He paid her apron Chateau Frontenac there 18 months after 20 years to lead the kitchens of most famous hotel in Quebec. Either. But do not worry, Jean Soulard has many more in store!
For those who love cooking so slightly, meet Jean Soulard, it's like having an appointment with Jean Beliveau and Guy Lafleur. Or rather with Michel Platini and Thierry Henry because he who was born in France in 1952 in the Vendée country prefers football to hockey! But short a meeting with a large kitchen of Quebec!
He was waiting for me at Belley, a bistro across from Marché du Vieux-Port in Quebec. Where CBC gave him the microphone this summer as a facilitator to lead the board of the exciting and delicious issuance Although his plate. It was the first time he hosted a program. "The first week I did not sleep! "But he wanted to do radio, why refuse? He wanted to write the Sun offered him a weekly column. "In fact, the phone has not stopped ringing since I left the castle. "A transition was thinking, thoughtful months in advance. "Months? Years you mean. I had gone to a passage in my life, in terms of age, and I do not want to die at the end of cooking! "
Jean Soulard realized that leaving the Chateau Frontenac, it was more than 20 years out of his life to handle all of the restoration of a mythical and the Chateau Hotel. "It is actually 45-year career that I was leaving. That I've noticed when I left the Castle. "
Strong roots
Looking at the walls of Belley, the leader is not without remembering that one of his grandmothers also had an intimate bistro with Gaubretière in the Vendée. "My other grandmother had a bakery. I grew up there. I remember one aunt was also the radish juice, which was, shall we say, some properties! But actually when you think about it, this little town had everything at the basic education. Bases that can take you elsewhere. "
And today, when the word retirement is far from appearing in Grand Soulard kitchen, his latest book, "The only thing I ask, is that I'm having fun in what I 'start? "
Obviously he is!
Demand!
"What I had not expected was to the consultation. "As a consultant, he has contracts with Laval University or the new National Gallery of Quebec., Which is under construction. In the second case, "is to build a case to allow an owner to manage the entire restoration of its business. "
Through its links with Laval University Coop asks council to manage the cafeteria that the university has granted him, Jean Soulard met the researcher and former Olympian athlete in speed skating, Benoît Lamarche. Result: 9th book in preparation, this time written for four hands on sport and nutrition. "This is a subject interests me. It's my life too. I do the triathlon, running, marathon, cycling. I always played sports to keep my head. "
And there is also the new arena! Jean Soulard has an agreement with a large American company that manages the restoration in other stadiums in the United States. This is one of three companies that have applied for the management of the restoration. "They asked us says Quebec? What Quebecers want? It's a big thing with a gourmet restaurant, lodges, bars ... "But for now, everyone is breathing through the nose, no decision has yet been taken on the choice of manager kitchens.
Quebec cuisine in?
"We made great strides. I often tell the joke: we had three kinds of cheese, there is 30, white, yellow and two colors! "
For the one who introduced the concept of the hives in the city of Quebec on ??the roof of the Castle and now enjoys taking the time to talk with the artisans of the earth, there must be a trick or two for improvement in food. "Where we could improve is at the fishing, there is work to do. At the grocery store, we do not always know where it comes from. He also has the respect of fisheries. Some species are fished too. "
The consumer, it? What would he develop? His curiosity no doubt. "There are so many other products to know. Food is social. For example, the monkfish is extraordinary in taste and it's cheaper than salmon or halibut. "
A last word, Mr. Soulard, before returning home to try to redo your prawns with vanilla and flower petals or your lamb shanks with orange and fava: "Continue to learn, is refusing to grow old ".