The Floating Kitchens of École Lenôtre

My latest foray into the world of French cooking occurred in one of the most unusual places: the floating kitchens of École Lenôtre. If you’ve been to Paris, you know that it is defined by the Seine. And that famous river is lined with an array of watercraft. I recently discovered that the prestigious École Lenôtre has converted one of these yachts into a wonderful cooking school. Situated in Quai Henri IV, it offers a less frequently seen view of Notre Dame de Paris. For some close-up views of Notre Dame as it recovers from the tragic fire, see my post Saving Notre Dame: An Epic Endeavor.

Menu Esprit Bistrot

It was early October 2019 and I was nearing the end of a month-long stay in Paris which had included an amazing row along the Seine. The class I chose for this trip was titled ‘Secrets des plats esprit Bistrot‘ – Secrets of Bistro-style Dishes’. I was excited by the prospect of learning some of the wonderful home-style dishes offered in these iconic Parisian restaurants. And when I registered for the class, I was even more excited to learn that it would be held in one of the floating kitchens of École Lenôtre. It seemed like the perfect bookend upon which to complete this particular journey.

And so, one sunny Sunday afternoon, I made my way along the Seine to Quai Henri IV and boarded l’atelier Lenôtre. I received a lovely ‘Bonjour’ from the receptionist, and a short while later, another one from the Chef, Sylvain Muylaert. I was quite certain I had booked a class with instruction in English. However, as Chef began the lesson, it became very obvious that I hadn’t. Undeterred, I did my best to follow along with my limited French. All in all, I managed pretty well.

Œufs en Meurette

First on the menu was an incredible hommage to the lowly egg. If anyone knows how to elevate the egg, it is definitely the French. And this dish, Eggs in Red Wine Sauce, is a perfect example of how they do so. We started by toasting some bread seasoned with olive oil, garlic and thyme. Next, we sautéed some peeled champignons de Paris – Paris mushrooms – with lardons – bacon (I had never heard of peeling mushrooms before! ) Then we glazed some oignons grelots – baby onions – in butter. And while all this was happening, we had the red wine and veal stock sauce simmering on the stove.

Our garnishes and sauce well in hand, Chef proceeded to poach an egg in red wine. Yes, eggs poached in red wine! Not only did it enhance the flavour of the œuf, it also gave it a lovely blush hue. Now all that was left to do was plate this amazing dish. Chef layered the garnishes then topped them with the egg. Over that he poured several generous spoonfuls of meurette. And the piece de resistance: breaking open the soft, golden yolk. The visual effect was stunning, and the taste amazing! My mouth waters now just thinking of it.

Filet de bar à la Fondue d’Aubergine

Fish is a mainstay of the French diet. So, our second dish for the day was one of poisson. We started by preparing the vegetables: carottes en biseaux et un fondue d’aubergine – bevelled carrots and an eggplant fondue. Then, it was on to the star of the show.

I’ve never been a fan of cooked fish, in large part because I didn’t eat much of it as a child. So I missed the opportunity to appreciate it’s delicate texture and flavour as well as to learn how to cook it. Given all this, I was looking forward to this chance with both trepidation and excitement. And I am thrilled with the outcome. We cooked beautiful fillets of sea bass in the simplest, yet most flavourful way. Sautéed in butter, with a clove of garlic and that most French of herbs, thyme, the result was wonderful. Topped with a fresh, rocket pesto and micro greens, it was a thing of beauty.

Crème Caramel

And of course, you can’t have a French meal without dessert. So, we prepared two. The first was the perennial favourite Crème Caramel. This simple, yet elegant, dish is another wonderful example of how French chefs have elevated the egg.

Petits Moelleux au Citron

I love the name of our second dessert. Translated into English, it means Lemon Softness. And the little citron cushions of cake were just that. In fact, they took me back to my first encounter with Lenôtre. It was Christmas, several years earlier, when I discovered one of their pâtisseries just around the corner from my Paris apartment. You can get a glimpse of their charming, seasonal, window display in my post Christmas is Paris: Window Shopping. I will admit that I did more than just window shop at that time!

Our cooking completed, we cleaned up the cuisine. And as the setting sun bathed the surrounding majestic buildings in a golden hue, I departed the floating kitchens of Ecole Lenôtre. Replete with the satisfaction of a job well done and a parcel of our culinary gourmandises in hand, I strolled along the Seine, basking in the eternal beauty of the City of Light.