This beautiful book is the result of the passion and hard work of many people who have contributed their skills, recipes and time.
To the driving force behind the television series and books – my partner, talented Francophile Toufic Charabati, whose love and respect for the intricacies of French cuisine are apparent in every frame. Getting the series right and making it sing from the screen have laid a solid basis for this book. It’s been so much fun to share the journey, and buy blowtorches, ramekins, crepe pans and whisks to recreate so many great recipes at home.
To Guillaume Brahimi, who opened his home so we could film recipes for French Food Safari (assisted by chef Graeme McLaughlin, who helped with preparation and kept a record of the precious recipes; thanks also to Guillaume’s wife Sanchia). Thanks as well to the dedicated team at Guillaume at Bennelong who were very tolerant of the television invasion. Special thanks to pastry queen Kirsty Solomon.
We were blessed to have Guillaume guiding us in our travels – what better person to lead us through France than a chef both knowledgeable and passionate about the food of his homeland, and with connections that opened doors to some of the top producers, providores and restaurateurs. Thanks also to Guillaume’s unflappable right-hand Aisha Cooper, who juggles his impossible schedule.
Another Francophile, Georgie Neal, has been crucial in every part of research for the television series and fact checking for this book, staying up late at night to speak in perfect French to our connections throughout France, and accompanying us on the trip. She led us to ingredients, talented chefs, patissiers and bakers; unearthed snippets of wisdom; and checked and rechecked everything in English and French. Merci beaucoup Georgie!
Also big thanks to the wonderful Jacinta Dunn who was fundamental in making our filming such a success, from sounding out story ideas, to logistics and the thousand things that are incredibly urgent in the behind the scenes of the production office … and to our great editor ‘Coco’ Kerry Anne Wallach who made the pictures sing; and to Peter Clarke who filmed them. And to the calm oasis that is Suzy Brien who runs Gourmet Safaris so smoothly while tornados of television work whip around her.
Thanks to Tonton Frank O’Meara, my dear uncle who lives in France and helped with many of the wisdom quotes in this book, as well as my knowledge and understanding of his adopted home.
A huge thanks to the team at SBS, including Sharon Ramsay-Luck – you’re the godmother of this third beautiful Food Safari book; our commissioning editor Erik Dwyer, who said all the right things at the right times and got hungry with us as the series was coming together; and the SBS management for continuing to support Food Safari and allowing us to delve into the best of France.
To the wonderful cooks and chefs who so generously shared their wisdom and tried and true recipes and allowed us into their realm – to chef and cookbook writer Stéphane Reynaud and his family Isabelle, Jean, Basile and Zoë who so kindly welcomed us into their home and their lives; their friend Marcel; to two angels behind the scenes who helped doors to open – in Paris, Wendy Lyn and in Périgord, Trish Hobbs.
Sincere thanks to renowned chefs Alain Ducasse, Paul Bocuse, Guy Savoy, Shannon Bennett, Jacques Reymond, Philippe Mouchel, Robert Molines, Damien Pignolet, Dany Chouet, France Vidal, Serge Dansereau, Peter Robinson, Warren Turnbull, Michael Smith, Meyjitte Boughenout, Robert Molines, Christophe Saintaigne, Gabriel Gaté, Laurent Branover, Chui Lee Luk, Kirsty Solomon, Yves Camdeborde, and Tony Bilson.
Thanks to the creators of sweet dreams – patissiers Pierre Hermé, Jean-Michel Raynaud and the late Pierre Charkos, Fabrice Le Bourdat, Pierrick Boyer, Vincent Gadan, Jean-François Perron and chocolate magician Gilles Marchal.
Thanks to charcutiers Romeo Baudouin and Stéphane Teyssier, wine writer Ben Edwards, truffle king Pierre-Jean Pebeyre and his family, butter expert Jean-Yves Bordier, poultry farmers Christian and Véronqiue Picard, cheese guru Will Studd, bakers Jean-Luc Poujauran and Apollonia Poilane, stylist Marie-Hélène Clauzon, affineur Laurent Dubois, restaurateur Yves Rivoiron; and to Mumm Champagne and their chief winemaker Didier Mariotti.
To the team at Hardie Grant – special thanks to publisher Pam Brewster, who added her considerable wisdom on all things French to the book and oversaw every aspect of its production, and to the detailed eye of editor Rachel Pitts for helping us get it right and suggesting ways to make it better. A wonderful job! Also thanks to those behind the scenes, stylist Simon Bajada, designer Hamish Freeman and photographer Gorta Yuuki.
Final thanks to my dear mum who has encouraged me and believed in me for so long and to the young team at home – Conor, Kitty and Scarlett; Francophiles all, food lovers and keen explorers of new delicious tastes – so good you’re learning about the important things in life: food, togetherness and family.