Born into a family of chefs in Burgundy, Chef Claude Godard has been passionate about cooking throughout his life, having gained extensive experience working in prestigious Parisian restaurants as well as in South Africa and the United States, where he is now executive chef at New York’s famed Union Club. Godard has achieved the distinguished title of Maître Cuisinier de France – Master Chef of France – which puts him at the highest levels of those working with French cuisine. We spoke with Godard about his next book and why he sees cooking as a form of storytelling.
How does traveling affect your palette and career?
First, I’m addicted to traveling. I love discovering new destinations, new people—and through that, of course, new cuisine. I’m crazy about spices and new flavors, so I’m really hoping to discover the culinary tradition from any country I visit, to taste authentic cooking. I don’t want to experience fancy restaurants, because fancy restaurants are the same all around the world.
Tell us a little bit about the book that you’re working on.
I’m putting together the second edition of a book of recipes from all the French Master Chefs living in the United States and Canada. We don’t have the name yet. We did a first edition, but this edition is sold out already. We are starting the new second edition, which should come out hopefully by the end of the year or beginning of next year.
Do you do cooking demos when attending literary events, such as last year’s Sharjah Book Fair?
Yes, I did three cooking demos. I did a halibut dish I named after my grandfather that came out of a trip in northern Africa and has a lot of spice. There was an appetizer made from escargot and wild mushrooms. Then, naturally, I ended with a dessert, an orange and dark chocolate soufflé.
How does cooking serve as a form of storytelling?
It’s a very important form of storytelling, because cooking is part dreaming, part memory. I like to tell stories through a meal. It’s nice for people to imagine where the chef is coming from, where the chef wants to go, and where the chef wants to take you on the trip. With the ingredients that you work with, you have the ability of expressing different emotions. For me, it’s very important for people to be able to have a dream, because dreaming is part of the pleasure.
