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Introduction
Introduction
I’m Paul-Ary. I grew up in the south of France, in a charming village near Antibes, where food and conviviality are part of everyday life. That atmosphere sparked my curiosity for flavors and the joy of sharing good meals, which naturally led me into the kitchen. I’m self-taught, and over the years I’ve developed a passion for French classics—always with my own twist.
My travels around the world have also shaped my cooking, allowing me to discover new flavors and techniques that I bring back into my own creations. Inspired by these experiences, I blend tradition with creativity to craft dishes that are comforting, surprising, and deeply personal.
How It All Started
How It All Started
My love for cooking began in the South of France, under the sun of the Côte d’Azur, where every meal was an occasion and every ingredient told a story. With my family, I discovered the magic of fresh produce straight from the garden. They taught me how to harvest tomatoes still warm from the sun, how to pull beans from their stalks, how to recognize when a courgette or aubergine was perfectly ripe. Around a big wooden table, surrounded by loved ones, we shared the flavors of our land—ratatouille simmered slowly in olive oil, farcis niçois filled with the perfume of herbs, panisses fried crisp and golden, daube de bœuf that melted on the tongue, or zucchini flowers dipped in batter and fried until delicate as lace. On winter nights, we would gather by the fireplace to roast chestnuts, filling the room with smoke, sweetness, and warmth. Those moments shaped me, teaching me that food was never just sustenance—it was love, memory, and a way of bringing people together.
I also learned another tradition with my family: long walks through the woods of Caussols, overlooking the Mediterranean, to forage for mushrooms. We would return with baskets full of cèpes and sanguins, treasures of the forest that carried the earthy perfume of the soil. These outings taught me patience, respect for nature, and an appreciation for the seasonal rhythms of life. To this day, these are the products I love most to cook—vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, and all that speaks of the land and its generosity.
From Spark to Passion
Years later, in Paris, this passion took on a new dimension. Visiting family, I discovered the world of bistros and brasseries, places that carried another kind of magic. I remember stepping in from the rain-slicked streets into the warm, buzzing atmosphere of Le Bon Georges, Au Moulin à Vent, Le Petit Célestin. The air was filled with the clinking of glasses, the scent of butter and pepper rising from a pan. I was enchanted by the spectacle of food—the waiter arriving with a steak au poivre, setting it aflame at the table, or the bold flavors of a veal head with sauce gribiche, a dish rooted in tradition and generosity. These experiences showed me that dining could be theater, memory, and culture all at once.
Though my grandmother lit the first spark, I mostly taught myself how to cook. At first, I turned to social media for inspiration, then slowly began building my own library. I started with the foundations: Le Guide Culinaire by Auguste Escoffier, a book that taught me the language and structure of classical cuisine. Later, my curiosity led me further, into the science and creativity of fermentation, with books like The Noma Guide to Fermentation. These readings, along with countless hours spent experimenting in my own kitchen, shaped my style—one that balances tradition with curiosity, comfort with creativity.
Along the way, I also developed a passion for wine. Just as with food, wine tells the story of its land and its people. Pairing a dish with the right bottle became, for me, another form of artistry—an opportunity to elevate flavors, to create harmony at the table, to give depth to a meal.
Today, as a private chef, all of these experiences come together in the dishes I create. From the earthy cèpes of the Caussols forest to the ripe tomatoes of my grandmother’s garden, from the rustic charm of Niçois cooking to the refined atmosphere of Parisian bistros, I bring with me the flavors, stories, and memories that shaped me. My cuisine is guided by respect for local produce, by the Mediterranean diet that has been my foundation, and by the joy of sharing food that nourishes both body and soul.
Cooking, for me, is not just about technique—it is about connection: to the land, to tradition, and to the people who sit at the table. That is the story I carry into every meal I prepare.
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