Chef Profile: Phillipe Boulot

When did you decide to become a chef?
When I was 14 I started cooking during the weekends and on school holidays.

What was your first job in the industry?
When I was 19, I worked at the fish and vegetable station at The Nikko Hotel in Paris.

Did you have a mentor? If so, who and what did he/she teach you?
Joelle Robuchan. He’s a very famous chef. He taught me everything — how to cook and manage a kitchen.

Describe a typical workday.
At 10 a.m. I do the food delivery and make sure everything is in. At 11 a.m. we start lunch service, which lasts until 1:30 p.m. From 1:30 to 5 p.m. I do paperwork. At 5 p.m. I line up the waiters to explain the night’s specials, and I do dinner service until 9 p.m. or until it’s done.

What is the most rewarding part of being a chef?
Cooking and creating good food. That’s what makes a good chef.

What is your favorite thing to cook, and why?
Wild mushrooms. They come from the earth, and they’re the most organic and seasonal foods. I love their complexity and seasonality.

What qualities do you look for when you hire employees?
Lots of energy. Their resume is the last thing I look at. Schooling doesn’t interest me.

What advice would you give aspiring chefs?
You need to love cooking, because it’s going to take over your life. If you love it, you will succeed. If you don’t, then do something else.

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