Tuesday, May 23, 2017 –
11:54am
Since I was a little kid I have always loved everything about
food, and even now it brings back happy memories of good times with
my family. I have been cooking for 19 years now, starting at the
age of 15 with an apprenticeship in Paris and then working in
America before moving to London to join Joel Robuchon. I’ve taken
some knowledge from every chef I’ve worked for in the past, but it
was from Joel that I truly learned simplicity and excellence and
how to make everything perfect.
I worked there for ten years before moving to launch Bokan
earlier this year. Having been there for so long, it was time to
fly with my own wings and be at the front of a new restaurant. This
new challenge has been a great opportunity and I’ve had complete
freedom in the kitchen.
More than anything, the produce I use influences my cooking
style and the dishes that go on the menu. I always try to respect
the ingredients and make them shine. We try to source as much as we
can locally from the UK and, if not, from as close as possible. Our
lunch menu changes weekly, and all the inspiration comes from what
is in season and what we have access to. We start with the
ingredient we want to work with and take it from there – some
dishes come together easily and others need a lot of effort. We
collaborate as a team to bring new ideas and play with different
concepts. I don’t have signature dishes, but dishes that I like at
a particular moment; I get bored and prefer change, so always try
to bring this to my cooking.
We make our food in a simple and elegant way, influenced by
traditional French technique, but with a modern twist. We also take
some inspiration from our location by the Thames, using elements
such as spices that can be traced back through the London Docklands
history of trading such commodities.
London is an amazing metropolitan city, where you can eat great
Japanese, Thai, Italian or any other food you could want. It’s
crazy how many restaurants open in the capital every month, so it’s
important to stand out. We’re lucky that we have a beautiful space
with breathtaking views across London, a great cocktail bar on top
of us and access to the best ingredients to help us create a great
package altogether.
AURELIE ALTEMAIRE was previously head chef at L’Atelier de
Joel Robuchon in Covent Garden before taking the helm at Bokan, on
the 37th floor of the Novotel London Canary Wharf hotel; bokanlondon.co.uk
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