Interview.- This Wednesday, June 15, Louise Burat won 13the: Release of Top Chef contest. In almost ten years, she was the first woman to win it, she won over the jury ությանը to the public because of her strong personality և for her creative cuisine.
Last January, behind the scenes of the legendary palace of Georges V in Paris, Louisa Burat and Belgian candidate Arno Delven met for the last time to win the “Top Chef” final. Proudly wearing the colors of Helen Darose’s team, the young 27-year-old chef stood out for eighteen weeks with her bold, resourceful but ambitious character, which led to her victory.
Located in Lisbon, his country of origin by his mother, he heads the stoves at the Boubou’s family restaurant, where the kitchen is mostly worn by women. We interviewed him the day after the victory.
Madame Figaro.- You are the first woman to win the Top Chef in almost 10 years. What does this mean for you?
Louise Burat.- I think it will take me a while to figure out what happened to me. This is a great source of pride and great honor, but, of course, it is connected with its pressure. Our foremost chefs, like Stephanie Le Kelek, are very important in the field. It’s super galvanized for the future, it’s proof that it’s going to be a good omen.
What role did Helen Darrow play during? this contest?
Helen Darose was a very strong moral support. My intuition, from the beginning of the competition, was to go to his team, or I changed my mind a thousand times. I wanted to work with all the cooks, each of whom has different things to present to the candidates. Eventually, my reason led me to the simple fact that when I started to be surrounded by women in the kitchen, it calmed me down a lot, it had a very positive effect on my well-being. We both have completely different cuisines, but I was in a new and stressful environment, I thought I needed something familiar, comforting.
During the competition, you won the Anne-Sophie Peak mono-product test, then the Dominic Crane shellfish test. Why is it especially important to recognize women leaders?
Women do not have to know the quality of my work, cooking is very subjective, the goal is for everyone to appreciate it. On the other hand, I think my cooking responded to these cooks because we have such an approach to gastronomy. For me, men’s cuisine is mainly performed, and women’s cuisine is for “pleasure”.
What is feminine cuisine for you?
Strangely enough, we say that the kitchen is feminine when it is delicate, delicate, but I do not agree. In my opinion, men’s food is mainly about aesthetics, precision, mastery, and women’s – about strength, especially in terms of taste. I do not want to generalize, but that’s what I find in the kitchens of female cooks I meet.
Your brigade at Boubou’s is mostly made up of women. Why did you make this choice? How are the interactions different?
At first it was not a mandatory choice. Only the girls returned to work as soon as they returned from the first arrest. All the responsibilities that were given to the boys, we came up with, we took together, we achieved. The atmosphere was much more pleasant because of this solidarity, this state of mind, which was not individual at all. We felt so valued that it galvanized us և we felt we could move mountains.
Have you worked in many restaurants, starred or not? As a woman, have you ever suffered in the brigades?
Yes, I almost stopped cooking because of that, even though I was passionate about it since I was a child. At the beginning of my career, in addition to being a woman, I was an intern or a clerk. So I was not taken seriously at all. Just when I moved to the UK, everything changed. I was respected, my words were taken into account; I discovered a new way of governing that was much more comprehensive, I developed in the right direction, fortunately. But you should know that there is no rage only towards women. Interns, clerks suffer… In the name of excellence, cooks inflict these torments on themselves.
Where do you hope to see the world of gastronomy in the future? A more feminist perspective.
You should know that the field is already in a complete transition phase, because we can not recruit others! Nobody wants to work in the restaurant industry anymore, which is very understandable: the salary is very low, the hours are too long, work և personal life is difficult to balance. There is too much stress, which leads to addiction problems. So today we are raising salaries, which is already a very good thing. Therefore, we have no choice but to develop the scenario into something more positive and inclusive.
In feminist gastronomy, it’s hard to take that.
In general. Feminism is a very positive thing, it has nothing against men. The goal is for women to appreciate them, to help them, to say that they can do it. You have to get what you want in life, it’s a statement that applies to everyone.
We should not be afraid to go there with all our humility, strength, courage and vulnerability.
A message for young women who want to become a cook.
I think women tend to move forward more humbly, apologizing for being there. But the problem is, it’s a place we don’t get unless we go looking for it. My advice would be not to be afraid. You have to go there with all your humility, strength, courage ոց vulnerability և it կանանց applies to both women and men. You have to go for it, but with curiosity, love and compassion. Of course, being a successful woman is not easy, it is not what is expected of us, you have to put your head on your shoulders. The little one will stand by it, but it is necessary for a good deed.
Your plans for the future.
My life is in Portugal և I am very happy there. I want to continue working in my restaurant, to satisfy my customers. I want to pursue this new style of governance, which we started two years ago, to follow the standard, to gradually change the codes. I also want to enjoy life. I’m ambitious, but I do not overlook the simple things. I want to cook dinner, see my friends, go to the beach. I just want to enjoy.
Source: Le Figaro
