A Short Culinary Portrait
The article
Mofusan
By Morgan de Polignac, Jun 3, 2026A culinary portrait
It is with undisguised pleasure that I play along with this little questionnaire.
Your madeleine de Proust: xiaolongbao (Chinese steamed soup dumplings), and praline.
A fruit – rambutan, and durian
A bottle – huangjiu ("yellow wine"), made by hand in the old way and served warm
A herb – Thai basil.
A spice – green cardamom.
A dessert – the Paris-Brest.
An ingredient you refuse to cook with – industrial products, and anything out of season.
One daily gesture for the planet – using every part of an ingredient to the full.
A word of encouragement to your team – "let's go, together"
A scent – lilac, osmanthus and cherry blossom
A piece of music – Chopin, Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2
One thing you insist on – curiosity
A hallmark of your cooking - combinations that elevate every element
A hallmark of your cooking - combinations that elevate every element
A mentor chef – Laurent Vernet (the chef who trained me), Jean-Michel Tronnet (my instructor), and, among the better known, Pierre Gagnaire and Philippe Conticini
Who would you like, or would you have liked, to cook for? – Pierre Gagnaire, and anyone curious about flavour.
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