Bruno Le Gac, our Corporate Executive Chef, reveals his A-Z of the Constance culinary spirit.
- Fresh lobster at Constance Lodge Tsarabanjina
A: Artists
Our pastry chefs are artists. Passionate about their job, they invest a lot of time in searching for inspiration, developing their skills and techniques. They regularly participate in competitions and regularly bring back medals to their resort. In Constance Lémuria Resort of Praslin, everyone knows Chef Seedheeyan (he welcomes you on the buffet in the morning). Next time you go there, ask him to show you his pictures… and look at his smile.
In Mauritius, our chefs are already working on the next ‘fête du pain’, featuring art pieces made entirely of bread dough. I can’t wait to see what our bakers will create.
B: Bernardaud
Fantastic ‘porcelaine deLimoges’. Bernardaud is always creating new innovative lines, reinventing the shapes and design of the perfect plate, bowl or cup. Chefs normally get their inspiration from a product. Sometimes, the starting point is a plate and the question the chef asks himself is ‘what am I going to create on this beautiful plate?’. I see Bernardaud as true partners of our creativity.
C: Curry
Mauritius is a land of curry, and so are the Seychelles and Maldives. They are all very varied, and every chef, every house, every family probably has a different recipe.
At Constance Belle Mare Plage, we grind the spices ourselves using a traditional method. We crush the ingredient on a slab of lava stone, using a roll also made of stone (the baba cari). It’s definitely worth trying – the texture is so much better.
Dragonfruit
D: Dragonfruit
Dragonfruit may not be the tastiest fruit but have you ever seen anything more beautiful? The purple ones are a natural work of art. Inspired by a trip to Mexico, I like to splash its delicate flesh with a bit of lime juice, and sprinkle it with salt. It’s so refreshing.
E: Executive chef
Executive chef is a very difficult – but fantastic – job. An executive chef is not only a good chef. He must be a complete manager, and master of many different talents, skills and techniques. The executive chef is the boss of the kitchens and with teams of more than 100 people in some of our resorts, he must also be a great inspiring leader.
This March during the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau, all our executive chefs will be in Mauritius for a week of fun, exchange, sharing and learning from each other. They will propose an amazing 14 hands dinner at Deer Hunter restaurant that is not to be missed.
F: Fish
At our island resorts, our guests naturally expect plenty of great quality fish. We take a lot of care in choosing our products, and there is a wide variety of fish dishes available in all our resorts. Look for fresh yellowfin tuna tartar at Constance Moofushi Resort, Maldives, baked whole bourgeois fish in Creole spices at Constance Ephelia Resort, Seychelles, home-cured sailfish marinated with olive oil and served with crispy fresh palmtree at Constance Belle Mare Plage.
G: Giraffe
Any idea what a ‘giraffe’ is?
It’s a common name in kitchens for a very large mixer, used to blend large quantities of soup, liquid etc… It takes its name from the shape of its rod, long and curved like the neck of a giraffe. At Constance Hotels Experience, we do not use giraffes. We prefer to prepare smaller quantities at a time, keep it fresh and blended with smaller yet more versatile hand mixers.
H: Hobart, Tasmania
I am very proud to announce that our culinary team at Constance Belle Mare Plage will be representing Mauritius in the great final of the Black Box competition organized by MLA (meat and livestock Australia) in Hobart at the end of May 2012.
They have qualified during the national final, and will have the honour to compete against more than 20 national teams from all over the world.
I: International
Our team is very international. I’ve lost count of how many nationalities are working in our kitchens, bars and restaurants. Here are just a few I can remember: Mauritian, Seychellois, Maldivian, Malagasi, French, New Zealander, Australian, German, South African, Moroccan, Indian, Sri Lankan, Filipino, Burmese, Chinese, Kenyan, Bangladeshi, Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Nepalese…
- Jing restaurant
J: Jing
Jing is our ‘Asian chic’ fine dining restaurant at Constance Halaveli Resort, Maldives. At Jing, you can also dine on high chairs that face the kitchen, which allows you to follow all the action in the show kitchen. The chef can design a bespoke menu that is prepared in front of you. One thing that cannot be missed: chef Glen Cooper’s chocolate fondant with Thai green curry ice cream. It’s unique.
K: Kids are welcome
Once in a while I enjoy spending a weekend or holiday at a nice resort with the family. It’s amazing to say but sadly I don’t feel that my kids are always welcome. They are not particularly loud or obnoxious, but one can tell from the attitude of the staff that they are dreaming of a planet with no children. Sounds familiar?
At Constance Hotels Experience we love kids – and they love us too. Our program ‘mini chefs’ features a tour of the kitchen full of fun and discoveries, kiddy cooking lessons and so much more. Running on the beach is allowed and so is having fun.
L: Lychees
In Mauritius, during the season of lychees (the best ones are in December/January) you can see large piles of them for sale along the side of the road. Lychees are picked ripe from the tree, and they literally explode with juice and flavour when you crack the skin open. It’s an experience not to be missed, a delicious gift of the gods and they are so good, they don’t need anything else.
First class service at Constance hotels
M: Men
Men… and women. At Constance Hotels Experience we believe that our most precious capital is the men and women working together towards the ultimate guests’ experience. Some of our staff have been in the company for more than 25 years. At Constance Belle Mare Plage, Maitre D’ Christian Poché has seen 3 generations of fans of our hotels. We are now serving the grandchildren who will for sure come in a few years with their own children.
In our resorts, our guests are not a room number, they are part of the family.
N: Network
Chef’s World is a very small world. At Constance Hotels Experience we entertain a very close network with some of the best professionals in the world. Many are friends, some are guests. Most of them are both.
It’s great to be so remote from the real world and remain connected at the same time. The internet is the best friend of an island chef, and so is the professional press. But nothing compares to a few days of holiday touring the best restaurants of Singapore, seeing the freshest products in the summer markets ofFrance, sampling the latest creations of our favourite producers.
At the present moment, Chef Michael Scioli from Constance Le Prince Maurice is following the famous Omnivore culinary festival in Paris, while our head sommelier Jerome Fauré is touring the best vineyards of Burgundy. We never stop.
O: Octopus
In the Seychelles, we like to prepare octopus in a fresh salad with thinly sliced onions, strips of tomato, preserved lemon, grated ginger, chunks of cucumber, chopped coriander and flat parsley, and of course a touch of chilli. Lemon juice, a dash of extra virgin olive oil (preferably the ‘robust’ from Dandaragan Estate in Australia) and lots of pleasure. A chilled Seybrew (Seychellois local beer) and the breathtaking views of Port Launay marine park just in front. This could be my own definition of paradise…
P: Patrick Bertron
Patrick Bertron has been working with the great Bernard Loiseau for more than 20 years, and he took over the kitchen when his master disappeared. He has now developed his own cuisine, still respecting the bases taught by the famous chef, and is now the sole holder of his three Michelin stars. Every year, during Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau, he shares his knowledge, wisdom and talent with us.
We share many values as well as mutual respect. Constance Hotels Experience is very proud to know Patrick Bertron and to have built such a strong relationship together.
Luxury food with the finest attention to detail
Q: Quality
Quality is an obsession for us. This is a word we pronounce several times a day. In the kitchen, it all starts with quality produce. The rest follows naturally.
R: Ribs
In our restaurant Adam & Eve at Constance Ephelia Resort, Seychelles, we like to prepare delicious pork spare ribs, heavily basted in our secret marinade, and served with grilled fresh pineapple from the hills of Mahé. Spare ribs should of course be eaten with your hands. The restaurant is very casual, sand flooring, tropical music… the perfect place to indulge.
S: Salvino
Chef Salvino Crivellari is a fantastic chef and a great friend. He is what we call a ‘freelance’ chef, and one of the best specialists I know of the classical, traditional Italian food. He helps us every year in our different units to perform training and share his talents and fabulous taste with us.
Our Italian guests regularly come to us with a smile and say: ‘I know this food was prepared by an Italian chef’. Thank you Salvino for being part of the Constance family.
T: Tequila
At Constance Halaveli Resort, Maldives, we are crazy about tequila. The idea most people have about tequila is very different from the extraordinary range and variety of flavours, aromatic complexity and richness that can be found in the best tequilas. Just drop by the main bar at Halaveli and let our bartender surprise you.
U: U’luwka vodka
This famous extra super premium vodka is available in all our bars at Constance Halaveli Resort. You can also order a smaller bottle through our In Villa Dining service, and enjoy your favourite drink in your villa, while watching the sun go down.
V: Vanilla
Every time I go to Madagascar, I always make sure that I stop at Nosy Bé market to buy fresh vanilla. There are plenty of people selling this fantastic product there but there is only one lady who always has the best quality available. It’s such a pleasure to pick up a fat, utterly fragrant and extra glossy bunch of fresh vanilla beans and smell it, touch it, feel it. Each bunch weights 1 kilo. It’s a privilege that few people get the chance to enjoy.
W: Wow
One of my favourite words, it says so much in just 3 letters. When our chefs find the perfect recipe and I try the dish for the first time, I always feel emotion. When I am ‘wowed’ I always make sure that every member of the team knows about it. A chef, a cook, a sommelier, a waiter’s utmost pleasure is to see the guest surprised and delighted. It’s the best reward you can get in this job.
X: Xocoatl
The ancient name for chocolate in the Aztec language. We are absolute fans of chocolate. With Easter coming soon, it’s a great occasion for our pastry chefs to showcase their talent and creativity. At Blue Penny Café, with their coffee, guests are presented a chocolate menu featuring the best creations by Chef Thierry. The chocolates are presented in a lovely lacquered box, just like jewels.
Y: Yes
At Constance Hotels Experience, we don’t like to say no to the special requests of our guests. A specific diet? Allergic to one or more ingredient? You don’t like the garnish and want something else? You are craving something that is not on our menus? Our chefs will meet you personally and find the solution. Holidays should be a pleasure so just relax, and we take care of the rest.
Z: Zébu
In Madagascar, zébus are all over the place. At Constance Lodge Tsarabanjina, Madagascar, Chef Claude Raherivelo likes to prepare its delicious flesh in 2 different ways – raw in a carpaccio, just sprinkled with chopped fresh herbs and marinated oil, and grilled in mignons to be served with a compote of onions with mustard and voatsiperifery pepper.
