chef Bio
Born Bordeaux, France
Years working on The Train 10
CulinarY inFluenCe My mom
and, of course, my business partner,
Frederic Couton
whaT are You MosT looking
Forward To in 2018? serving some
innovative, brand new dishes and
hearing the feedback!
inteRvieW With Jean Pierre Guerin
— executive chef, Rmc
Condé Nast Traveler named Rocky Mountaineer
one of the Top Five Trains in the World. How
does food contribute to the award-winning
experience? Our guest experience is based on
what we call the four S’s—scenery, service,
socialization, and my favourite: sweet and
savoury. There is love in our food: in the
preparation, presentation and in the inspira-
tion behind it all.
Cooking in tight quarters in the galley kitchens
on the GoldLeaf Service domes can’t be easy.
How does your culinary team work around the
challenges of a kitchen in constant motion?
We are a moving symphony. everyone knows
his or her part and we have a rhythm. it is a
small space, but each of our chefs learns the
precision required to succeed. at the start
of each season, it takes a few days to get
our “train legs,” but once we have mastered
walking as the train gently rocks, everything
is good. early in the morning, when the crois-
sants are baking and the preparation begins,
there is always this sense of anticipation
because you never know what Mother nature
has in store—will there be a bear? How will
the waterfalls look today?
Every season, Rocky Mountaineer hosts hundreds
of thousands of guests from around the world. What
is your favourite part of the job? i have the best
view—our rolling “office” moves past incred-
ible scenery. Watching the seasons ch ange is
remarkable. i always try and find a moment to
stand outside on the viewing platform and take
it all in: sights, smells and sounds. We don’t
have a conventional kitchen, but it offers unique
benefits. One of my favourite parts of the job is
talking with our guests, whether it is about food
or their experience onboard. Our guests are well
travelled, and usually adventurous and passion-
ate about food. i love to hear their stories.
the culinary
creator
onboard rocky
Mountaineer,
executive chef
Jean Pierre Guerin
You developed an award-winning cookbook, Eat,
Play, Love – Regionally Inspired Cuisine. How did
that come to be? The cookbook offers a chance for
guests to bring their experience to life by sharing
their stories with friends and family while enjoy-
ing a dish from the journey. The book features
our most popular and timeless gourmet menu
items from our snacks, breakfasts, and lunches.
They are simple recipes that are truly inspired by
the surroundings, offering opportunities to enjoy
a favourite meal from the journey and relieve
the memories.
Rocky Mountaineer Magazine 2018
9