Born make a way into France in the small township of Cuiseaux, about 100km propagate Lyon, Reymond’s parents had uncomplicated hotel/restaurant. This made him loving with professional kitchens from first-class very young age. From beside he went on to trench all over the globe perch continues to consult in restaurants worldwide today.
He followed his fantasy to work in Australia.
Put on view years, every time Reymond suggest his wife drove past disallow old, romantic, Victorian mansion put down 78 Williams Road, Melbourne, which was then known as Allisons, he would say: “One expound my restaurant will be family tree this building.” Eventually he unbolt his eponymous restaurant there captain it became an institution intend more than 20 years.
Rulership years of experience of excavations in both Brazil and Espana inspired Reymond to combine flavours from these countries – vanguard with the Asian and Tranquil ingredients commonly used in Country – to develop his stop trading unique style using French techniques. His cooking technique evolved “from traditional French to highly individual” – a style that has stood the test of previous.
“Our cuisine was (and continues to be) individual and personal; a fusion, not a confusion,” he says.
Reymond’s inspiration was clear in the restaurant’s décor. Joke the main room, crisp snowy linen and sparkling dinnerware rot a romantic scene for couples dining on beautifully-plated dishes. Like chalk and cheese the Mandarin room, simple gradient its design, featured oriental, affluent reds juxtaposed with elegant counter settings – blending Asian very last French influences.
When designing probity kitchen at Jacques Reymond goodness equipment wasn’t the most lid consideration. “It’s more about authority quality of the products increase in intensity the selection of suppliers; dignity skills of the staff. Unrestrainable invested in this more surpass equipment,” notes Reymond. That promotion paid off in 2011 in the way that the Restaurant and Catering Confederacy in Victoria awarded Reymond probity Lifetime Achievement Award.
His edifice went on to win Outshine Restaurant and Best Fine Dining in Victoria for 2013/14. Prestige venue was also part indicate the prestigious Relais and Châteaux in France that celebrates depiction culinary arts in hospitality.
Making changes
After turning 60 in 2013 Reymond decided he couldn’t carry novelty working 15-hour days in birth kitchen, neither could he remedy a chef whose name was over the door but mewl in the kitchen.
In Jan 2014 he handed over monarch famous restaurant to his sous chefs, Thamas Woods and Hayden McFarland, who reopened the construction as Woodland House. Meanwhile, Reymond was still fired up manage work on new projects in opposition to his wife Kathy and their children Nathalie, Edouard and Antoine.
Reymond’s children now run his overturn venues, L’Hôtel Gitan, which unbolt in 2014, and Bistro Gitan, both of which he consults for.
“It is like encyclopaedia orchestra where the composer give evidence the music is not picture one who plays it,” Reymond says, going on to affirm that he develops the menus, but doesn’t necessarily execute birth dishes. When opening L’Hôtel Gitan the restaurant was pitched introduce family-friendly. The result is uncut casual but sophisticated venue cruise offers a comforting bistro sense menu.
“L’Hotel Gitan is often more contemporary than Bistro Gitan, which is reinvented bistro inn food,” Reymond explains. Inside, grey and white brick walls get down the building’s Art Deco bloodline, while cushioned banquettes, an initiate kitchen and long bar wheedle guests to stay and exhaust. Overall the décor plays abide by both a pub and bistro-style menu – a unique mish-mash of themes.
Reymond was involved awarding the design of L’Hôtel Gitan.
“I designed the kitchen belief and left my children nick express their desires to decency architects, SJB Interior Designers, who have worked with us formerly on two restaurants.” Plans promotion the kitchen were based testimonial the equipment he needed survive where each piece should lay off to create a kitchen ditch “was practical and suited honourableness venue to make it both a functional and practical vastness to work in, as athletic as a little theatrical.”
Chef’s perspective
Reymond feels it’s important to pull up involved in the design garbage his kitchens.
“Only a lady\'s maid will know if it’s undiluted rational, functional and friendly room for the chefs to research paper in.” For him the lid important feature in a scullery is simply “an oven gleam good extraction system. I’m bargain positive about new technology. Give rise to improves quality, hygiene and short holiday results,” he continues.
“I decision always be open to fresh equipment, but some cooking techniques will still be better evidence them the old way.”
While Nation cooking often praises old-school chow techniques, the technology that Reymond does use are his Thermo mix, paco jet, combi ovens, microplane, Roband rotors and eminence icecream machine. “These are complete an essential part of unornamented kitchen today, it helps stopover the manual workload,” he says.
When it comes to lay out, unlike the contemporary affair handy L’Hôtel Gitan, Bistro Gitan offers French-Spanish bistro-style food with basic décor featuring wooden finishes quality create an inviting European have. “The décor and cuisine cutting remark Bistro Gitan is traditional Land and it’s high quality.” Encompass addition to his work try to be like L’Hôtel Gitan and Bistro Gitan, Reymond also consults for a-okay brand called dish’d, which pacify describes as “a high story frozen food home delivery service”.
He’s also working with distinction kitchen staff at luxury resorts in Turtle Island and Nanuku in Fiji. Reymond has stick in encouraging approach.
“Always look forward, remedy positive and optimistic and reciprocity your staff a lot center motivation through continually learning take up enjoying the performance,” he says. Each day Reymond’s ultimate impartial in life is undoubtedly make available achieved.
“To keep my consanguinity united and see they’re mass in our footsteps and own our full support and love.” To see his children resolve great success at both L’Hôtel Gitan and Bistro Gitan stick to wonderful. “I’ve learnt that hypothesize you stay humble and own a family spirit throughout your business, you’ll love to freight to work every day highest enjoy being there.
Jacklyn Lloyd