By Leigh O’Connor.
Growing up in Perigord Noir in the South of France, Francis Luzinier had the best ingredients right at his fingertips from vegetables to tobacco and animals.
"We grew all our vegetables, along with strawberries – my Dad even produced his own wine and apple cider – while cows, pigs, geese, ducks, chickens, pigeons and lamb were also roaming the farm. As kids, we helped out on the farm after school and during the holidays. It was hard, but we survived with all that food around us – we never went to a supermarket at all,” he recalls.
"I would help my Grandma to cook while my parents were in the fields working, developing a cooking style for the family. At the age of 15, my Dad found me work experience at a two Michelin-starred restaurant and there was no turning back – I loved it.”
Fast forward and Francis now heads the kitchen at PARC Brasserie & Bar on Hindmarsh Square in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD, where diners can experience the essence of Europe and the Mediterranean in elegant style amongst plush blue carpet and chairs, banquette seating and moody lighting, ideal for a romantic rendezvous with someone special.
After completing his apprenticeship in France, Francis found work in London before heading Down Under and cooking in kitchens all around the country, spending four years in India and finally coming back to Australia to settle in at the Pullman Hotel’s onsite restaurant, PARC.
"I love food and am passionate about creating dishes, developing menus and passing on my knowledge to younger Chefs to make sure they learn the correct food cooking techniques.”
It was his love of developing dishes that led him to create a menu for Michael Jackson’s wedding to Debbie Rowe in Sydney during the star’s HIStory tour.
Describing his style as classic with eye appeal, Francis says food must be able to make you say ‘wow that’s nice’, then ‘OMG it is so tasty’:
"That is my expectation from the food I have created – and yes, I’ve got it right up until now! I’m obsessive with the way food is presented and cooked. I want the real deal – the ingredients to be treated and cooked correctly. It is a must – your customer loves the dish and you win.”
As for an ingredient Francis can’t live without – his answer is priceless:
"Hum, such a good question. Okay first, garlic, I love it. Number two, saffron for my best paella. Number three, duck – oh, I love duck.”
It is his recipe for beef cheeks, carrot purée and Shiraz jus, that Francis shares with AGFG home cooks.
"I love this recipe because time is the essence – marinating the beef, sautéing it and slow cooking for 36 hours at 85 degrees. The beef is melt in the mouth and marries well with the carrot purée. It is a best seller on our current menu at PARC.”
The dish that has followed him throughout his career is a Thai-style green chicken curry with lime leaves that he learnt to cook while working in Thailand. However, when it comes to cooking at home – Francis loves simple food.
"A great mashed potato with French butter and a fantastic salad that my wife has prepared – or maybe a simple steak or lamb chop on the barbeque – yes, very simple!”
