In 2009, Gregory Marchand created a revolution on the rue du Nil, a tiny street in a forgotten part of Paris’s garment district. With very little means, he opened Frenchie, a tiny gourmet bistro that offered a limited number of high-quality dishes at reasonable prices. Frenchie became a true neighborhood bistro, but with an international flavor, the culmination of Marchand’s journeys and a reflection of his personality.
Marchand, who was a picky eater as a child, spent his formative years in an orphanage in the town of Nantes on the west coast of France. His grandmother was an excellent cook, as was an aunt who was a chef, and although the two wanted to adopt the boy after his mother died, social workers stepped in and nixed that idea. “They thought it would be too much change for me,” Marchand says. “But I definitely think I got something from that side of the family.”
When the orphanage chef was around during the week, Marchand would sometimes help him with a bit of the cooking. “He did stuff like salmon with beurre blanc sauce,” he recalls. On weekends when he was off, Marchand would occasionally take over and make brunch for everyone. That experience made him realize that cooking was a way he could fend for himself once he left the orphanage. “It was about survival,” he says. “I have no regrets. Even if I was a plumber, I would have done the best I could.” So cooking became his singular mission, and at seventeen, he went to culinary school. Even though he admits he wasn’t the best student, he was determined to gain as much experience as possible.
Marchand left France at eighteen, traveling and working in London, Hong Kong, and New York. He met his wife, Marie, in London while working for Jamie Oliver. Marie then followed him to New York. After two years working at the Gramercy Tavern, the couple returned to France when Marie was seven months pregnant, almost too far along to fly. With no job and a family to think of, it was a now-or-never moment—and Frenchie was born.
Now, a decade and a Michelin star later, the street has become home to the Frenchie mini empire, including a wine shop; FTG (Frenchie to Go), a deli and takeout; and Frenchie Bar à Vins, a wine bar. Marchand’s purveyors have followed him here too, opening stores that supply both his restaurant and home fridges. “We never go to the supermarket.” He laughs. “It’s all here.”
For someone who grew up with few family members, spending time with his is obviously a priority. On the weekends, Marchand cooks bourgeoisie style: one dish, cheese, and a dessert. In the refrigerator, there is Philly cream cheese for his daughter’s toast at breakfast, and organic Heinz and HP Sauce for her dad. There are also preprepared provisions in the freezer for the kids. “We have lots of frozen organic vegetable soups for the nanny to heat up,” explains Marchand.
Marchand, who shuttles often between his restaurants in London and Paris, is always satisfied with simple comforts. The first thing he picks up after a long journey home? “A roast chicken from the Montorgueil market,” he says. “It’s best with just a warm piece of bread and a good cheese.”
CURRENT HOMETOWN: Paris, France
RESTAURANT THAT MADE HIS NAME: Frenchie, Paris
SIGNATURE STYLE: French with an international influence
BEST KNOWN FOR: The pocket-sized kitchen at his Michelin-star restaurant, Frenchie; his London restaurant Frenchie Covent Garden; and his natural wine selection
FRIDGE: Miele
- ALMOND MILK—“My wife makes a drink with it: almond milk, curcuma [turmeric], and dates.”
- APPLE JUICE
- RASPBERRY JAM—“Our friends give us lots of jam, but I’m not a big jam guy and the kids eat mainly Nocciolata.”
- SRIRACHA—“I bought it in East Hampton when I visited some friends.”
- ANCHOVIES
- MOZZARELLA
- BUTTER—“Always salted. I am from Brittany.”
- SHREDDED CHEESE
- SAVORA MUSTARD
- ORGANIC YOGURT, for his wife and children
- CHESTNUTS
- MONT D’OR CHEESE—“This is for a family meal later this week. I will put it in the oven with a dash of vin jaune, a clove of garlic, and wait until it’s melted. Then we eat it with potatoes, pickles, and charcuterie.”
- MONOPRIX ORGANIC MUSTARD—“I use this for making a French vinaigrette.”
- FRENCH GRAINED MUSTARD—“This I love serving next to the Morteau sausage, a smoked sausage from the Jura region of France.”
- PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE—“My daughter likes this for breakfast on toast.”
- KIRI CHEESE SPREAD—“Sometimes when I come home at night at one a.m., I have Kiri and ham. And then my wife gives me shit about where all the ham went.”
- PICKLED GUINDILLA CHILI PEPPERS
- SRIRACHA BOTTLES—“I know, two more bottles. I really like to eat spicy food.”
- BIGORRE PORK RILLETTES, MADE WITH BLACK BIGORRE PORK from the Basque country—“You eat it with cornichons and some pickled guindilla peppers.”
- BLACK TRUFFLE OIL
- COLATURA DI ALICI—“It’s a juice of pressed, salted anchovies, kind of like Italian nuoc mam. I love this.”
- APRICOT JAM, from a friend
- BLACK TRUFFLE—“For my son’s birthday tomorrow, I’ll make a truffle risotto. I also like to take the scrapings from the restaurant on Friday night to do a scrambled eggs on Sunday.”
- CAPERS, from the restaurant
- RED WINE
- APPLE JUICE
- MILK
- HAM
- MAPLE SYRUP