At the helm of the France Pavilion’s culinary experience, two Executive chefs, Chef Martin Becquart and Chef Erwan Stadler, will be leading the iconic Sofitel Dubai Downtown Food & Beverage team, the main caterer for the France Pavilion. Chef Martin brings a wide range of experience working in kitchens around the world from having worked in Europe, South America, all the way to south-east Asia and finally Middle East, traveling and cooking have become Becquart’s biggest fascinations.
Alongside the menus created by Chef Martin and Chef Erwan, Accor will also be introducing six guest chefs from across its hotels in France, to offer visitors of the Pavilion the chance to discover and enjoy French gastronomy and hospitality at its finest. Every month throughout EXPO2020, a region of France will be represented by one of the six guest chefs, as they are supervised by Chef Martin and Chef Erwan to feature authentic and exclusive menus from diverse regions, including Bourgogne, French Riviera and Corsica, South West, Brittany and Normandy, Paris & Ile-de-France and Alsace.
Starting in October, Chef Julien Mercier, currently at the head of Pullman Tour Eiffel, will introduce a Burgundy Menu including appetizers such as a traditional “Salade Lyonnaise” or “Pate en croute”, with main courses varying from “Boeuf Bourguignon” style, a beef stew braised in red wine, carrots and pearl onions but also Rabbit legs curt into pieces cooked with white wine to choose from, and deserts with Blueberry Tart or Blackcurrant sorbet.
Chef Stephan Remon, Executive Chef for Sofitel Golfe d’Ajaccio Sea & Spa, well known for his speciality dish, “Corsican Fish Bouillabaisse”, will be part of Expo 2020 in November. As a well-travelled chef, he has worked in Canada, Hungary and Austria with the Sofitel brand. During his visit at EXPO2020, he will introduce typical dishes from the French Riviera and Corsica, including a “Noicoise salad” as a starter, a “slow cook lamb shank” or the famous “Bouillabaisse” with a “tarte Tropezienne” as a desert to name few.
In December, discover delicious dishes from emblematic Chef Dominique Frérard from Sofitel Les Trois Forts in Marseille. With over 25 years of experience, he has been combining recipes from the pure Provencal tradition with new elements and new types of cuisine, in order to obtain gastronomic and refined dishes. Chef Frérard will be representing the South West region of France with a menu which includes warm oysters for starters and for traditional mains such as a “Poulet Basquaise”, a slowly pot roasted chicken in a “piperade”, or a Merlu “Bordelaise style”. Guests can finish with a sweet by trying a baked French dessert with prunes or a crème brulée “Catalane”.
Chef Patrick Barbin is Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea & Spa’s Head chef since 2004 and will be representing the Britany and Normandy region in January 2022. Alongside his team, he incorporates local flavors to his cuisine, largely based on fish and seafood. He particularly enjoys preparing pollack, with oysters and sea asparagus. His signature dish is full of Breton flavors: Sea bass with shellfish broth and Armoric saffron, sea lettuce with Carnac cider. At Expo 2020, guests will have the chance to taste a menu featuring pan-seared sea scallops followed by a traditional buckwheat crepe or veal medallions before finishing with sweet crepe or “Tarte Normande”
Visitors will furthermore have the opportunity to discover the authentic and original cuisine of Paris & Ile-de-France region represented by German Chef Martin Simolka, whom will be visiting Expo 2020 Dubai during February 2022. Both simple and elegant, his cuisine is plant-based and organic with a modern twist. With a Parisian Menu, guests will have the chance to taste the “Parisian Bistrot” Platter as an appetizer, followed by a “Veal Stew” or “Shepherd’s pie”, while finishing with a delicious Vanilla Mille-Feuille or “Opera” for a sweet touch.
Last but not least, guests of the pavilion will also have the chance to taste the delicious food of Chef Matthieu Klein, from Sofitel Strasbourg, whom describes his cuisine as “simple, but not simplistic” as he works with local but specific products.
Arriving in March 2022, Chef Matthieu will showcase a diverse menu from the Alsace region in France, with a pastry tart crust made with custard cream and sautéed onions for appetizers or the famous “Choucroute de la mer”, while tasting a plate of traditional cheese or enjoy a desert with a White Cheesecake or Creamy custard cream with apples.
To end on a sweet note, the France Pavilion will also be showcasing an exclusive dessert “Le Gustave” conceptualized by Chef Jessica Préalpato, Ambassador of the France Pavilion and celebrated as the World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2019. Inspired by her concept of natural desserts – desseralité – “Le Gustave” is a fusion of French and Middle Eastern cuisine.
