb stew and make a mint sauce with it - shocking for the French!

I've put twists in there from my culinary heritage which is Malay-Chinese-Austrian-British, so for instance, I do a chicken dumpling soup, French dumplings but with my Austrian grandma's chicken soup recipe.

These are all in the book - do take a look.

DazR

What is your personal favourite recipe and what is so special about it?

Depends on my mood. But I do like croque madame muffins, which I make tonight in the show - they're a fun brunch dish or light lunch. Croque Madame traditionally is a grilled cheese and ham sandwich with a fried egg on top, but I do a muffin version, which has an oozy egg and cheese centre.

Gally

Hi Rachel,
I lived in Paris as a student over 40 years ago and didn't have the wherewithall to eat out very often - only managed the occasional cous cous on the left bank! Are the 'elf and safety regulations as stringent in France as they are here in the UK? Do you have to have a licence to run the restaurant from your apartement?

I don't have a license, hence it being an underground restaurant! I didn't have a cover charge, my guests made a donation - that was the way to get around the legalities.

Otherwise, the laws are as stringent in France as they are in the UK.

There's some great cous cous places in Paris - I actually visit one in tonight's show!

wallers5

The French Mediterranean diet is meant to be much better for you than the UK. Do Parisians eat the same way, lots of colourful vegetables, olive oil & sunshine food?

It's similar but they do like butter as opposed to olive oil, as it's further north in France. The further north in France you are, the more butter you use.

That's because the climate of the south means olive trees grow there - hence historically the predominant use of olive oil in the south of France.

Annobel

Do you think that vegetarian food will ever catch on in France? Have you any suggestions as to what a veggie might choose from a Parisian menu?

I'm a flexitarian! I eat more vegetarian, and when I eat meat I make sure it's good quality.

A good tip is when you go to a French restaurant, double check the vegetarian dishes are actually vegetarian! Paris is definitely improving on the vegetarian scene.

Actually one of my favourite foodie places in Paris is called Bob's Juice bar, which is vegetarian/vegan. I used to work there actually, peeling lots of carrots and vegetables!

What's interesting is that the younger generation of Parisian chefs are making vegetables the main component in their dish and using meat or fish as a garnish.

Carol

I would love to be able to make a perfect creme brulee, fluffy omelette or tarte tatin, and always like my cooking, but when I go to Normandy and eat their equivalent I realise there is something of a light touch that I haven't yet mastered. Do you know what it is? Is it to do with the capabilities of domestic cookers? Do the French have different techniques?

For my creme brulee, I do 300ml of double cream to 200ml of full fat milk, which makes it slightly lighter but you still have the rich taste from the cream.

This is not the traditional way of making creme brulee, normally it's just cream. But my recipe goes down well with my Parisian friends! French cooking techniques are very similar to the British, however French patisserie is totally different. I would need another 2 days' webchatting to explain it all!

openmind

Have you got any tips for pastry? Mine seems to have got very heavy recently, although I haven't changed my method. What is the key to keeping it light and yet easy to handle?

And do you use only butter?

I only use butter, I would never ever use margarine ! The key is not overworking your dough, using minimal water to bind it. My shortcrust pastry is just plain flour, butter, egg yolk, salt and sugar and a tiny bit of water if needed. I find cold hands and a cold work surface, and also letting the dough rest, really help. I've got more tips in my book!

openmind

Have you got any tips for pastry? Mine seems to have got very heavy recently, although I haven't changed my method. What is the key to keeping it light and yet easy to handle?

And do you use only butter?

By the way, it's hard to say without knowing your recipe and seeing your technique!

Mamie

We have lived in France for some years and during that time have become increasingly disappointed by the range and quality of food on offer in restaurants. Given that things may be different in Paris and large cities, would you agree that in general French cuisine has got stuck in a time-warp and is more in need of a complete (as the French would say) "re-looking" rather than just updating with a modern twist.

Yes, I agree. Paris is a very vibrant city and therefore I think the quality is a lot better than the rest of France, as there is a demand for it. Parisians love to eat out and discover "the next big thing". There are a lot of small restaurants with young chefs updating French food.

My way of updating French food has been very popular with the French press and the French. The book is even being translated into French by one of the biggest publishers in France. It's ironic that an English girl is telling French how to update their food!