The 75 Interview with Adrien Bouchaud
The meaning of 'authentic,' the best poulet rôti in Paris, & a peek inside the new Indian spot that flooded my DMs.
The Dish and I had dinner at Gourou recently, a new Indian spot in the 11th. I shared a pic of the spread—palak paneer in creamy, carrot-hued sauce with fresh spinach (never frozen, according to the kitchen); dal palak tadka, a coconut milk lentil curry with crispy onions, whole cashews, a nice spicy oil, and more fresh spinach. The naan was just-baked, with warm ghee pooled in the middle.
My DMs blew up! Everyone wanted to know—was it any good? The subtext: Is a white French guy pulling off an Indian restaurant? The place had gotten some buzz. The colorful dishes, the restaurant’s beautifully busy interior, channeling a frenetic market in Mumbai—it was all very photogenic. But can Adrien Bouchaud (formerly of Le Richer, Le 52 Faubourg Saint-Denis), or any chef, really, lead a restaurant focused on a cuisine that isn’t natively his?
My answer: yes.
There was no hole in the Paris restaurant scene that they were looking to fill, Adrien told me. There was plenty of Indian food in Paris, some of it very good. They just wanted to offer another place to enjoy it.
I loved the spot, I loved the dishes, and I loved Adrien’s take on traditional recipes from around India. You can feel the bistronomy influence in certain details, like the insistence on fresh produce, the vibey lighting, and the pop-Indian soundtrack. But I’d also say that, by working alongside Bengali chef Saidul, traveling India, and deeply researching each recipe and ingredient, Adrien’s restaurant pays proper homage to a cuisine he loves.
“I don’t try to put new ingredients or French ingredients—it’s classic Indian recipes and I [prepare] it the best I can.”
His earliest culinary memory, his Proust madeleine, is his mom’s curried chicken. “Chicken with cream and curry powder from the supermarket. It was one of the first recipes she taught me. Then, I improved it with her—with onion and sugar and honey and coconut milk.”
I asked Adrien what authentic even means—and does it even matter?
“I think it matters, but authentic isn’t the word I use to define our restaurant. Authentic is something you can find in India. I’ve been in authentic places in Mumbai, in Kochi. I never found that in Paris or even London. A lot of restaurants try to make things as authentic as they can, and sometimes it looks authentic, but it never is for me. I’m using authentic recipes, but I’m a French chef. I use my lens to cook. We can’t say it’s authentic Indian food, but we’re using authentic recipes.”
So, when he’s craving Indian food in Paris, aside from Gourou, where does he go?
“I often go to La Chapelle because I can find special products there. There are two restaurants I like. One is Dishny, an old place that makes very nice curries, especially with coconut milk. The second is completely vegetarian — Krishna Bhavan. You have to order the ‘thali.’ You get lots of different curries, sauces, chutneys, and pickles, so you can try many things.”
Given his track record, I have to ask: what’s the best bistro in Paris right now?
“Dandelion. It’s a friend’s restaurant, and I managed to get a table last month. It was an amazing experience — not just because it’s a friend. I really think it’s one of the best restaurants in Paris.”
And if he’s going to break the bank?
“Epicure, the restaurant at the Bristol hotel. Since last year, Chef Arnaud Faye has been the chef. I used to work with him at the Ritz, and I love his cuisine. I’d really like to try what he’s doing. His cooking is always very precise — there aren’t many products on the plate, but they’re very well chosen.”
Pick your poison: wine, beer, or cocktails?
“That’s a very difficult question because I like all three. But if I had to keep only one, I’d choose beer. I like having a beer while watching a rugby match with my friends. Usually, I go to an Irish pub and order a lager or a blond beer. There’s one nearby — Le Ballon Vert — with a very good ambiance during matches.”
Has he had time to explore any recent openings? With the launch of Gourou, he admits he hasn’t been going out much.
“But one restaurant that opened about a year ago and was very good is Argile. It’s bistronomy, almost gastronomic, near Place de Clichy. The chef, Romain, is one of the best chefs I’ve worked with. His food is very, very precise, and the service is also perfect.”
What about street food — where’s the best in Paris?
“I don’t find very exceptional street food in Paris as you do in India. For me, street food doesn’t really exist here. But for takeaway food, I like the pizza from Tripetta — especially the prosciutto and mushroom with extra gorgonzola.”
In a city that loves its poulet dominical, where can you find the best poulet rôti?
For Adrien, Bar Fleuri. “It’s a little bistro near Buttes-Chaumont. They make roasted chicken with French fries. The chicken is perfect, the juices are perfect — it’s just very good chicken. And it costs €6.86. That’s the original price in francs — I think it was 45 francs — converted into euros. They’ve kept the same price for 20 years.”
How has the bistronomy scene changed over the past decade?
“People are going to restaurants less often, but they’re choosing better ones. They want quantity and better quality, so we have to improve. The quality has to be there — people don’t go somewhere just because others say they should.
“People are also consuming less meat and alcohol, which is a big change for restaurant economics. It’s a good thing for health and for the planet, and I also consume less alcohol and meat. But restaurants have to adapt. They have to reinvent themselves.”
If he could collaborate with any chef in the world, who would it be?
“The chef I dream of working with is Francis Mallmann. I love cooking with fire. And for Indian cuisine, I’ve heard a lot about Gaggan — an Indian chef in Thailand. He’s doing Indian gastronomy, fusion food. It looks very interesting.”
