Flavors of France always in Gremaud's dishes

(Courtesy, Montana Prichard…)
November 15, 2012|By Claire Perez Correspondent

Q: I understand outside the kitchen you have another passion for deep sea fishing.

A: Yes, I love to fish and go any chance I can. Any time you can hunt, farm or catch your ingredients, it's always good.

Q: What is your record catch?

A: A 75-pound mahi-mahi I caught off Jupiter Inlet.

Q: What is your desert island food?

A: Rice, I'm a huge rice fanatic. Growing up, my mother and grandmother were talented home cooks and that was the first thing I learned to cook. It's such a versatile ingredient. It's in every culture and you can do so much with it.

Q: Were you a picky eater as a child?

Q: What was one of your favorite childhood meals?

A: When my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday dinner, I always asked for frog legs. I love them with lots of garlic. Occasionally at the restaurants, we get the fresh, big ones from Lake Okeechobee, they're the best. I don't buy the frozen ones from China and India.

Q: Name one thing you would never order off a menu.

A: Chicken. I really don't like it. I think it's boring and tasteless and, for the most part, I don't like how it's raised.

Q: What's your favorite food city?

A: New York. I love the diversity. But I really enjoy the traditional French foods I grew up eating in the south of France. We've had an ongoing "Tour De Monde" promotion at Pistache and on Nov. 15, it will end with a Beaujolais Nouveau celebration. I'll be serving all the classic, great, rustic dishes like duck confit, beef Bourguignonne and duck rillettes.


Name: Julien Gremaud

Title: Executive chef/partner

Locations: Pistache French Bistro (101 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach, 561-833-5090, PistacheWPB.com) and PB Catch Seafood & Raw Bar (251 Sunrise Ave., Palm Beach, 561-655-5558, PBCatch.com)

Age: 33

Food prepared: Classic French brasserie fare and modern American seafood

Background: Plans to take over his father's business as an electrical engineer in France sent him to England to become proficient in the language. While he mastered the language, Gremaud supported himself working in restaurants.

While vacationing in the United States in 2000, Gremaud met chef Jean Banchet, of Le Français in Chicago. He accepted a position with Banchet to help pay for his work visa. He left to work as a private chef in Florida. In 2009, Gremaud met restaurateur Thierry Beaud and was hired as temporary consultant for Pistache French Bistro, which had gotten off to a rocky start. Impressed with his talent after three weeks, Beaud offered Gremaud the executive chef job. Under Gremaud's direction, Pistache has been awarded numerous accolades and garnered national attention.

In November 2011, Beaud and Gremaud formed a partnership, and together they opened PB Catch, with an emphasis on sustainable, local seafood.

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