Gourmet Buzz: Figaro

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Publishing a ten-page scoop Figaro Magazine’s top gastronomic journalists, Maurice Beaudoin and Francois Simon lift the lid off secrets behind the doors at Fortress Bibendum. Their weapon of mass destruction: Pascal Rémy, a disgruntled Michelin inspector who, after sixteen years loyal service, “and on the salary of a lowly instituteur,” was dismissed overnight for wanting to publish his diaries, entitled (I presume) “An Inspector Calls”. Haven’t they ever heard of Pepys? Our man at Michelin, Derek Brown must have, but he’s out of there very soon anyway. I checked with a “reliable source/sauce” who’s known about this for two years. He insists Rémy is correct, especially when he says there are only six permanent inspectors to review the 10,000 restaurants in the guide, in France. Now, before you make you next reservation you might like to look at the following list which Beaudoin & Simon composed with the help of France’s tip-top ten foodie journalists: Sebastian Demorand (Zurban), Jacques Gantié (Guide Gantié), Claude Lebey (Guide Lebey), Thibault Leclerc (Bottin Gourmand), Perico Légasse (Marianne), Vincent Noce (Libération), Gilles Pudlowski (Guide Pudlo), Jean Claude Ribault (Le Monde), Emmanuel Rubin (Optimum) and Alain Sarraute (Le Figaro). “They have *** stars, they’re not worth it, and they’re too expensive:   Les Freres Pourcel, Jardin de Sens, MontpellierTaillevent, ParisChristian Le Squer, Ledoyen, ParisMarc et Paul Haeberlin, IllhaeusernGuy Martin, Grand VefourJacques Lameloise, ChagnyPaul BocuseGeorges Blanc, VonnasJean-Michel Lorain, JoignyMarc Meneau, VezelayRelais Bernard LoiseauMichel Trama, PuymirolPhilippe Legendre (George V, Le Cinq)Marc VeyratPierre TroisgrosBernard Pacaud, L’AmbroisieMichel GuérardAntoine Westermann, Strasbourg   These merit *** stars:Olivier Roellinger, CancaleEric Fréchon, Le Bristol, ParisAlain Dutournier, Carré des Feuillants, ParisFrédéric Anton, Pré Catalan, ParisPhilippe Etchebest, Hostellerie de Plaisance, Saint EmilionRégis Marcon, Saint-Bonnet-le-FroidAlain Llorca, MouginsStephane Raimbault, L’Oasis, La NapouleJacques thorel, La Roche-BernardJacques Chibois, GrasseOustau de Baumaniere, Les-Baux-en-ProvenceLasserre, ParisDuchesse Ann, Saint Malo   So there you are, you pay your money and you take your choice. A vous de jouer/manger/nosher and make up your own mind. Let BP know what you think, it’s important to us. And in the meantime bear in mind that after much speculation Michel Troisgros launches his Paris project, as consultant, at the bijou Hotel Lancaster, so exclusive that until now only guests could eat in the restaurant.   La Table du Lancaster,7 rue de Berri, 8th Métro: George VT: 01 40 76 40 14   Bon Appetit. Born in Britain and now based in Paris, Margaret Kemp graduated from The Cordon Bleu and spent a year working and watching in the kitchens of top chefs from Sydney, Australia via Bangkok, Hong Kong, California, New York and France. Realising she would never win the coveted 3-Michelin stars, she decided to write about the people who do, the “disciples of Escoffier.”
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Born in Hampton, Middlesex, UK, Margaret Kemp is a lifestyle journalist, based between London, Paris and the world. Intensive cookery courses at The Cordon Bleu, London, a wedding gift from a very astute ex-husband, gave her the base that would take her travelling (leaving the astute one behind) in search of rare food and wine experiences, such as the vineyards of Thailand, 'gator hunting in South Florida, learning to make eye-watering spicy food in Kerala;pasta making in a tiny Tuscany trattoria. She has contributed to The Guardian, The Financial Times Weekend and FT. How To Spend It.com, The Spectator, Condé Nast Traveller, Food & Travel, and Luxos Magazine. She also advises as consultant to luxury hotels and restaurants. Over the years, Kemp has amassed a faithful following on BonjourParis. If she were a dish she'd be Alain Passard's Millefeuille “Caprice d'Enfant”, as a painting: Manet’s Dejeuner sur l’herbe !