Insider Special Edition 2015 | Page 49

H aving honed his expertise under the hands of great chefs such as Robuchon, Faugeron and Kerever, Pasteau has firmly created his own contemporary styled restaurant on straightforward, affordable and relatively unpretentious principles, in what he aptly calls, a convivial ambiance. He is a firm believer that providing value for money to his customers is amongst one of the essentials of running a sought after restaurant. Although it would be inconceivable to compromise on quality on any of his ingredients, this does not necessarily signify the practice of exorbitant pricing. Particularly in today's world, he feels that a discerning client always keeps an eye on the value being offered, and reasonable pricing strongly breeds repeat custom. This is a trend Pasteau believes is here to stay. His love of the sea and everything marine started at a very young age, when he spent many of his childhood holidays at the ocean's edge. This had already allowed him to sample and to appreciate the many delicious and greatly varied fish and seafood products, at a very tender age, a love he has carried with him until today. This has led him to focus much of his energy and skills on dishes consisting essentially of fresh local marine produce, enabling him to base his menu on its daily availability. Although Pasteau excels in creating original fish and seafood dishes, experimenting with their exciting flavours and textures, he is equally adept at combining products from both the land and sea, to produce sumptuous mixed signature dishes. INSIDER SPECIAL EDITION But Pasteau is much more than a master chef. He is also a renowned activist in the conservation of marine resources. Crépinette de queue de veau croquette de polenta par François Pasteau His ethos is centred on the promotion and the sustainable use and preservation of marine resources, as well as the development of sustainable practices within the industry. He utilises exclusively sustainable species in his cuisine, always striving to avoid the depletion of resources, by making environmentally informed choices. Furthermore, he now also collects bio waste at his restaurant, as part of what he himself calls a daily battle to protect the planet. This must necessarily include waste management, which plays a huge role in the conservation of the environment. Pasteau convincingly advocates that we should gradually learn how to eat better, but in smaller quantities. This will also translate into a higher food quality, resulting in healthier consumers, while enabling farmers to earn a better living through the production of higher quality products. This will bring about an overall more sustainable and less harmful scenario for our fragile planet. Pasteau convincingly advocates that we should gradually learn how to eat better, but in smaller quantities 2015 47