Meyjitte Boughenout

It has taken French born Meyjitte Boughenout four years to come to terms with being a chef in Australia, what ingredients are best used, how to communicate with suppliers, how to talk to customers and to the media.

At just 25 he was head chef of a Michelin two star restaurant in Belgium where, he believes, the restaurant (awarded 19.5 by Gault et Millau) was denied its third star because he was 'too young'. He had long had a dream of coming to Australia and decided to follow that in 1995.

Meyjitte was assisted in his residency application by Paul Merrony (Merrony's) but wanted a head chef position so went to work at the Ritz Carlton. He admits that he was not ready for that.

"I was trying to do food that no one understood, people were scared of the menu. And I could not communicate with anyone, it was a disaster."

"But it was good for me, at 26 I thought that the world was mine, that I could do anything. I was gong to extremes with the food, mixing too many things. I got slammed (by the critics) and had to step back."

Paul Merrony helped him with work as a chef de partie after that disaster and then in between head chefs positions at other restaurants in Sydney. Now Meyjitte has been in charge at Claudine's since June 1998 and feels that he is finally able to do his style of cooking properly in Australia.

"It was very hard in the beginning, I had to start from scratch, find a kitchen team and organise everything." At Claudine's he now has chef de partie, Ken Baker, previously at Tetsuya's, "he came here for dinner and rang me afterwards and asked for a job." Tim Menger, sous chef from the Centennial Hotel and from Orso and a local Chatswood cook, Gabor Kuk Tai.

Whilst Meyjitte may feel more relaxed at his work now in Australia, his menu still offers a number of dishes which are not found elsewhere. Tiger prawns with a millefeuille (thousand leaves) of quince and shitake is one example, the 'leaves' which would traditionally be of pastry, consist of the finest slices of bright pink dried quince. Some of this is his own evolution and much is from the influence of chef Pierre Gagnaire where he worked as chef de partie in charge of the fish section in Gagnaire's eponymous three star St Etienne restaurant (That restaurant is now closed and there is the Pierre Gagnaire Restaurant in the Hotel Balzac in Paris).

"Pierre Gagnaire does the most amazing things, a lot of people say his cooking is too complicated but I have always been fascinated by it."

As a young cook his goal was to work with him and he persisted for several years before being given a position. "I called 11 times in one day to try and talk to him."

Meyjitte started his cooking career. at the age of 14 in Annecy, France, where he was born. " It is hard to get good positions in France if you don't come from a hospitality background." After finishing trade school, he worked in his holidays for Mr Tuccinardi at the Pavillon de l'Ermitage (now retired) and following that was introduced to the famous three star chef, Jacques Pic (where he worked for two years. Following was a season at Georges Blanc (one of the most successful chefs in France, his restaurant is at Vonnas), Le Pere Bise (then three star), some work in Paris whilst waiting for the position at Pierre Gagnaire in St Etienne.

However, after a year there, the restaurant struck financial difficulties and Meyjitte decided it was time to pursue his dream of coming to Australia. He recalls, "Pierre Gagnaire warned me against it, saying I would find it difficult. He told me to speak to his friend, Jacques Reymond, about the problems he had faced." Meyjitte was not deterred and whilst going through the lengthy process of getting permanent rsidency in Australia, he went to work in Belgium where he achieved great success in two years.

Now, aged 30, he has an Australian wife, enjoys his life in Sydney and "am much more careful about what I am doing on the menu."

INFLUENCES

Queensland scallop tourte with warm cannelli beans, black chanterelle and smoked sardines
Confit of white farm rabbit leg with fennel and carrot puree and ginger and prune sauce.
Poached peach in vanilla syrup with sauterne custard

UPDATE: Since mid 2001 Meyjitte has been living in Singapore and is Executive Chef at Salut Restaurant and Wine Bar 25 Tanjomg Pagar Rd, Singapore. email: salut@singnet.com.sg

Meyjitte's newly opened restaurants, Absynthe, was named Australia's Best Regional Restaurant 2007 by Gourmet Traveller. It is at Ground floor Q1 Tower, cnr Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Hamilton Ave, SURFERS PARADISE 4217 www.absynthe.com.au, Ph: 07 5504 6466.