Wasabi ice cream, foie gras ravioli… William Ledeuil’s 5 iconic dishes
From white chocolate-wasabi ice cream to small foie gras ravioli, and everything in between—including pasta, zucchini flowers, and shellfish—William Ledeuil unveils five dishes that reflect the influences, memories, and ingredients at the heart of his cuisine.
From Ze Kitchen Galerie (3 toques), which opened in 2001, to Kitchen Ter(re) (2 toques), William Ledeuil has developed a distinctive culinary style centered on Asian influences, citrus fruits, broths, and pasta. Some creations have stood the test of time, while others evolve with the seasons. Through five dishes, the chef explores the fundamentals of a culinary style he has continually refined.
White Chocolate-Wasabi Ice Cream: The Signature Dessert
On the menu since 2004, the white chocolate-wasabi ice cream is undoubtedly one of William Ledeuil’s most iconic creations. The idea came to him after his first trip to Japan, where, in a sushi bar, he discovered wasabi paired with very mild miso. Back in Paris, he decided to reimagine this condiment for a sweet dish. “I thought to myself: I’m going to try wasabi in a dessert.” The combination of wasabi and white chocolate remains the foundation, but its variations change with the seasons—featuring strawberries and pistachios in the summer, mirabelle plums and plums in early fall, whiskey, lemon, and buckwheat in winter, then rhubarb in spring, or even mango, passion fruit, and grapefruit.
Zucchini blossoms: the vegetable thread
Another staple on the menu, the zucchini flower is part of William Ledeuil’s focus on vegetables and seasonal produce. The zucchini come from a market gardener based in Carrières-sur-Seine, near Paris. Stuffed with a mixture of poultry and cream, the flower is seasoned with satay, yuzu kosho, herbs, mushrooms, and onions. The filling and side dishes change throughout the year. Bouchot mussels, cockles, or morels may alter the dish’s profile depending on what’s in season. The same base, but a different interpretation each season.
Pasta: A Constant Playground
Pasta has been a staple on all of William Ledeuil’s menus since his early days. At Kitchen Ter(re), it has even become one of the restaurant’s hallmarks, alongside broths. “Pasta as we make it—as I conceive it—is a truly extraordinary vehicle for flavor, ” the chef explains. The principle remains the same: a brief pre-cooking before finishing the pasta directly in a broth. After that, anything is possible. Pasta with curry, lemongrass, and coconut milk can create a version with Asian accents; elsewhere, linguine with seaweed butter, yuzu, and bottarga is coated in a fish-based tom kha kai, infused with kaffir lime leaves and katsuobushi. The pasta thus becomes a true canvas for creativity, while the broth changes with the seasons.
Small foie gras ravioli: a winter broth
Every winter, William Ledeuil puts his small foie gras ravioli back on the menu, served with a duck broth. The foie gras, which starts out raw, is simply marinated with Sichuan pepper, fleur de sel, and grated citron before being wrapped in dim sum dough and steamed. The duck broth, enhanced with sake vinegar and kaffir lime leaves, evokes a duck pot-au-feu with Asian accents. The dish is rounded out with yuzu and citron zest, as well as a condiment made with tamarind and umeboshi. A combination inspired by a travel memory: “It’s a dish I remember—a tamarind duck I ate in Thailand.”
Oysters: The Taste of Shellfish
Oysters, cockles, clams, and razor clams are regular features on William Ledeuil’s menu; he loves working with shellfish for their intense briny flavor. Here, the oyster is served with a vinaigrette made with kalamansi, sesame, lemon, shiso, and fresh ginger, all emulsified with the oyster’s own liquid. A precise seasoning, designed to enhance the shellfish’s flavor without overpowering it.
Raised in the countryside, the chef had few opportunities to eat fish and shellfish before moving to Paris. Discovering them quickly sparked a true passion, which has since become a defining theme of his cuisine. “When I go to Brittany, I never miss the oyster market in Cancale, ” he smiles.
