Interview With Chef Virginie Basselot, the 2nd Woman Awarded the “MOF” Title

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Interview With Chef Virginie Basselot, the 2nd Woman Awarded the “MOF” Title
Virginie Basselot is a smiling restaurant chef. She has worked at Saint James Paris, the sole Relais & Châteaux hotel in the French capital, since 2012. Her talent and creativity were rewarded when she won her first Michelin star two years later, and she received the prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF), the competition for the best craftsmen of France, in 2015. She is the second woman to wear the blue-white-and-red collar since its creation in 1924. This title is the ultimate recognition of excellence to honor outstanding craftsmen in their industry. It takes place every four years. Hailing from Deauville, Normandy, Basselot honed her culinary sensitivity as a teenager. Her own style has flourished in the best gastronomic behemoths in Paris– especially when she worked with the iconic Michelin three-starred chef Eric Frechon at Le Bristol restaurant for nine years. Virginie brings to light a quintessentially *French* cooking style. Her culinary skills allow all the ingredients to gleam in truly seasonal, fresh and colorful dishes. The chef superbly enhances all the layers of flavors with aromatic herbs that she lovingly grows in the garden at Saint James. Bonjour Paris recently had the chance to sit down and speak with the chef about her passion. SF: Could you tell us about your culinary career? VB: I was born in Deauville, Normandy. I began my career at the age of 15 to follow the steps of my father, also a restaurant chef. I worked with Dominique Bouchet at Hôtel de Crillon for one year, then with Guy Martin at Le Grand Véfour for three years and then with Eric Frechon at Le Bristol restaurant for nine years before starting to work at Saint James. SF: How did you become a chef? VB: Actually, I wanted to be a fighter pilot. But I was largely influenced by my father’s culinary sense. So I decided to begin my professional career in Deauville, where I worked for different gastronomic restaurants before arriving in Paris. The passion for cooking began to grow when I started to work in the most beautiful luxury hotel of the capital. I was young when I arrived in Paris. So I was fascinated to see all these magnificent places. When I arrived early in the morning to work at l’Hôtel de Crillon, I was always mesmerized by the Place de la Concorde. It was just like a dream. SF: You are the second woman to be awarded the prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France since the creation of this competition in 1924. How did you feel? VB: I was both happy and moved. In the beginning, I was not fully aware of my emotions. They came a little bit later. I registered for this competition for personal reasons. It was important for me to take part in this event because I worked for nine years with Eric Frechon and Franck Leroy at l’Hôtel de Bristol. As they are both Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, this title represented to me a deep symbol of transmission of knowledge, consistency, humility, as well as the evolution of the culinary work. What truly made me happy was to bring to light all of those. SF: How did you prepare for this competition? VB: I obviously worked very hard. First, there was a written culinary examination. So I revised everything concerning the cooking: cheese, wine, designations, general knowledge, and English… I also reviewed all the technical and basic skills. In the final examination, we had to prepare not only two required dishes but also a dish that we had to make from scratch in front of the judges. SF: Has a chef inspired your cooking? VB: Yes, Eric Frechon. He did help me a lot. This is the reason why I worked with him for over nine years. And still he continues to advise me. Working with him for all this time definitely formed bounds. SF: Has being a woman had any influence on your career as a chef? VB: It did not have any particular influence. Being a woman has neither restrained nor affected my chef career. SF: How would you describe your culinary approach? VB: I like simple things. I prefer to innovate with the freshest ingredients and the best products to highlight authentic and enhanced tastes. SF: What is your vision of cooking? VB: Coming together as a family or with friends around a table is both a convivial and pleasant moment to share meals together while talking. Cooking has really this deep notion of sharing. Of course, cooking can also reveal emotions or evoke a memory. SF: You have been working at Saint James since 2012. How would you describe the beautiful hotel, the restaurant, and the terrace? VB: I was first impressed by the staff. They are all truly kind, friendly, and really helpful. As soon as I arrived, I was also immediately seduced by the warm and cozy atmosphere prevailing in this superb mansion. Saint James Paris has got something very special. Every time I pass through its gates I can’t help but feel like I have entered a country estate. I have the impression that I am no longer…
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Lead photo credit : Chef Virginie Basselot. © Sarah Fauvel

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Born in Rouen, Normandy, Sarah Fauvel lived in the United-States for two years to experience the American culture that she loves. During her career, she developed communication and writing expertise in different fields, with a lifelong passion for photography, writing and travel. Sarah enjoys writing about her discoveries of the alluring places in Paris . . . or anywhere else. She currently works in Paris.

Comments

  • michael devereaux
    2016-10-10 09:18:59
    michael devereaux
    wonderful story I have been in the wine industry since age 7 and now at 71 I have been lucky to have trained in wine cooking and art and the entertainment field along the way doing heart surgery(most people thought my medical career a hobby because of my renaissance-like training missing only fencing) ...also trained in elite equestrian arts my current fascination is a cook book with a chef from Italy who cooks Sicilian dishes as well as traditional Italian....I do photography of the table setting with the food and map out the recipe(yes Italians under duress do have recipes!) as for the wine the warehouse I grew up working in has 600,000 cases of wine fro0m all over the world, liad the brick delivered the wine learned to make wine Godfathered the grandkids) Women are remarkable in a man's world!! Bravo to the well trained chef....women have enlightened me from day one and they never stop LA VOIX DANS LA NUIT is a beautiful French woman teaching me the culture for 3 years....and I am sure she has frequented the Michelin's fines fare in paris

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  • Sarah Fauvel
    2016-09-16 04:23:09
    Sarah Fauvel
    Merci beaucoup Agnès. Ce fut effectivement une très belle rencontre culinaire. Paris est si riche en découvertes.

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  • Sarah
    2016-09-15 09:29:42
    Sarah
    Merci beaucoup Agnès. Ce fut effectivement un beau voyage culinaire au coeur de la Capitale.

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  • Agnès Moreau
    2016-09-12 15:44:08
    Agnès Moreau
    Bel article qui donne envie d'y passer un moment. Paris est remplie de mystère et le voyage peut y être infini et, culinaire par dessus le marché. Belle expérience.

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