There's nothing like a sunny getaway to recharge your batteries. Confiture Parisienne leaves the grayness of the Paris region behind and sets down its suitcases in the sublime land of deserts and oases. Who better to accompany us on our journey than FeGH ?
Confiture Parisienne went to meet him...
Hello Fegh! How are you? Introduce yourself?
Hello Confiture Parisienne, I'm fine, thank you. I'm Frédérick Ernestine.
Grasser Hermé, but everyone calls me FeGH. I like to say I'm a food thinker, because I'm also the author
of 34 cookbooks, consultant chef and coach for people who need help with ideas, trends and communication .
How did your passion for cooking come about?
My love for cooking came to me late, at the age of 25.
I actually come from the world of cinema. Before getting into cooking, I worked as an advertising manager for René Château, for example. I've participated in no fewer than 24 Cannes Film Festivals.
My culinary career has been marked by several successes. In fact, I won the 1st Special Jury Prize at the 2008 Couscous Festival in San Vito Lo Capo, Italy. I was awarded the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit for this award. And since 2018, I have hosted the segment Le Geste par FeGH on Paris Première in François Régis Gaudry's show, demonstrating the gesture of the tool (kitchen utensils) with the help of chef(s)...
How did you meet Nadège & Laura? How did the idea of collaborating together come about?
In 1979, I met Alain Ducasse, and developed the Ducasse Tour Operator.
It was during the 2020 edition (September 11th) that I met the founders of Confiture Parisienne, Nadège and Laura. The idea of working together came straight away.
What are your inspirations for your dishes?
I'm passionate about food in its entirety. Culinarily speaking, I'm interested in all regions of the world. I have no preferences, just a broad vision. For our collaboration, I draw inspiration from my experiences in the Maghreb.
I worked at the Dar Ahlam hotel, the house of dreams in Arabic, in the palm grove of Skoura, but also at Dar Hi in Tunisia, an eco-lodge, where the culture of the oasis is highlighted.
In these countries I was able to taste and make fresh and arranged harissa.
Why make harissa? It's a rather original jam...
Two months earlier, couscous, which is incidentally one of the most popular meals in France, was listed as a UNESCO intangible heritage site. A special harissa was needed for the occasion, you see. I thought of making it like you make jam, so Confiture Parisienne seemed perfect.
Fresh and dried chilies are first crushed. Then garlic and spices are added to the jars, and finally cooked in a cauldron, like jam, in fact. I did add a unique touch to this homemade recipe: raspberry. It adds freshness and soothes the heat of the chili. It's innovative, fresh...
Any tasting tips for Harissa lovers?
It can be eaten as an aperitif or as a main course. Serve on a plate with raspberries, a dash of virgin olive oil, mint leaves, coriander, and chopped fresh garlic. It can also be paired with couscous or fish. Kesra would also be a good side dish.
