Here’s a lovely story. Sometimes I receive unexpected surprises in the post, and I recently had one of those moments. A follower of Cafe sent me La Tante Claire by Pierre Koffman and Timothy Shaw—a truly kind gesture. I already have a copy, so this one will take pride of place in the library at Cafe. Thank you, Barry, for your thoughtfulness.
It’s a wonderful book by a wonderful man. Pierre Koffman is a chef’s chef. He makes proper food—never pretentious, always focused on making it taste great. He stuck to his roots, drawing inspiration from his childhood visits to his grandparents, and his years working his way through various kitchens. This book is a masterpiece, showcasing food from the heart and soul of a man who was born to cook, simply and with bags of flavour.
The late '80s was an odd time in food. When this book was published in 1992, there was a lot of confusion about what nouvelle cuisine really meant, and many restaurants misunderstood it—with disastrous results. But Koffman stayed true to what he did best: cooking proper food, well. Think daubes of beef, slowly braised; roast duck with turnips; braised chicken with vegetables; foie gras with scallops and sauternes. Classic, elegant dishes, but the excellence lies in the execution, and his ability to stay true to his roots.
He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest influences on his peers and the next generation of chefs. He’s perhaps most famous for his masterpiece, the pig’s trotter, which I was lucky enough to eat at The Restaurant Marco Pierre White when he was cooking at The Hyde Park Hotel. It was a wonderful dish—rich, humble, tasty, and beautiful. It’s incredible that something so inexpensive can be turned into a 3-star dish.
This book tells a story—about how Koffman became a chef, the places he worked, and the success of his restaurant. I chuckled at the part where the rent in 1977 was £1,400 a year! I’ve read this book many times over the years, and it’s been a huge inspiration. I’ve never met Koffman, but maybe one day I will. He’s certainly inspired a generation of chefs to cook real food, and when you think of all the great chefs who’ve passed through his kitchens, it’s staggering.
La Tante Claire is not just a recipe book—it’s a storybook too, and a very good one at that. Thank you again, Barry—I’ll be passing this inspiration on to many young chefs thanks to your kind gesture.
