Thierry MÉCHINAUD
Chef : Pierre Gagnaire Thierry Méchinaud, head chef at Pierre Gagnaire’s restaurant on Rue Balzac (5 Golden Toques), has just celebrated his 28th anniversary with the restaurant.
Presentation
He jokingly says he’s married to Pierre Gagnaire. Their partnership has lasted 28 years. In the kitchens of the Pierre Gagnaire restaurant (5 Golden Toques) on Rue Balzac in Paris, Chef Thierry Méchinaud has worked alongside Pierre Gagnaire since 1998.
The son of a baker and pastry chef, he began dreaming of a chef’s hat when, as a child, he accompanied his father on his rounds around Saint-Florent-le-Vieil. The artisan would deliver bread to local bistros, accompanied by his son. The young Méchinaud found his calling by watching the chefs cook. He recalls being “dazzled” by the preparation of steamed potatoes with Nantes butter.
A Career in the Capital
After attending culinary school in Saumur and completing an apprenticeship in Doué-la-Fontaine at Le Dagobert under Chef Jacky Sorin, Thierry Méchinaud arrived in Paris on Avenue Montaigne. He joined the kitchen at La Maison Blanche under Chef José Martinez, then moved to Christian Le Squer’s restaurant near the Opéra Garnier in 1996, where he became a chef de partie. Two years later, he joined Pierre Gagnaire as a commis, then moved on to sauces, then to the hot line, and finally to fish.
He had bought his cookbooks and had been drawn to his chef’s cuisine. But in his view, their partnership is largely a matter of fate. Their collaboration comes naturally. Thierry Méchinaud accompanies him on assignments abroad, in Asia or the United States—experiences that have helped him “mature,” as he puts it. But the restaurant remains the priority.
People as a Compass
The two chefs share a common philosophy of putting people at the heart of their mission. Ask Thierry Méchinaud about his plans, and he’ll tell you he wants to pass on his knowledge to “ young people ” and support them as they grow.
He is driven by the importance of truly knowing “the basics ”: “ Only then can you come up with recipes and build something.” “At 30, I couldn’t have been a chef—experience is very important,” he explains.
Working alongside Chef Gagnaire—with whom everything is done “in the same spirit ”—he takes pleasure in serving up the classic shellfish and crustaceans, but notes that seasonality and paying close attention to the ingredients have never been more important. He adapts his cuisine to the ingredients available each season, even if it means completely changing the menu if fall mushrooms aren’t in season yet.
