Chef Julien Royer: Melding culinary tradition with creativity

An erudite chef

Raised in a family of farmers, chef Julien Royer has never betrayed what his parents intstilled deeply in him – the respect for ingredients in their natural state. Staying loyal to that philosophy since he started as a young cook, chef Royer has been showcasing his exquisite culinary vision worldwide.

While discussing sustainability in Singapore, chef Royer believes that it is everyone’s responsibility to cook with seasonal products. Not just to sound preachy or trendy but for three simple and relevant reasons – origin, taste and cost. Essentially, it’s a win-win combination, as we’ll know what we are buying, it comes at a cheaper price and with better flavours.

Product-driven is his DNA

Now that diners have become more conscious and curious about what they put on their plates, there is no room for error at restaurants. Hence to meet their high expectations and even surpass it, chef Royer has built, throughout the years, a reliable network or suppliers from Europe to Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Beyond having premium products, knowing the origins of each item that he uses in his cuisine, is of utmost priority.

To paraphrase the French gastronome, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, ‘’tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.’’

The driving force behind his cooking ultimately lies in his particular attention to quality, resulting in a tireless search for the freshest and best fishes, meats, fruits or vegetables. Some of which have included the Victoria pineapple, the wild salmon, the Scottish blue lobster, and so on. Chef Royer’s cuisine is also his way of showing respect and gratitude to all the producers who gave him the ingredients to cook such a unique selection.

The creative process

More than creation, chef Royer prefers to talk about evolution and how he gives life to a dish – wanting nothing else but to enhance a dish by taking exceptional ingredients to newfound heights.

There is no deception here – you taste what you see and simplicity is his sophisitcation. He loves being surprised and surprising his guests, which is why every 2 or 3 days, he reinvents some of the items on the menu.

While using the same ingredients, he will play around with new flavours, sauces, seasonings or accompaniments to result in a dish that evolves according to his inspirations and his state of mind. This process keeps him and his team constantly on their feet and the customers are no doubt entertained

JAAN

Since taking over the reins of the intimate fine-dining establishment, JAAN, in 2011 it has been a roaring success. Singaporeans have fallen in love and showed their support to chef Julien Royer’s culinary values for authenticity, respect and integrity.

‘Garden’, is one of their best-selling dishes and is the perfect illustration of the chef’s philosophy – highlighting and incorporating vegetables according to the sesaon.

So what is next for JAAN and his acclaimed chef? Clearly, it’s the push to further boundaries, while remaining true to ingredients and eventually reaching the quintessence of cooking.

We’re pretty sure nothing will stop him from attaining greater culinary fame.

Céline Manoukian

Photo credit: JAAN