Un Jour, Un Chef

One day, one chef. Pick a day. Any day. Almost.

It’s an interesting concept — to marry a guest chef with in-house experts and then add the diners — who likely happen to be the friends, relatives and fans of the chef. Every meal that comes out of the kitchen is different and that makes it fun no matter when you choose to go. This is the idea at “Un Jour, Un Chef” by the founders, Sophie, Eric and Olivier: “You have the recipes. We have the restaurant.”

Chef Sibel Pinto

This particular occasion was at the invitation from the chef, Sibel Pinto, a long time friend of Parler Paris and colleague. She started a small catering business a few years ago that has blossomed into much more for this budding chef.

She’s a native of Istanbul whose Georgian and Spanish grandmothers influenced healthy Mediterranean-style cooking. At the Cordon Bleu she studied ’21st Century Gastronomy’ and graduated from the prestigious program of ‘Advanced Studies on Taste, Gastronomy and Table Arts’ at the Reims Champagne-Ardenne University. Her thesis on Sephardic cuisine in Turkey won an honorary mention. And now, this was her chance to be “Chef for a Day” and show off her culinary talents to a room full of diners.

I couldn’t wait to be the first of her customers and as it turns out, was the first to enter the restaurant and be seated…although by 8:30 p.m. the restaurant was filled to capacity. Booking was easy online at Un Jour Un Chef Reservations. The tables were set based on who had reserved — many large groups of six, I noticed, mostly friends of Sibel’s. The menu was presented to us — both her special menu and another, just in case something didn’t suit the diners.

Sibel’s menu:

Entrée: Tepsi börek au fromage de brebis et herbes fraîches
avec sa verrine de légumes à l’huile d’olive

Plat: Volaille en aumônières d’aubergines avec son jus de tomates fraiches et thym sauvage, pilaf de fête aux pignons de pin et cannelle

Dessert: Empanadas de igos, figues farcies aux noix, réduction de vin rouge à la mélasse de raisin parfumée aux épices du palais, sorbet yoghourt

It was 30€ per person (not including wine or coffee) and absolutely delicious. Sibel came over and wondered if I had eaten the entrée since it had cheese in it (I have a serious dislike for many cheeses) or the rice (not on my low-carbohydrate diet), but not only had I scarfed it all down, but did so with total delight. The main course was particularly yummy — never tasted chicken and eggplant like that, nor the yoghurt sorbet with its tangy flavor.

Don’t we now wish she’d open a restaurant of her own? Stay tuned. Maybe she will! Meanwhile, we have Un Chef, Un Jour to thank…and you can always hire Sibel to cater your next party!

Sibel Pinto: http://www.sibelpinto.com

Un Jour, Un Chef: http://www.1jour1chef.com/
4 rue Biscornet
75012 Paris
Tél: 01 43 43 00 08

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Two days, two concerts. Be “Mélo” and be “Men,” but choose now because if you snooze, you lose.

This coming March 24th and 25th, 60 adeptly vocal men will embark and take you on a maritime journey on the high seas in search of a new land. Called “Hisse et Ho!,” these voices may take you higher than the seas.

Two of our very “mello men” who are long time friends of Parler Paris, invited me to their 16th floor newly renovated apartment in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris on the southwest side of La Défense, for a piano concert and mid-Sunday-afternoon lunch. The view from their three-sided wrap-around windows and balcony was a view one often doesn’t get of Paris, with the skyscrapers and Arche de la Défense as the focal point in lieu of La Tour Eiffel. One might think it was New York or Chicago, and not Paris, but magnificent, just the same. And yes, I did cross the Périphérique ( you may recall that certain Parisians “don’t do the Périphérique” — see Thinking Outside the Périphérique, Puttin’ On the Plage and Garden Variety News)

We had a very mello afternoon, these two men and me, looking out on the city from a very different point of view…so I won’t miss the opportunity to hear these gay guys sing. Hope you don’t either!

For more information visit: Melo Men

And to reserve, visit Melo Men Concert Reservations

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One promise. Coopers’ Promise.

“Cooper’s Promise” is Timothy Jay Smith’s new novel. Tim is another long time friend of Parler Paris and will be speaking at Parler Paris Après Midi on July 3rd (special date — Parler Paris Après Midi) about his new book.

“Cooper Chance, army sharpshooter and deserter, wants to go home, but cannot knowing that he’ll be jailed. He’s ended up a mercenary in Africa in a gritty world of thugs, prostitutes and corrupt cops. He trades diamonds to survive and meets Sadiq, a young merchant as lost in the world as he is. They fall in love, but unbeknownst to Cooper, the youth has ulterior motives. When huge oil reserves are discovered, the CIA offers Cooper a way home without jail time if he carries out a risky high-stakes mission. Cooper balks until a teenage prostitute he’s promised to save is trafficked and disappears. In hopes of rescuing her, Cooper agrees to carry out the CIA’s plot with unexpected consequences.”

“Cooper Chance is ‘a complex character in the vein of classical leading men. If Humphrey Bogart were alive today, he’d be attracted to this role…’ FRESH VOICES INTERNATIONAL

Get the book before you come to Après Midi — it’s hot off the proverbial press and can be purchased at Recommended Reading or learn more at Timothy Jay Smith’s site:
Timothy Jay Smith.

A la prochaine…

Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Nice

Respond to Adrian

P.S. Mark your calendar for March 13th when Bernadette Martin of Visibility Branding, LLC talks about “Fusing Personal Branding and Storytelling” at Parler Paris Après Midi! Visit Parler Paris Après Midi for more information!