Chefs Thierry Marx and Ricardo Silva have joined forces to create Honor, a mecca of creative and virtuous cuisine that promotes quality local produce and professional integration. These enthusiasts share with us some great classics revisited.
Chef Thierry Marx opened a new Paris address this year, Onor, a dedicated restaurant that promotes quality products from short supply chains and is also a carry-out location. The approach is inclusive and 15% of the staff have gone through the Cuisine Mode d’Emploi(s) school, which provides free training to the unemployed in cooking, bakery, food, food, food, seafood, pastry… It seems right to share my know-how “How, with my projects,” explains Thierry Marx. And it is also in this spirit that I joined forces with Ricardo Silva. He is a shareholder of Honor. I have been working with Ricardo for fifteen years. He is younger than me, he has his own approach to cooking, writing, I have it too. This sharing is what drives us forward. In turn, he will pass on… This is how we build things that last and how we make sure that what we create on this earth lasts.”
Passion
If for Thierry Marx the chef is the bearer of know-how, the transfer also rhymes with passion. “Naturally, one should know the basics, agree to study music theory. You can’t cook if you don’t know how to sharpen your knife, control cooking, or time. But that’s not all. Then we have to add this extra soul, this investment that carries us.” Ricardo Silva is on the same wavelength, having also grown out of wanting to share the gestures and momentum felt at the plate with his teammates.
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Curiosity
One thing Thierry Marx and Ricardo Silva have in common. Curiosity! So Ricardo joined the research and development workshop opened in 2006 by Thierry Marx and the chemist Raphael Hammont, which was installed both on the campus of the University of Saqla (Esson) and XI.e Paris region. “We are constantly in the process of testing. The important thing for us is to make mistakes. We experiment with new techniques, new machines to develop classic recipes. Trial and error is in the menu. We have test books that allow us to record our mistakes as well as our successes. This is how we shape tomorrow’s recipes,” explains Thierry Marx.
The tradition
“If we made a royal rabbit, as in the time of Louis XIV, we would no longer be able to eat it. A strong smell will be the first repellent, says Thierry Marx. Thanks to the preservation technique, the 2023 rabbit has a delicate aroma and a less pronounced taste. However, tradition is also a form of reference in the eyes of the chef. “See,” he adds, “the big comeback of flan. All pastry chefs give their interpretation, although they avoided it for a long time. We cannot say that flan is a particularly delicious pastry. But for most of us, it is a pleasant memory. Undoubtedly, traditional dishes bring memories to passers-by.”
The quality
Thierry Marx and Ricardo Silva are adamant about this. “For a long time we contributed to the economy low price giving up the quality. Then we saw that linguistic elements appeared: it was about small producers, organic approaches… The action was not global. Finally, twenty years ago, when I collaborated with Bleu Blanc Cœur, I learned what quality really is, asserts Thierry Marx. A quality product is a farmer who works his land in a healthy, regenerative way, without chemicals, who produces grass that will feed his livestock in a virtuous cycle. And which, therefore, must be paid for, at the right price.’ Ricardo Silva insists on approaching from the ground to the plate. “As a child, I used to eat the produce we grew. So I want to find suppliers that are close to Honor, geographically and who share our values.”
From the 1950s to the 1970s, portions were more generous than today, but that doesn’t mean the food was better.
Thierry Marx
Lightness
“From the 1950s to the 1970s, portions were more generous than today, but that doesn’t mean the dishes were better,” notes Thierry Marx. Take the wine merchant steak. Previously, it weighed 500 g. We don’t eat that much meat anymore. From now on, we serve a much smaller piece, but considering the intensity of the taste: a leg of chicken, beef juice… We can also talk about the cream. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was prepared with 350 grams of sugar per 1 liter of milk. Now we are more like between 175 and 190 grams per liter. Why such changes? Thanks to the quality of the product, but also awareness of the harms of sugar. “We want to leave the table in good shape,” adds Thierry Marx. Cuisine is not linear, it’s about lifestyle and resources.”
Festive dishes
“I am Portuguese,” explains Ricardo Silva, “and my holiday dish is connected with the traditions of my country.” It’s simple: it’s cod, eggs, potatoes.” And, according to Thierry Marx, when Ricardo attacks this Lusitanian association, it becomes graphic and evocative. “For me, celebration is also about sharing a dish,” explains Thierry Marx. I’d rather buy roast chicken with the dish. I love to cook. My holiday recipes also include oysters cooked with wild mushrooms.” The two chefs also take onion soup, lobster, Mont Blanc, scallops and more – references to French gastronomy to sublimate them, to match the times. High flying score in line with time.
Honoré, 258, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris. honor-thierrymarx.com
Source: Le Figaro
