Nouvelle began in the 1970s. There was a hype of veggies. More dramatic presentations and presentation vessels. No more piling high. All about color, artistic, eye appeal.
Henry Gault & Christian Millau:
simpler, more natural presentation. Shift away from classical. An evolution.
Paul Bocuse: the father of Nouvelle.
1976: Bault & Millau began publishing an early version of Zagat, reviewed annually.
Nouvelle is NOT a diet cuisine, though spa food is an off-shoot of Nouvelle.
They shook up the traditional world. Haute was getting sloppy and lazy. Everything was buried in Bechamel.
These guys rebelled against:
> raw ingredients of inferior quality
> abuse of fish, not fresh, buried in sauce and puff pastry
> sauces heavy with flour, that tightened and then were thinned out for service
> egg based sauces.
Rules of Nouvelle:
> rejection of pretentious, over done dishes like beef wellington.
> reduction of cooking times, with veg. now cooked al dente
> rediscovered use of steaming
> use of air, mousses, lightness
> cook what is local, available
> more limited menus
> abandon marinades
> lighter sauces, pure reductions, less cream and butter
> rediscover regional dishes
> intro of new, modern equip like immersion blenders, cuisinart, teflon
Emphasis on inventiveness including use of ingredients not used in classical food.
No more turning veg. use of baby carrots with green on top.
Plating on oversized plates, other shapes, larger charger plates to frame food.
No more nape. Food floating on top of sauce.
Thinner sauces, often translucent.
Sauces no longer mask food. Veg placed in an artistic manner.
Beginning of fusion movement.
Sweet and sour mixed again in savory dishes.
Fruit with meat/savory food. Citrus used with meat or fish.
Undercooking of certain foods to highlight flavor of original product.
Joel Robuchon: extreme attention to detail, very precise and demanding. Impossible reservation to get. Service extreme with a server for every guest.
Jean Louis Palladin: big picture book with cooking by season.
Remember at least 3 of these Nouvelle greats!
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Now, we’re cooking! This is more my style. Can’t wait for next week.