Been there, done that

At a charity gala dinner held by international association of gastronomy, Les Chaînes des Rôtisseurs, in Clifford Restaurant, I am seated across Mervin Chew, a gentleman so impressed with a caviar creation he once tried by chef Eric Frechon, he has flown from Australia in the hope of seeing a reprise of the same dish.

Such is the mastery of Frechon—he doesn’t just get you to eagerly anticipate something he once made, he preserves your last cherished memory of it. The caviar eventually arrives, jet black pearls from Sologne resting on a silky bed of ratte potato mousseline smoked with haddock. Everyone at the table takes a bite from their mother-of-pearl spoons, recline and nod silently, a mutual understanding that we are in the presence of great cuisine.

Each subsequent course surpasses the one before. A main of Challans duck breast, with sugar and savoury polenta to soften the gamey flavours, exemplifies Frechon’s perfect balance of sucré-salé (sweet and salty). The dinner culminates in a caramelised Brazil nut dessert, wrapped delicately with praline and presented with truffle milk mousse and Jivara ice cream. The exquisiteness of the food alone is almost worthy of the $2,000 price tag per head, but the event is also raising funds for The Chaînes’ food projects throughout the world.

Excerpt from the February 2013 issue of epicure.
“The money will go towards supplying food to orphanages in South Africa as well as investing in a developmental programme for young budding chefs,” said Frechon. “I love this project because it gives me a chance to give back through my craft.”