Preparing 13 million meals is an Olympic sport in itself, and that’s exactly what’s expected at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Throughout the weeks of competitions, the food vision is described as providing French dairy products, 100 percent products of sustainable fishing, 100 percent free-range French eggs, and more to athletes and spectators alike.
Providing more plant-based options is one focus of its food statement, with 60 percent of all meals served at the upcoming games set to be vegetable forward, shying away from more traditional fare that tend to be heavier and more meat and cheese centric.
Paris in the Glass City
Nearly 4,000 miles from Paris is Assembly American Brasserie in the heart of downtown Toledo: a local restaurant offering French-inspired dishes across its menu.
“The word brasserie is derived from French too, but it’s Latin in its origin,” said Jordan Krieg, the executive chef at Assembly. “It translates to ‘relaxed.’ … A lot of our food tends to be European influence.”
In regard to the Olympics’ food vision, he added that “anytime you’re talking about grand scale … you’re talking constantly, organization, [and] communication.”
“If you’re not properly prepared to do something of that scale, there’s no way you’re going to pull it off.”
Classical French cooking pays close attention to the vegetable, he shared in regard to its food statement, and “a lot of the best chefs that [he] know[s] can treat a vegetable similarly to the way they treat meat, and fill it full of flavor.”
Krieg added that he is a classically trained chef, meaning much of the cooking technique he learned in culinary school is derived from French methods, like sautéing, braising, and poaching, among others.
“Recently, when we did our summer menu change, we’re now braising a short rib. … We poach eggs and things like that,” Krieg continued. “We definitely tap into every one of those techniques.”
When the executive chef thinks about French cooking “flair” comes to mind, he said, sharing that he “has some French in his blood,” and strives to provide aspects of this cuisine at Assembly.
Detroit, France?
Detroit comes from the French word “détroit,” meaning strait, explained classically trained chef Travis Fourmont, who serves as the owner at Bar Pigalle, 2915 John R St., Detroit in the Brush Park neighborhood.
“Back when our restaurant was built, I believe it was 1924,” the owner continued, “the area was coined ‘Little Paris.’”
Fourmont, who is also an award-winning mixologist, was determined to establish a solid French restaurant in the area, and did just that when his space opened in 2022.
The decision to have a more plant-based approach in the food served at the Olympic games is something Fourmont said he appreciates, since dining is “all about options.” At his restaurant, he makes sure to accommodate vegans and vegetarians, along with any dietary restrictions.
The owner described French cooking as being classic, and a model for other cooking styles. French cuisine is meant to give chefs a foundation in the kitchen, with Fourmont sharing that his training “sharpened his knife” by perfecting the basics and teaching him both work ethic and hustle.
“So much of cooking in general is French,” he noted. “Just certain techniques, your mother sauces … It’s really easy to kind of stay in that [French] lane by just using classic techniques, classic preparations, and then choosing [menu] items that are historically known. … Like caviar [and] escargot.”
And much like the training Olympic athletes go through, classically trained chefs — like Fourmont and Krieg — have improved their skills, techniques, and execution because of their respective experiences.
French fare
To stay in-tune with the food vision at this summer’s Olympics, chef Krieg shed light onto two featured recipes (with no meat in sight) on Assembly’s menu: Barbecued Pearl Onions with Whipped Honey Goat Cheese and Pots de Creme.
The pearl onions are gently caramelized atop a bed of sweetened goat cheese, speaking to two French techniques through the cooking process — roasting and sauteing.
Pots de creme is a classic French dessert, which translates to “pots of cream,” and is a luscious baked custard dessert with smooth and silky notes of rich chocolate throughout.
Fourmont provided a recipe from his neighborhood bar’s cocktail menu, called Turn on Red.
The stirred cocktail combines Elijah Craig bourbon, Dubonnet, a wine-based aperitif, and Cappelletti, a sweet and herbal liquor, that is often compared to Campari.
It’s garnished with orange peel, and served in a rocks glass over ice, and is just one of the many French-inspired cocktails on Bar Pigalle’s menu.
As the Paris Olympics continue through Aug. 11, any of these French-inspired recipes would be perfect to pair with the games on the screen.
Barbecued Pearl Onions with Whipped Honey Goat Cheese
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pounds (32 ounces) pearl onions
¼ cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons harissa spice
2 tablespoons Texas style barbecue sauce
8 ounces room temperature goat cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Pinch of kosher salt
Sprinkle of chives, to garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together the pearl onions with the oil and harissa spice.
Roast for 12 minutes. Set aside and cool once the onions are slightly caramelized and softened.
To make the whipped honey goat cheese, combine softened goat cheese with honey, heavy cream, and salt and mix together until a smooth consistency is achieved.
Once ready to serve, add about 5 ounces of onions to a saute pan to heat through and add more caramelization to them as well. Add a couple tablespoons of Texas barbecue sauce to the pan, warming it through.
Note: You can repeat the same barbecuing process for the rest of the onions, or cook them in larger batches, adding more barbecue sauce to coat as needed.
When ready to serve, spread a layer of goat cheese on a plate, top with the onions, and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped chives.
Source: Jordan Krieg, Assembly American Brasserie, adapted by Maddie Coppel
Pots de Creme
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Ingredients:
4 ounces bittersweet or Belgian chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream, to serve
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Melt chocolate over a double boiler.
Warm heavy cream in a pot until it reaches a simmer.
Combine melted chocolate with warmed heavy cream. Remove from heat.
Temper the chocolate/cream mixture 3 to 5 ounces at a time, into the egg mix in stages.
Whisk constantly to ensure the eggs do not cook.
Pour 4 ounces of custard into cafe mugs, place in a water bath filled halfway, and bake for 60 minutes. Custard will jiggle but not break!
Place in a cooler to cool down, and make sure to keep mugs in a water bath until fully cooled.
Once cooled, top with whipped cream. Note: Assembly serves their pots de creme with an espresso gelee and chantilly cream.
Source: Jordan Krieg, Assembly American Brasserie, adapted by Maddie Coppel
Turn on Red
Yield: 1 drink
Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 ounce Elijah Craig Bourbon
¾ ounce Dubonnet
¾ ounce Cappelletti
Orange peel, to garnish
Directions:
In a mixing glass with ice, stir the bourbon, Dubonnet, and Cappelletti together with a bar spoon.
Strain the mixture, and serve in a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with orange peel and serve
Source: Travis Fourmont, Bar Pigalle, adapted by Maddie Coppel
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