an Interview with Phillippe Perraudeau

Phillippe Perraudeau, Executive Chef at Atlantic Palace Resort and Golf de l'Ocean, Agadir, Morocco. Image by Diana DeLucia.

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I met Phillippe in 2015, while I was on a trip to the Hassan ll Trophy in Agadir. It was the first time that he had prepared his cuisine for a food photographer and a cookbook which delighted me. His blend of French and Moroccan cuisines works very well at upscale events where the clientele are a combination of Royalty, celebrities, media, golfers and tourists. ~ Diana DeLucia

GK: Tell us about your career with the Hilton Group. 

My career with Hilton started on my first trip to Quebec in 1978. I  thought that integrating into a group with an international scope could give me the opportunity to travel and experience different culinary cultures. I wanted to know the world of hotels and Hilton gave me the opportunity for training in administrative management, which also included human resource management. It was a good education for me. 

I started as Chef dePartie at the Hilton Quebec, and I quickly advanced to Chief of the Garde Manger, then Chief Saucier. I also spent time with Banquets and the Rotisserie, and I was offered the position of Chef de Cuisine at one of the restaurants managed and administered by Hilton Hotel in the Old City of Quebec.

GK: Tell us about the restaurants that you owned in France and your inspiration behind them? 
 
I left Canada in 1981 and returned to France. I wanted to open my own restaurant. The first restaurant that I owned was Le Mogador at St. Gaudens, near Toulouse in the southwest of France. I was 30 years old at the time and fell in love with the place. It enabled me to prepare and cook my own dishes using my talents and have some freedom of expression through my plates. 

It was a great experience since I was young in the business, and I learned a lot. I was creating a cuisine inspired by the eastern south of France, which is a region with a strong culinary identity. I worked a lot with duck, doing confits, Foie gras and more.  Every dish was homemade, and it was very gratifying because I immediately developed loyal diners. 

The second restaurant came to fruition when I turned 35.  The restaurant was on the coast of the Mediterranean sea named Le Flash at Cap d’Agde, near Montpellier. I wanted to focus on seafood as our primary cuisine, but it proved to be a difficult restaurant to develop due to the seasonal nature of the location.

Another challenge and life choice also confronted me at this time as I had just become a father and needed to develop a more secure financial situation, and I also had the urge to travel again. I received an offer to return to the Hilton Québec as Executive Sous Chef, ten years after my first visit. Then, two years later, I was offered a great opportunity as Executive Chef for the opening of a new Hilton Hotel in Paris, at the Airport Roissy - Charles de Gaulle. It was a challenge that I could not refuse and provided a wealth of experience that lasted a few years and then I went to Madagascar and Turkey, but always with the Hilton Group.

My family and I acquired the ability to adapt to different cultures and lifestyles because each country comes with its native customs. In the restaurants, the Chef must adjust to the local cuisine while also enhancing the menus based on his experience. It has been very rewarding from both a professional and personal standpoint.

GK: What lead you to Agadir? 

When I left the Hilton in Turkey, I was looking for new horizons again and had a desire to discover something new. I went to Mexico to experience the taste of South American gastronomy and accepted an offer as the Corporate Executive Chef in charge of the kitchens of two Resorts in Cabo San Lucas, The Villa Del Palmar, and The Villa La Estancia in Baja California, Mexico.

After a few years, we decided to leave Mexico as my children needed to start school. Shortly after we decided to move, I was fortunate to receive a call from Morocco and was offered a position in Agadir at the Atlantic Palace Resort. Morocco was a different culture and a country with which I was not familiar, but I had always been intrigued by Morocco and had a strong desire to discover its delicious cuisine.
After a few years, we decided to leave Mexico as my children needed to start school. Shortly after we decided to move, I was fortunate to receive a call from Morocco and was offered a position in Agadir at the Atlantic Palace Resort. Morocco was a different culture and a country with which I was not familiar, but I had always been intrigued by Morocco and had a strong desire to discover its delicious cuisine.

GK: How long have you been working with the Royal family and how did this come about?

After I had started working at the Atlantic Palace Resort in Agadir, I learned that it was owned by a member of the Royal Family, which was an additional challenge but also an opportunity to work in a new environment.  Golf de l’Ocean in Agadir, which had the same owner, opened in late 2009, and I was given the responsibility for the kitchen in the Clubhouse.

You have a significant responsibility to prepare the banquets and cuisine for the Hassan ll Trophy event, as well as for the Royal Family and their guests. Tell us about that experience and what it means for you as a chef. 

The Hassan II Trophy was a big responsibility for me as Chef. It is easily the largest showcase of golf in the country, with nearly 1,000 meals to serve on two golf courses each day, in addition to the activity at the hotel. I was also in charge of preparing meals for members of the Royal Family and managing my other duties simultaneously. We paid particular attention to the members of the media, players, and their guests, and spectators.
 
GK: How did you accomplish this enormous task?

The experiences that I had gained throughout my career including stress management, people management, and organizational skills enabled me to carry out this operation. As a chef, a great accomplishment always brings incredible satisfaction, and since the 2015 edition of the Hassan II Trophy was a huge success, we all felt very gratified.

GK: How much control do you have with the menus at Atlantic Palace as well as at the Hassan II Trophy? 

As a Chef, I am free to create the menus, and take into consideration the requests and opinions of my team with a keen focus on meeting customer expectations. Over time, we’ve developed a climate of trust within the team, and it is important for me to maintain that environment.

GK: How do you source your ingredients? Are they mostly local? 

Much of my supply comes from the local market, especially fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meat.  We are fortunate in Morocco to have a lot of outstanding products from the earth. We have great access to excellent fruits and vegetables, a wide variety of spices, and more than 1000 km of coastline for fantastic seafood. 

GK: Do you import anything?  

Only certain ingredients like chocolate or pastry products are imported. While only working with fresh products, we prepare homemade bread, boulangerie, and some pastries on a daily basis.

GK: Tell us about the culinary importance of Argan oil in the Moroccan cuisine. 

The Argan oil is mainly used in cosmetics but also has a significant role in cooking. Traditionally, the Argan oil is served with bread, but also accompanies salads, tagines, and grilled vegetables. Argan oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and has a regulatory role with cholesterol. It should not be heated and should be used cold. A simple drizzle of oil is enough to enjoy all its delicate flavors, which some compare to hazelnuts. 
Do you feel that the culinary status in Morocco is elevating with the introduction of many new resort and golf developments in the country? 

Of course! The introduction and development of new golf resorts have definitely contributed to raising the bar in the culinary world in Morocco.  Morocco, like France, is a very resourceful country regarding gastronomy. 

GK: How do you juggle so many responsibilities and still maintain high standards of quality?

As the Executive Chef at the Atlantic Palace Resort, I am surrounded by a team of about 50 staff members. I work very closely with my Sous Chefs, and I have a lot of trust in them.  Regarding the clubhouse, I have placed a Sous Chef there as well, and he shares the same values as I do, and we work very closely. The menus are created with close collaboration, and I make sure that the standards are respected.

GK: Who were some of the key chefs and mentors that have influenced you throughout your career? 

I wouldn’t say that I have been influenced by any specific chef or mentor. What has influenced me were my encounters with the chefs I met throughout the different countries to which I have traveled. Of course, one is always a bit affected by the environment, for example, the cuisine of the market or cuisine of the sea.  My cuisine has always been matching with the era, without clearly belonging to any particular trend.  To me, it’s about “real” cooking without too many artifices, and a sense of simplicity and authenticity. I was fortunate to discover a broad range of different universes during my travels. I have always loved to cook, but it is when I realized that I could travel in this position that I embraced it. 
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