A Day in the Life of an Independent Parisian Chef

Hours before the morning sun appears over Paris, Margot Kinsey is busy selecting fresh seafood from one of her usual fishmongers at the bustling Rungis market, the world’s largest wholesaler of fresh produce. The Rungis International Market is the lifeline of Parisian gastronomy, providing the city’s chefs, traiteurs and restaurants with a massive selection of high quality ingredients. Most chefs understand that sourcing plays a critical role in the creation of a perfect meal. Over the years, Margot has learned the ins and outs of sourcing produce and intimately knows the Paris community of food suppliers. ‘I have my favourite suppliers for specific vegetables, fruits, seafood, meat, spices, cheeses, breads, etc.’ Depending upon the requirements of a meal, she may visit 8 or 10 different vendors to source the right ingredients for a single client event. In addition to frequenting Rungis, she visits a myriad of specialised suppliers, traversing several Paris arrondissements to choose specific food and flavours needed for an event. ‘The meals which I create for clients are based on fresh, seasonal ingredients. For example, artichokes from Provence in March, lobster in July, or the best oysters in October.’ Margot’s meals are known for their subtle mixture of tastes and textures, which can only result from the use of organic and ‘whole’ foods. Some of her favourite Paris markets include: Avenue de Saxe, Rue Daguerre, Place d’Aligre and Marché Enfants Rouge.

Operating as a ‘chef a domicile’, Margot cooks and serves meals on-site at a client’s home, office or rented facilities. She serves a wide range of clients and occasions. Sometimes a business lunch or an embassy function. At other times, a special birthday dinner or a catered meal for a group of tourists. Events range in size from a 2-person dinner to a 120-person cocktail reception. She also provides on-site cooking lessons for small groups, where visitors to Paris appreciate her teaching methods in English or French, her two native tongues. This is especially popular with visitors who are looking for fun and educational evening learning to prepare a classical French meal in the kitchen of their rental apartment, and then savouring the creations along with a nice bottle of wine. Most meals are accompanied by an interesting story about the origins of the meal, the history of its preparation or the reasons behind its popularity in France.

What all her clients have in common is a respect for slow food: natural and simple ingredients, combined to produce an unforgettable meal. Her menu varies, drawing from classic French dishes, as well as ‘world cuisine’, Asian flavours, or a touch of Italian or Latin American influence. ‘Some of my clients, especially visitors to Paris, are seeking a quintessential traditional French meal. Others are more interested in my creative mixing of tastes from different cultures, such as Euro-Asian fusion.’

The planning and logistics of a catered meal can be quite an undertaking, and usually remain completely invisible to the client. For example, a technology start-up company in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt frequently engages Margot to cater an on-site dinner with key customers or investors. Once the menu is agreed upon, the process of sourcing, preparation, packing, transport and final cooking must be planned and scheduled. While some ingredients can be purchased a day or two in advance, most foods are sourced the day of the event. Hence her 4am visit to Rungis market to find just the right type of fish, often caught just 8 hours earlier and transported to Rungis overnight. While many of the other ingredients can be sourced at Rungis before dawn, Margot will typically make a few additional shopping runs in Paris, from 9am to 11am, perhaps for a specific kind of cheese, an Italian specialty or an Indian spice. As the last items are ticked off her shopping list, there is time for a mid-morning coffee break or an early lunch at the Café du Marché on the rue Cler. After lunch, a final purchase is made: fresh bread, still warm from the oven of the boulangerie.

Back at her apartment, the various ingredients are sorted, weighed, cleaned, cut, mixed and packed, depending upon the requirements of the meal. A checklist is used to ensure that all the necessary ingredients are packed in large plastic boxes and perishables (such as that fresh fish) are packed in a cooler with ice. In addition, an equipment list covers all that will be needed to cook the meal in the kitchen of the client’s facilities. Around 4pm, Margot loads everything into her car, drives to the client site, and transfers the components of her moveable feast to the client’s kitchen. For the next 2 to 3 hours, the artist quietly works to transform her various ingredients and supplies into an orchestrated meal. Then Margot re-packs her equipment, tidies the kitchen, and will be home just before midnight. That’s a day in the life an independent Parisian chef.

Margot Kinsey is a professional chef, having earned a Masters Diploma at the Ritz EscouffierEcole de Gastronomie Française. She has been passionate about food and cooking since childhood and has been influenced by food and cultures from around the world. She provides professional gourmet services to homes and organizations in the Paris area.