French Chef Alexandre Gauthier–a Dinner in My Top Ten

Posted by Melanie in Restaurant Reviews | 1 comment

Alexandre Gauthier with my daughter Sela

Last night we had a meal that made my top 10 list.  It was a meal like nothing I have experienced. Alexandre Gauthier came to the Stratford Chefs School

Raw scallop wrapped in avocado with hoisin

bringing his front of house manager and his pastry chef.  Gauthier is a Michelin Star chef with a restaurant called La Grenouillère.   Sela was lucky enough to be the student chef during the dinner we attended last night.  It was a snowy night but thanks to some great driving by our friend, we made it.  There were 7 of us who added to the festivities, and the meal was a tasting menu that knocked our socks off.   I can’t tell you how many courses there were. I can never figure out how to count the amuse-bouche at the beginning and the petit fours at the end.

There were 12 distinct dishes that we ate plus delicious dark bread.  There wasn’t a menu, just a list of ingredients and we continually got the unexpected.  What we had:  there was a corn tart, a veal and sardine tartar with cauliflower, scallop and avocado roll, a souffle with crab, beet ravioli with eel, a lobster salad, lamb with broccoli puree and wheat berries, an apple curl with celery cream, butternut squash ice cream with meringue, a strawberry gelée, and a truffle that exploded in my mouth.

Beet Ravioli with Eel

The pace was faster than any meal I have ever enjoyed and the drama of each course kept me on the edge of my seat.  I felt excited each time a new course came out.  I couldn’t wait for the description of what each dish contained and had to hold myself

Lamb with broccoli puree and wheat berries

back.  The colors and textures were striking and the uniqueness of each dish was remarkable.  Several of the dishes were a little intimidating–it was a little scary to take the first bite of the blood red eel ravioli.  But the flavors in each dish were so deep, rich, balanced and satisfying that the food provided a thrill and a world class taste adventure.  The eel ravioli ended up being one of my favorites.  As I think back on the meal I realize I have never really been challenged by a meal like that.  It kept me on the edge of my seat and pushed me out of my comfort zone.  It wasn’t just delicious, it asked me to be more brave, more willing to try something new, and more of an adventurer.  The way this meal made me stretch made it unique in my experience with meals in restaurants.  I loved it and it called me forth.

The wine pairings were beautiful and the service was incredible.  The food runners were working hard and the whole experience filled me with joy and gratitude.  It was so awesome to see the innovation this chef from France brought to a cold, snowy winter night in Ontario, Canada.

Meeting Michelin Star chef Alexandre Gauthier at the end and having him say nice things about Sela was the pinnacle of the evening.