An Interview With Bertrand Grebaut Of Paris' Septime, Part 1

This is the first installment in a two-part interview with chef Bertrand Grebaut. You can find the second installment here.

Parisian chef Bertrand Grebaut has been tantalizing diners with his artful plates and culinary compositions since the day he opened Septime in the 11th arrondissement of Paris in 2011. The reticent young chef speaks the language of food through his craft honed in three Michelin-starred kitchens of celebrated chefs such as Alain Passard of L'Arpège and Joël Robuchon. He is part of a clique of internationally recognized young chefs who are changing the status quo of the French restaurant industry and introducing an informal element which is not yet wholly embraced by the old guard.

Grebaut has been hailed as one of the "Generation New French Bistrot," spearheading the bistronomie movement pervading the city of Paris and the rest of the country. According to Grebaut his intent is only to serve a modern, high quality, fresh and natural cuisine in a laid back atmosphere with an affordable price point for people from all walks of life.  He has chosen to open his venture in his "hood" as he lives not far from the restaurants and knew his concept would be a good fit for the area and hence rue de Charonne became the new hotspot in the 11th arrondissement.

After obtaining a degree in literature, Grebaut explored other professions like graphic design before immersing himself in the world of food. He earned his first star at the critically acclaimed L'Agape which has since closed and subsequently after receiving an Evian-Badoit prize grant he opened Septime. The wine cave across the street followed and then by a lucky coincidence a former garage space adjacent to Septime became available and the Clamato oyster bar emerged to rave reviews. His design sensibilities permeate not only his plates but also the interiors of all three establishments he owns with his partner Theo Pourriat. The artsy bohemian neighborhood of the north east part of Paris has transformed in the past few years into a very hip dining destination, where Septime is the most-hyped about and one of the hottest tables in town. Understandably reservations require persistence and patience, and when you do finagle one you invariably spend part of your meal planning your next visit!

The subdued yet elegant aesthetics of Septime's the interior is offset by rock music (Jimmy Hendrix) and sounds of happy customers as its  modest prices for spectacular food make it unique in the very expensive city . This year in February Septime earned its first very well deserved Michelin star while placing #57 on the World's Best Restaurants list for 2015. The warmth and informality of the space with a bar by the entrance and an open kitchen at the back are enhanced by an unhurried, informal service accompanied by a well curated wine list. It is easy to lose count of repeat visits since the flawless tastes of Grebault's spectacular produce centric plates inevitably lure back not only Parisians but also international Gastro tourists again and again.

We chatted fairly early one morning in Clamato behind its striking green facade as deliveries lined up inside the door. The seafood and oyster bar's signature stools were still stacked on tables as it only opens in the evening while the crew next door at Septime prepped for the lunch service. He spoke candidly about his work, life, and his experience at the Gelinaz shuffle when Rodolfo Guzman of Borago, Santiago took over his kitchen while he swapped places with chef Fulvio Pierangelini of Hotel de Russie in Rome.

The Daily Meal: What is modern French cuisine?
Chef Bertrand Grebaut: I don't know, you tell me! I suppose I'm trying to portray modern French cuisine. It represents freshness and creativity but all the same staying in connection with my culinary heritage.

How has the immense success you have achieved changed you as a person? More importantly, are you content?
The flip side of success is immense stress and pressure. However, as a team, we build off of these emotions. They reunite us and give us self-confidence. So yes, we are content.

What is your personality in the kitchen? Are you calm or do you lose your temper at times?
Unfortunately I do lose my temper, and I see this loss of control as something to work on. In the restaurant, we work together as a team to be able to deal with moments of difficulty and overall we have a great atmosphere in our kitchen.

You have kept your prices low. Do you intend to continue that way even with the Michelin star? For the Gelinaz event your prices were lower than that of other participants. Why did you choose to do this?
The economic equilibrium in the restaurant is fragile. However, if Septime was in a real position of danger then we would think about adjusting. Profit is not our number one goal. Neither Michelin stars nor Gelinaz will change the accessibility of Septime. For Gelinaz the idea was to shuffle the chefs but to retain the same style of cooking in each restaurant. The invited chef had to adapt to the style of Septime and not the contrary. So yes, we chose a price that was as close to reality as possible.

It seems that now every chef talks about products being the star, so is any product playing a starring role in your kitchen this season?
It is obvious and it could not be any other way. The produce is the building block of the menu, not only in one season but all year round. It is still important to constantly remind ourselves today and tomorrow, until it becomes acquired information. [pullquote:right]

You change your menu daily, but how far ahead do you plan it and what are the steps in the creative process?
Our menu changes often on account of the daily arrivals. Now with experience and maturity we try to keep the same menu for a few days. Doing so helps us obtain recipes and ideas that are thorough. We try to anticipate seasons and quantities weeks ahead with our suppliers. This way we ensure a coherent menu within each micro season and a great relationship with each supplier.

The creative process is quite real. Each dish or recipe is the fruit of discussions; a scholarly reflection on the produce available at that point in time or just something very spontaneous and improvised resulting in a great dish.

Do you enjoy participating in events like the Le Fooding 15th anniversary or the Gelinaz events?
Absolutely! It gives us the opportunity to meet new people, a new clientele, to spread our message, and to get away from our daily routine.

What is a trend in kitchens all over that you find annoying?
Everything that is a "trend" is annoying! Unfortunately, on occasion we fall into that trap, even though like I said defining our cuisine and its singularity is what we clasp onto every day. On the same lines, Instagram does not help one project himself into the future.

For example, in Nordic countries they ferment vegetables; it's obvious because for them it's necessary. Their climate does not allow them to have fresh produce all year round. Here in France we have that possibility, so it must stay an exception on a menu otherwise it becomes a trend.
This is the first installment in a two-part interview with chef Bertrand Grebaut. You can find the second installment here.