TRANSLATION | Eugenia Yang

坐於偌大落地窗旁，愜意享受日光帶來的溫煦，品嚐著盤中的典雅食藝，頃刻間彷彿置身巴黎，為 CLOVER BELLAVITA 予人的美妙錯覺。身為法國傳奇摘星主廚Jean-François Piège 海外首間餐廳，從菜餚風味、空間設計至餐具選用，無不顯露了極致細膩的美學品味，於典雅大氣的跳色巧思，細品深層悠遠的爾雅奧義。

紮實法餐經驗  

經 Jean-François Piège 盛情邀約，如今由 Gildas Périn 擔任 CLOVER BELLAVITA 駐店主廚，曾於 2015 年拿下法國最具代表性的廚藝競賽「Challenge Culinaire du Président de la République」冠軍殊榮，爾後歷經多家米其林餐廳的洗禮，擁有相當紮實深厚的料理經驗。談起與 Jean-François Piège 的相識之緣，Gildas 表示過往兩人曾在法國共事，笑答或許是具有來台工作的經驗，便讓 Piège 認定了他為最佳人選。身處異地的別樣感悟，讓 Gildas 娓娓道出了心中的若有所思，「產生了巨大的變化，因為我來自法國，尤其在廚房環境裡，不會說壓力很大，但心態上有些緊繃，而來到台灣後使我退一步思考，也對日常有了更多的耐心和從容。」當談及法國與台灣的文化差異，讓他印象最深刻的便是「分食習慣」，笑說若在法國餐廳內用，鮮少會見到如此景象。

優雅烹調手藝  

穿梭於廚房中的繁忙身影，舉手投足間，藏不住深刻骨子裡的優雅，Gildas 游刃有餘的烹調手法，著實令人看得出神，其中也不難看出他與團隊們的良好默契，「我喜歡學習和挖掘新事物，也希望自己能在團隊裡扮演兄長的角色，引領眾人往更好的方向前進。」尤其對他而言，料理的關鍵點取決於食材，「主廚 Piège 深深明白這一點，也對此非常堅持，他說我們不應該在台灣以巴黎的方式做事，食材不同、客人不同、一切都不同，必須隨之調整菜色，以深厚的法式基礎造就更現代高雅的風味。」而本季的亮點著重於完善現有菜單，針對細節進行調整，進而過渡至春季，Gildas 透露未來將提升「蔬菜」的使用比例，盡可能地運用台灣在地食材呈現當代法餐，更分享自己相當鍾愛台灣的牛蒡、白菜、南瓜與甜椒，期盼能為更多的蔬食主義者打造理想盛宴。

懷抱寬闊視野  

旅行中的種種，能擴充一個人的視野與胸懷，對創作者而言，則是一場思路釐清的淘洗之路。談起閒暇時的愛好，Gildas 透露旅行是首要之務，更舉例先前拜訪泰國時，意外發現某道泰菜竟與法菜具有極高相似性，至今仍讓他難以忘懷，「必須透過旅行、必須去品嚐其他美食，得到的不僅是靈感，而是為了洗滌頭腦，當旅程結束時，會擁有一個更集中的思路。」之於精進味蕾的訓練，Gildas 笑說首要任務便是多方嘗試，即使是不喜愛的食物也須深入理解，「像我不喜歡牡蠣，主廚 Piège 不喜歡肉豆蔻，但他並不會因為個人不喜歡某樣東⻄，就反對用它入菜。」時刻保持開放心態，眼裡所見的大千世界將無比寬闊。提及往後的個人規劃，Gildas 期望自己能在台灣多留一些時日，為 CLOVER BELLAVITA 的賓客捎來舌尖滿足，也為團隊們尋得生活與工作的平衡點，面對種種未知的將來，他已做好萬全準備，陽光下的自信笑顏顯得格外燦爛。

Take a seat by the floor-to-ceiling window, enjoy the warmth of the bright sun and savor the elegant dish—it is as if we have instantly traveled to Paris, a beautiful illusion given by CLOVER BELLAVITA. As the first overseas restaurant by legendary chef Jean-François Piège, the place permeates with an extremely delicate aesthetic. From the taste of the dishes, interior design to the choice of tableware, everything radiates with a generous elegance. 

Solid Culinary Experience 

With the kind invitation from Jean-François Piège, Gildas Périn is now the resident Chef de Cuisine of CLOVER BELLAVITA. Ever since winning the Challenge Culinaire du Président de la République in 2015, he had worked at numerous Michelin restaurants and accumulated a solid culinary experience. Having worked with Jean-François Piège in France, Périn smiles and says his experience of working in Taiwan is perhaps why the legendary chef saw him as the best person for the job. Often traveling and working abroad, Périn reflects on how his mindset changed. “The changes were pretty drastic. I was a bit tense, but not stressed, especially when I’m working in the kitchen since I came all the way from France. After coming to Taiwan, I took a step back and learned to live life with a bit more patience and ease.” Of all the differences between Taiwanese and French culture, he finds the action of sharing food to be the most interesting to him. Laughing, he says it is something that is rarely seen while dining at a French restaurant. 

Graceful Cooking Techniques 

It is hard for the busy figures working in the kitchen to hide their elegance and good teamwork, which is showcased through their each and every movement. And the way Périn cooks with an effortless ease is a feast to the eye. “I like learning and exploring new things. I also try to play the role of a leader for my team, someone who can guide them towards a better direction.” To him, the key to cooking lies in the ingredient. “Chef Piège understands this as well. He told me that we shouldn’t try to do things in Taiwan the way they were done in Paris because everything is different here. The ingredients, the customers are all different. So we must adjust our menu and try to create modern and elegant flavors that are built upon French customs.” The focus of this season is about adjusting the current menu and really making sure every detail is perfect. In the hopes of utilizing local ingredients to present modern French dishes, Périn further points out that he will be increasing the amount of vegetables used in his dishes. Extremely fond of the burdock, cabbage, pumpkin and bell pepper of Taiwan, he aspires to design an ideal feast for vegetarian customers in the future. 

Embrace the Broad Vision

The encounters during journeys are capable of broadening one’s perspective. To creators, it is a quest to clear the mind. For Périn, one of his biggest hobbies is traveling. Recalling his previous visit to Thailand, the trip was very memorable because he found a lot of similarities between Thai and French cuisines. “I think it’s necessary to travel and try out different foods. Not only does it provide inspiration, but it also clears your head. After every journey, my thoughts are more focused.” When it comes to training his palate, Périn smiles and says it is important to explore, even when it is something he doesn’t like to eat. “For example, I am not very fond of oysters and Chef Piège is not a fan of nutmegs, but he doesn’t leave it out of his dishes just because he doesn’t like it.” By always maintaining an open mind, the world suddenly becomes wider and limitless. In terms of his future plans, Périn hopes that he can stay in Taiwan a bit longer so that he can really satisfy the customers who come to visit CLOVER BELLAVITA and aspires to find a balance between life and work for his team. In the face of the unknown future, Périn is ready to take on any challenges, as he smiles with absolute confidence under the shining sun.