It is impossible to remain indifferent to Japanese culture. It is a different civilisation where all you have learnt must be forgotten. It is a great intellectual challenge and a gorgeous sensual experience.

It is impossible to remain indifferent to Japanese culture. It is a different civilisation where all you have learnt must be forgotten. It is a great intellectual challenge and a gorgeous sensual experience.

Cuisine has become too complicated - this is about subject, verb, adjective: duck, turnips, sauce.

The proportion of ingredients is important, but the final result is also a matter of how you put them together. Equilibrium is key.

Nowadays, food needs to be healthy, local, sustainable and not filled with too much fat, salt or sugar. It should be slow-cooked and seasonal. That's my vision.

Techniques are not the most difficult to teach. The attitudes chefs take are much more important.

The relentless pursuit of being different is very French.