WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST?
Coffee, baguette butter and jam and sometimes eggs.
IS THERE A CHILDHOOD COMFORT FOOD THAT YOU THINK ABOUT?
Coquillettes au jambon it’s kind of the traditional french nc and cheese but more simple, just the coquillettes, butter, ham and a little of gruyere on top. Really simple but simply the best
WHICH TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE THAT YOU DON’T POSSESS?
I wish I could double myself so I can do two things at the same time. For example one of me could be answering those questions and an another one of me could be preparing desserts for tonight ;))))
WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DO BEFORE YOU STARTED COOKING?
My dream when I was little was to have a French restaurant in NY, yet LA is so much better for me now so everything is kind of perfect.
OF ALL THE FRENCH PASTRIES, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE TO MAKE?
Tarte aux framboises. I love to take the time to prepare the dough, the pistachio and almond feeling. And the last part, when I put the raspberry on top one by one its a huge pleasure ;))))
IS THERE ONE FOOD THAT YOU’RE SECRETLY OBSESSED WITH HAVING AT HOME?
Pasta. I eat pasta all the time when I m at home. As I’m spending my time at the restaurant when I come home I want to make something easy and fast. But really important. I still take the time to cook it properly and I use the best quality one.
IS THERE A FOOD THAT YOU DISLIKE?
Boudin noir. Its mainly made with blood pork. Really particular.
IF YOU COULD FIND OUT ANYONE’S SECRET RECIPE, WHOSE AND WHAT WOULD IT BE?
There is a restaurant in Paris called Le relais de l’entrecôte. There are really famous for their sauce that they put on the meat. I would love to have the recipe for this one. I would make it all the time.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MEAL AND WHY?
I don’t think I have one. For me, a meal is a little of everything, the place, the service, and the company. But if I had to choose one it would be again in France. I have spent all my childhood vacation in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat at a hotel called The hotel du Cap and next to the pool they had a restaurant called The Club Dauphin and they had the best ratatouille I ever had. I use to have it every single day. I haven’t been to that hotel in more than 20 years and until today I never had a ratatouille as good as the one they were making.
WHAT MENTORS HELPED YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY OF BECOMING A CHEF?
So many people. Yet the one who really inspired me to be where I am today is Pepe Loulou, my grandfather. I have never got the chance to meet him. He died before I was born. He was the only one in my family in the restaurant business. He had the first restaurant in Tunisia, then moved to Nice, South of France, and had another one. His specialty was the couscous. He was extremely famous for it and everyone knew him because he was making the best couscous in the South of France at that time. I named my first restaurant after him and my grandmother.
THROUGHOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, HAVE YOU NOTICED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KITCHENS THAT ARE RUN BY MEN VS. KITCHENS THAT ARE RUN BY WOMEN? IF SO, WHAT WAS THIS DIFFERENCE, AND HOW DID IT IMPACT THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT WHILST PREPARING FOOD?
Ahah. Oh my, I have so much to say about that. Being a woman in the restaurant world is not easy. Mostly the kitchen world is a man’s world so when you have a Chef and a kitchen team with only men it’s not always easy to stand up in front of them and explain to them that you want things done differently. With the time I realized that it was my job to take my place as a woman and as a business owner. I think it’s mostly our job to be comfortable with what we do and our responsibility to take our space. Once I did I have only found men who were extremely respectful and it was always a pleasure and when it is not the case they never last really long in my kitchen.
IT IS REALLY SAD TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING GLOBALLY. YOUNG ASPIRING CHEFS ARE LOOKING TO THEIR HERO’S HOW TO TURN PAINT INTO CREATIVITY. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO TURN THIS DIFFICULT TIME INTO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE?
Always do your very best. Work really hard. Always follow your heart. Adapt yourself and your business. Be willing to change ect … But mostly : Just work and follow your heart, do things with love because no matter how things turn out, you will never regret following your heart and if you know you have done your very best you won’t have any regrets either.
WHAT IS ONE POSITIVE AND ONE NEGATIVE EFFECT COVID-19 HAS HAD ON YOUR LOVE FOR MAKING FOOD?
The positive thing is that we had to recreate our menu and we had some fun doing it. As French food is not something that you think of when you think of TO GO FOOD, we had to adapt, change our menu and answered more the need of the clientele at that time which was more directed in Comfort food. The negative effect is just that we don’t do as much service table as we used too and we just miss this.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING YOUR TIME RECENTLY, HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO CREATE NEW RECIPES?
If I had the talent of making myself double I’m pretty sure I would have had the time to create a new recipe. Mostly I have been spending my time working hard to save my business from a real mean virus and start thinking of new ways to do my job as I m pretty sure its going to be a tuff road until things get back to normal if they ever do.
RESTAURANT CONTACT INFORMATION & SOCIAL MEDIA Los Feliz, CA, USA Loupiotte Kitchen address: 1726 N Vermont Av. Los Feliz, CA 90027 email: [email protected] instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loupiottekitchen/ website: https://www.loupiottekitchen.com/