Taunton and South Somerset Living Apr - May 2024

GREAT
Taste
Working in Michelin Star establishments
around the world from the highly
acclaimed Le Gavroche under the tutelage
of Michel Roux, to restaurant Schillinger
in Colmar, and a spell in three star Marc
Meneau in Veselay, Daniel Galmiche’s
culinary journey has been extraordinary.
Sally Thomson caught up with him
to discuss his career, his love of the
Highlands and his new direction
Thank you for taking the time
to talk to me. You have moved
recently - where are you based
now, please?
I am on the top of the Chiltern Hills,
which means I’m about 35 minutes
on the top of the hill behind Bicester.
I’ve met you before when you
were in the Vineyard. Am I right in
thinking that your grandparents
were organic farmers?
That’s right. They had a small
holding, mainly for friends and
family. And it was all hand-fed, all
organic, it was fantastic. So that
must be about 60 years ago, that
was pre-dating what goes on now.
And my great aunt was a really
fantastic cook.
You were also in at one time in
Scotland, for about seven years?
“I’m fan of the Scots for
a lot of things. I love the
tradition, I love the kilt,
the tartan, the mystery,
the magic, the produce, the
people. There’s something
quite exquisite about
Scotland, isn’t there?”
Yes, I wanted to stay there, because
I love Scotland, it’s my second
country really.
That’s another question I had
for you, because my husband’s
a Scot, and he absolutely loves
Scotland too.
Of course, it is a beautiful country. I
just love Scotland and the produce
they have is amazing. For me, the
best produce in the UK comes from
Scotland.
Raspberries in particular, it was
raspberries that my husband
remembers growing in his garden
when he was a little boy. They
had buckets and buckets of
raspberries.
Best in Europe. Yes, they are. It’s
just the season itself, so sometimes
it can last for two weeks, three
weeks, and sometimes for six
weeks, because of the weather. I’m
fan of the Scots for a lot of things.
I love the tradition, I love the kilt,
the tartan, the mystery, the magic,
the produce, the people. There’s
something quite exquisite about
Scotland, isn’t there?
What made you decide to leave
Scotland at that stage then?
I had a chance to go to live in
Singapore for nearly four years.
When I came back, I was in Portugal
for one year, running the Penina,
which is in the Algarve, where they
have the famous Henry Cotton golf
course, which is world renowned.
And after that, I went to Harvey’s in
Bristol for nearly seven years as well.
You’re naturally a French chef and
you’ve been all over the world
however is there another cuisine
that you like?
I love Japanese food as well. I
mean, it’s fantastic. There’s a
symbiotic relationship between
French and Japanese cooking - we
have the same discipline and way
of thinking about food and produce
and where to get it.
What direction is your career
taking now?
I don’t want to go back to 100
covers and working all hours. I
want something more intimate -
everybody to come together, sit
down together and go together and
do that Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
that’s it. Maybe 12 to 18, maybe
12, 10 and 12 covers, that’s all I
want to do. But proper, really nicely
done. And I don’t want a 30-course
menu. I want a seven-course menu.
Simplified, focusing on connection -
that’s what good food is about!
danielgalmiche.co.uk
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