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In Mauritius, culinary exchange lures some of Europe’s top chefs to the Constance Culinary Festival
But what is it that keeps the chefs coming back? For them, it’s all about the transfer of knowledge. “I’ve been coming here for 10 years,” says Hermé, who oversees one of the week’s biggest competitions, the Pierre Hermé Trophy. “The level gets higher and higher every year, and the competition always gets more interesting.”
Named as the World’s Best Pastry Chef by World’s 50 Best in 2016 and described as the “Picasso of Pastry”, Hermé, who has boutiques around the world from France to Dubai to Japan, made his name thanks to his innovative use of flavours and creative techniques. And it’s this same flair that Hermé is looking for in the dishes presented by the candidates during this year’s competition.
“We are looking for motivation and skill,” he says. “And, of course, taste is always important. But the best piece of advice I can give is being passionate. Learn techniques and recipes, but also learn about different products and different styles – study it like you would study in school.”
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As well as creating intricate pastries for Hermé, candidates are tasked with creating dishes with local ingredients like shrimp, papaya and tamarind for Regis Marcon, the owner of three-Michelin star restaurant Maison Marcon in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, France.
It’s Macron’s second year being involved with the competition, and he’s all too happy to be back. “I am the parent of a chef,” he says. “So I love watching the development of the candidates and seeing their spirit. We see them becoming freer in the kitchen.”
During the competition, candidates from Constance are paired with international chefs and given a batch of ingredients, tasked with coming up with their own unique twist on the dish. Colourful creations are then tasted by the judging panel, which changes from competition to competition, before being put on display for a room of eager onlookers, who watch with intent as the judges quietly deliberate.
