Interview

Paris Travel Tips from Alex, Youtube Chef of French Guy Cooking

Conversations with Locals

Alexis Gabriel is the man behind the Youtube channel French Guy Cooking, where he showcases his food hacks and cheat sheets to classic French recipes. The witty Parisian reveals where to find the ultimate croissant, his favourite view of the city (it’s not from the Eiffel Tower), and what “l’art de vivre” is to him. 

Photo: French Guy Cooking

What do you feel defines Parisian cuisine?

The Parisian cuisine has got to be associated with the restaurants. From a humble but decent café where you can have a sandwich at the counter, to a busy brasserie where you’ll get an entrecôte with french fries, then to a bistrot where you’ll be dining out of hearty modernised dishes, to finally a Michelin starred restaurant which will always remain a proud icon in our city.

What do you feel are the most common misconceptions about French food? 

People see French food as a posh, high-end and overcomplicated affair. And I believe it is not their fault but ours. Expensive ingredients, chef’s whites, the white table setting and expensive silverware can be appealing, but in my opinion it can be repulsive.

How is Parisian cuisine different from other parts of France?

Paris takes influences from all around the country, so you can taste many different and authentic French specialities in the city. But Paris also takes influences from all over the world. Being an international capital, this city sucks in all the latest food trends that can be found, be it from Asia, Africa or America.

Photo: French Guy Cooking

Which parts of Paris is the best for food?

I believe the East of Paris, especially the 11th arrondissement, produces the best food. This is not based on any kind of fact, but on something arbitrary – I was born there! (laughs)

What are some local food you feel travellers can’t leave Paris without trying?

Don’t leave without trying a baguette; go for a traditional baguette. Also, the jambon-beurre sandwich, which is the most classic Parisian sandwich you’ll find. If you feel adventurous, go for the raw steak tartare.

Pastrami and kalamata olives tapenade in traditional baguette. Photo: French Guy Cooking

Jambon-beurre sandwich. Photo: French Guy Cooking

French steak tartare. Photo: French Guy Cooking

What is a typical Parisian breakfast for you?

Croissant and coffee at the counter in a busy café.

Where are your favourite cafés in Paris for a good croissant?

When it comes to the almighty croissant, the best place would not be at a café, but at the most amazing boulangerie – Blé Sucré, located on 7 Rue Antoine Vollon.

Photo: French Guy Cooking

Where are your favourite restaurants or cafés in Paris?

I’ll give you three of my favorite foodie streets in Paris. They are the Rue des Martyrs, located in the 9th arrondissement. It is a beautiful foodie street with plenty of places to eat but mostly takeaway.

Rue Paul Bert, located in the 11th arrondissement where you can find a few of the finest Parisian bistrots. For an authentic French meal, I would visit Bistrot Paul Bert on Paul Bert street.

Rue du Cherche-Midi, in the 6th arrondissement, where you can find many foodie spots and great Italian food as well. Let’s stay open minded shall we?

What do you feel most travellers miss out on when they are visiting Paris?

Tourists – and I can’t blame them for that – prioritise the famous attractions such as the Notre Dame, the Eiffel tower and the Champs Elysées. These are all great and superb places, but from a foodie point of view they are definitely not. My advice is to take some time, walk off the beaten paths and you’ll find gems in the side alleys.

Wander and get lost in the alleys of the 10th and 11th arrondissements, instead of walking straight into the beautiful yet massive and overcrowded avenues of the 8th arrondissement.

Where can we go to see your favourite view in Paris? 

It can be a bit dark at night so I would prefer a day visit to le Parc de Belleville, where there’s one of the most beautiful views of Paris, and a café where you can enjoy l’art de vivre.

What do you mean by l’art de vivre? 

“L’art de vivre” is a French expression which literally translates into “the art of living”. It means to take the time to embrace life with your eyes, your ears and your mouth. Savour each and every moment, instead of wasting them.

What is on your travel bucket list?

They would be: getting cooking knives in Seki, Japan; visiting and eating in the 23 provinces of China; learning Persian in Teheran; jumping high with the Maasai in Kenya; cooking on an Asado in Argentina; walking sleepless on a bright night in Iceland.

WHERE TO EAT IN PARIS


Blé Sucré
Where: 7 Rue Antoine Vollon, 75012 Paris, France
For: Croissants

Bistrot Paul Bert
Where: 18 Rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris, France
For: Authentic French food

WHERE TO GO IN PARIS


Le Parc de Belleville
Where: 20th Arrondissement, 75020 Paris, France
For: A panoramic view of Paris

Florence Travel Tips from Mauro Santoni, a Teacher & Arts Enthusiast

Conversations with Locals

Mauro Santoni is a Literature, History and Geography teacher living in Florence, and has a penchant for the theatre and the Arts. We talk to Mauro about his beloved home city, why Spaghetti Bolognese is not Italian, and his favourite under-the-radar art galleries in the capital of Tuscany. 

Photo: Mauro Santoni

What do you feel defines Florentine cuisine?

In the past, food in Florence was poor in quality. For example, in the Middle Ages, the city had to pay high taxes on salt, and this meant that bread was often baked without salt due to its high cost. Today, this tradition continues. Typical Florentine food such as ribollita, panzanella and pappa al pomodoro was often made with stale bread. Eventually, such dishes become rich and tasty, and have come to define what Florentine cuisine is all about.

Pappa al pomodoro is a Tuscan soup made with bread, tomatoes and olive oil.

What do you feel are the most common misconceptions about Italian food? 

Italian food is not only about pastas and pizzas, and spaghetti bolognese and Hawaiian pizza are not Italian recipes!

Is there a difference between food in Florence from other parts of Italy?

Sure, every region and city in Italy has their own type of food. For instance, Florence has very simple desserts, while Sicilian desserts tend to be rich and sweet. The character of Florentine food is formed by its ingredients which are all produced in Tuscany, such as the Chianina cow’s meat, olive oil and the Chianti vineyards!

In your opinion, which parts of Florence is the best for food?

In the city centre, that would be Santa Croce and Santo Spirito.

Where are your favourite restaurants or cafés in Florence for Italian food?

For something inexpensive, that would be the traditional Sabatino in San Frediano. For mid-range prices, Il Santo Bevitore in Oltrarno is a good choice. Il Cibreo in Sant’Ambrogio would be pricey but nonetheless, it serves great food as well.

What are some local dishes you feel travellers can’t leave Florence without trying?

The famed bistecca alla fiorentina (T-bone steak that’s served rare on the inside but seared on the outside), ribollita (Tuscan soup made with bread and vegetables) and panino al lampredotto (tripe sandwich) are an absolute must to try.

Where are your favourite art galleries in Florence?

Besides the famous art galleries (Uffizi Gallery, Galleria dell’Accademia and Palatina Gallery), I love the Bargello. It is one of the most ancient and charming buildings in Florence with the largest collection of Donatello’s sculptures. I also love the San Marco Convent, it was entirely painted by the Renaissance master Beato Angelico.

Photo: Mauro Santoni

What do you feel most travellers miss out on when they are visiting Florence?

I feel that most travellers miss out on the many cultural events of the city. Catching an opera at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, as the Opera was practically born in Florence with Monteverdi! Watching V.O. (English dubbed) movies during one of the international cinema festivals in the gorgeous Odeon, probably the most beautiful movie theatre in Italy for its Art Nouveau style. It is also worth catching any one of the shows in the Bargello or in Strozzi’s Courtyards.

 

WHERE TO EAT IN FLORENCE


Sabatino
Where: Via Pisana, 2R, 50143 Firenze
For: Inexpensive traditional Florentine food

Il Santo Bevitore
Where: Via di Santo Spirito, 64/66, Firenze, Italy
For: Italian food at mid-range pricing

Il Cibreo
Where: Via del Verrocchio, 8r Firenze
For: High end Italian food

 

WHERE TO GO IN FLORENCE


Bargello National Museum
Where: Via del Proconsolo, 4, 50122 Firenze, Italy
For: Donatello’s sculptures

San Marco Convent
Where: Piazza San Marco, 3, 50121 Firenze, Italy
For: Art pieces by Italian Renaissance painters such as Fra Angelico and Domenico Ghirlandaio

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Where: Opera di Firenze – Piazzale Vittorio Gui, Firenze
For: An opera festival

Odeon
Where: Cinema Odeon Firenze, Piazza Strozzi, 50123 Firenze
For: The international cinema festivals

Strozzi’s Courtyards
Where: Piazza degli Strozzi, 50123 Firenze, Italy
For: Concerts and performances

London Travel Tips from Valeria Necchio, Italian Food Writer

Conversations with Locals

Valeria Necchio is the author of the cookbook Veneto, where she shares her cooking and travel adventures. Raised in the countryside of Venice, she is now based in the city of London. We talk to Valeria about her favourite places in Italy for food, her love for English green asparagus, and her go-to places for gelato in London. 

Photo: Valeria Necchio/Life Love Food

What do you feel defines Italian cuisine?

Quality raw ingredients, seasonality, simple flavours and regional differences.

What do you feel are the most common misconceptions about Italian food? 

That it’s always the same stuff – pizza, lasagne, spaghetti – from North to South. I will never stress this enough: every region has some amazing dishes and specialities that are unique to that area and are worth trying. Be adventurous and ask the locals!

Sfogliatelle, a type of pastry filled with ricotta cream and sweet citrus, that can be found in Naples. Photo: Valeria Necchio/Life Love Food

In your opinion, which parts of Italy has the best food? 

It would be really hard to pick one, because there are so very many regional differences, and every region has such great food! I am of course fond of the food of my origins – Venice and the surrounding countryside – with its abundance of seafood and its focus on great seasonal produce.

Yet, if I had to pick one, Sicily would be my second region of choice – their granite, fresh ricotta and range of great seafood is truly hard to beat.

Pane cunzato, a Sicilian sandwich made from a loaf of bread. Photo: Valeria Necchio/Life Love Food

Freshly caught seafood in Sicily. Photo: Valeria Necchio/Life Love Food

Panini in Sicily. Photo: Valeria Necchio/Life Love Food

What are some Venetian dishes you feel travellers can’t leave Venice without trying?

Squid ink risotto is a great classic, but also baccalà mantecato (a sort of cream made with stockfish), and sarde in saor are great examples of Venetian cuisine. The latter is a dish made of fried sardines topped with cooked slices of sweet and sour white onion, often punctuated with pine nuts and raisins. It is served as a cold starter or bite-size snack in many traditional restaurants or osterie in the city – it’s my absolute favourite.

As a Venetian, what do you feel most travellers miss out on when they are visiting Venice? 

The city offers hidden gems to whoever dares to venture beyond the beaten path, without the fear of getting lost. The real charm of Venice is in its decadent beauty made of crumbling walls and empty small squares. Sure enough, the big attractions are worth seeing, but there is so much more to the city than St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.

Now that you are based in London, can you share with us your thoughts on the difference between British food and Italian food?

Italy, perhaps because of its location and its favourable climate, has a broader variety of raw ingredients available throughout the seasons. This leads to a cuisine that is varied and deeply seasonal, changing from one month to the other. Britain seems to have less of this variety – at least from a consumer perspective. It also has less regional differences. In this sense, a typical dish usually plays around the theme of ‘meat and two veg’.

That said, there is a great generation of British chefs who are changing the way people eat, and exploring new routes while making local ingredients shine.

Could you share with us some of the English food you fell in love with while you are living in London?

English green asparagus are just on a league of their own – the best asparagus I have ever tasted. There are also some truly outstanding cheese makers producing some fantastic artisan cheese, most of which can be found at Neal’s Yard Dairy.

Where are your favourite restaurants or cafés in London for Italian food?

I love Artusi in Peckham – straightforward, well-thought seasonal Italian food with great wines to pair. The River Cafe is, of course, an institution in the city, and the best place to treat yourself to a quintessential, simple-yet-sophisticated Italian meal.

Where are your favourite spots in London for a good gelato?

Gelupo serves some delicious gelato – my favourite being the seasonal and ever-changing fruit flavours. For ice cream, La Grotta Ices in Bermondsey is plain delicious.

Where are your favourite food markets in London?

Spa Terminus in Bermondsey on a Saturday morning – the best food artisans in the area open their warehouses and sell their goods to a crown of food lovers. You can find cheese, bread, fruit and vegetables, beer, gin, honey, etc. It feels a bit like a treasure hunt.

WHERE TO EAT IN LONDON


Artusi
Where: 161 Bellenden Road, Peckham, London SE15 4DH
For: Seasonal Italian food

River Cafe
Where: Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd, London W6 9HA
For: Simple and sophisticated Italian food

Gelupo
Where: No 1 Cambridge Circus London, WC2H 8AP
For: Gelato

La Grotta Ices
Where: Arch 5, Voyager South, London SE16 4RP
For: Ice cream

Neal’s Yard Dairy
Where: Unit 6 Dockley, Dockley Road, London, SE16 3SF (and more)
For: Cheese

WHERE TO GO IN LONDON


Spa Terminus
Where: Dockley Road Industrial Estate, Dockley Rd, London SE16 3SF
For: A food market