The Rotisseur That Michelin Chef Hélène Darroze Touts As One Of The Best

Michelin chef Hélène Darroze is no amateur when it comes to recognizing outstanding technique in a fine dining setting, and she touts the rotisseur, or roaster, at L'Arpège as one of the best she's experienced. L'Arpège is a French restaurant that specializes in seasonal fine dining, and Darroze has heaped praise on the delicate technique of Alain Passard and his work there. "Passard is an amazing cooker of vegetables, but also, for me, one of the best rotisseurs. For me, he has no equal [when it comes] to roasting a piece of meat or fish. And it's always entire pieces to share," Darroze told Fine Dining Lovers. 

A rotisseur refers to the roast chef of a kitchen who is primarily tasked with roasting and braising the meats, and the position requires a deep knowledge of a variety of fish and how each section of the animal is cooked to perfection. Passard grew up learning from his grandmother how to properly cook meats at low temperatures to develop perfect textures. The chef has been awarded three Michelin stars during his career and is well-known for his rotisserie. Currently featured on the L'Arpège Carte menu is roasted rack of lamb with a perillade sauce, which Passard ensures is locally and sustainably sourced. 

Part of how Passard is able to deliver outstanding results each time is the simplicity with which he chooses to serve his dishes. Darroze notes that part of Passard's talents lies in his choice to roast entire pieces of meat to split among several diners at a table. This simplicity highlights the superb quality of the ingredients. Darroze goes on to Fine Dining Lovers, "He inspires so many chefs, because it's always very simple but so tasty, so delicate, very elegant." 

And don't think the veggies get second billing. Passard's roasted dishes are nearly always accompanied by vegetables sourced directly from the kitchen's gardens. This combines Passard's love of gardening and cooking to deliver dishes that highlight, not hide, these ingredients. While Passard has decades of experience with his roasting skills, you can begin to work towards creating similar dishes by being mindful of your ingredient quality and focusing on learning the best ways to simply cook your dishes. By spending time honoring the ingredients you are cooking with, you can produce stellar food on its way to being as stunning as Passard's.