Rhubarb, yuzu, flour: Jordan Talbot's secret ingredients

At Gabriel (4 toques), in La Réserve Paris, where he has been working since 2024, Jordan Talbot creates pastries that give prominence to the ingredients and craftsmanship he discovers through his encounters. From the Japanese grocery store Nishikidôri to a rhubarb grower in Picardy, via a small Breton grocery store and a family-run mill in Essonne, the chef reveals five places he particularly loves.

Nishikidôri Grocery Store, Paris

Among the ingredients Jordan Talbot uses regularly, several come from Nishikidôri, a Japanese grocery store based in Paris. There, the chef finds yuzu paste and crispy rice, as well as fresh seasonal citrus fruits, shiso, and fermented plums. These ingredients have become staples in his desserts, which he appreciates for their ability to add different flavors and textures. “These are products we use a lot on a daily basis,” he explains.

• Where? Nishikidôri, 6 rue Villedo, 75001 Paris
• nishikidori_paris

Rhubarb from Maison Vermès, Saint-Riquier

In Picardy, Jordan Talbot works with Mathieu Vermès, a producer specializing in rhubarb. Maison Vermès grows about sixty varieties of rhubarb throughout the year, allowing the chef to play with differences in flavor, texture, and ripeness. The pastry chef notably prepared rhubarb baked in a sugar crust and flavored with spices. “It’s a fantastic French product,” he emphasizes, going so far as to call it the “Rolls-Royce of rhubarb.” The establishment also offers various products made from this plant, but it is above all the quality of the fresh produce that caught the chef’s attention.

• Where? Maison Vermès, 8 rue Gueschart, 80135 Saint-Riquier
• rhubarb producer

The grocery store “C’est pas mes oignons,” Plouigneau

Jordan Talbot is also fond of a relatively hidden gem in Brittany: “C’est pas mes oignons,” a grocery store located in his native region. Behind the store is a manager passionate about gastronomy who travels throughout Brittany in search of unique producers and products. There, the pastry chef discovered, among other things, Sichuan pepper grown in Brittany, as well as cheeses, spirits, and various products from small local producers. For Jordan Talbot, this spot above all showcases a Brittany that remains deeply connected to its producers and is full of surprises.

• Where? C’est pas mes oignons, 2 Place des Frères-Boulch, 29610 Plouigneau
• cestpasmesoignons

Jean-Jacques Perrier’s tableware

At La Réserve Paris, the tableware is also part of the restaurant’s identity. Since his early days at Le Gabriel, Jordan Talbot has worked with Jean-Jacques Perrier’s designs, whose pieces adorn the restaurant’s tables. The choice fell on a very minimalist white porcelain, available in different patterns depending on the occasion. “It’s magnificent,” says the chef, who particularly appreciates its elegance and purity. The pieces can also be ordered directly from the artisan.

Flour from Moulins Fouché, La Ferté-Alais

For his flours, Jordan Talbot turns to a family-run mill located in the Essonne department: Moulins Fouché. This is where the flours used at La Réserve Paris are produced, with particular attention paid to their local origin and quality. The site itself has retained its historic character: the original mill still stands, and the river flows nearby. It’s a cozy, intimate place where the chef appreciates both the products and the setting. It’s also a way to maintain a direct connection to artisanal expertise and locally sourced ingredients.

• Where? Moulins Fouché, Moulin du Guéitteville, 91590 La Ferté-Alais