Julien Dubrocq - Chef (copie)
Garrigue cuisine.
After following in the footsteps of great chefs such as Jacques Mazerand in Lattes, Eric Cellier in Montpellier and Paul Bocuse in Lyon, Julien Dubroc is back in the Occitanie region.
What is the gastronomic identity of the Grand Pic Saint-Loup?
First and foremost, the garrigue. As with many chefs, inspiration comes from strolling through the countryside. Here, the scents of thyme and rosemary jump out at you as soon as you bend down! Their flowers produce a highly fragrant honey, and the olive trees are an integral part of the landscape... These are just a few examples of the diversity of scents and aromas that make the region an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
Then there's the Mediterranean, because we're in a Mediterranean environment, and seafood offers us some very fine things, particularly in terms of building land/sea agreements that link the coast and the hinterland. Finally, there's the quality of the local produce. Of course, we're all familiar with wine, and we must pay tribute to the work of the winegrowers who have worked so hard to develop the reputation of our region. But the Grand Pic Saint-Loup is full of nuggets and producers who know how to develop small-scale, high-quality products.
Do you have any examples?
Yes, of course, and I haven't finished discovering them yet. In Saint-Jean-de-Buèges, for example, you'll find trout from the Maison Olivier. A rare product, it works wonders marinated "gravlax*" style. Or the veal from Mr Senet's Puech Séranne. I'm also thinking of the truffles from Gilbert Seranne in Viols-le-Fort, or the honey from Fanabregol... the herbs from Le Pic in Saint-Martin-de- Londres... unfortunately I can't mention them all here!
* A dish in which the main ingredient is raw and marinated.
What are your plans for the Grand Pic Saint-Loup?
I'm working on the Dock du GR in Saint-Martin-de-Londres, which opened at the beginning of the year. We want it to be much more than just a restaurant. We want it to reflect this diversity of producers, by offering cookery workshops, a grocery shop dedicated to local produce, a tasting room, a beautiful cellar that will be a showcase for local wines... but also an exhibition space, a garden, a vegetable patch... a place for sharing that's open to the region.
I also attach a great deal of importance to passing on and learning. Just as my mentors have helped me to progress, I want to do the same for the next generation.
What type of cuisine would you like to develop?
I'm as keen on gastronomic quality as I am on conviviality around the table. That's what our identity is all about: high standards of quality but a simple welcome and human relations.
What does another idea of travel mean to you?
A journey of the senses, between simple people who are happy to be together.