We met chef Norbert Tareyre at the Prince of Wales, in his bar and restaurant le 19.20

Beyond the stove, Norbert Tareyre is a true explorer of flavors, encounters and experiences. Chef, entrepreneur, father of four, he shares his vision of life, gastronomy and entrepreneurship with rare sincerity. In this interview for Paris Select, he shares his feelings, his values, his successes and failures, and the energy he puts into transmitting pleasure and emotion through his cooking. From his sources of inspiration to his future projects, this is an intimate and passionate portrait of a chef who combines high standards, humility and creativity on a daily basis.

Paris Select: If you could invite any historical figure or celebrity to dinner, who would you invite?

Norbert Tareyre: Generously, I would invite people with whom I would like to share: Bernard Loiseau, Paul Bocuse, Monsieur Robuchon and Michel Guérard.

PS: The basic, ultra-quick dish you love?

N-T: I have two, I can’t separate them: rice or pasta. And right now, ramen. I mean, really.

PS: Which ingredient best represents you?

N-T: The Granny Smith apple. It’s a fruit that can be incorporated into any dish. It’s good for your health, and can be eaten as a dessert, in the afternoon, at any time. You can combine it with fish, meat or vegetables, or make a juice from it. You can do anything with an apple. Especially the Granny Smith.

PS: What was the first unlikely thing you tasted that really surprised you?

N-T: Veal liver. It was a shock. In the end, I realized that it was a real liver, a vital organ! I asked myself the question: you eat what you need to live. At first, it was very special, with a very ferrous taste. That’s when I learned to love the sauces that go with meat, to sweeten veal liver.

PS: Sweet or savoury?

N-T: Salty team. Sorry about the pastry chefs. I always end dinner with cheese rather than dessert. Pastry, for me, is more between 4pm and 6pm, tea-time.

PS: If you had to cook for an alien, what would you serve?

N-T: Offal. Kidneys, sweetbreads, calf’s liver. Or a very spicy dish to show him that on Earth, we know how to eat!

PS: What dish instantly puts you in a good mood?

N-T: Coffee. It’s not a dish, but it’s my ritual. The morning coffee, the one after a good meal, the one after a good dinner. Otherwise, a good pasta dish, rice or vegetables.

PS: If your kitchen had a superpower, what would it be?

N-T: I often tell young people that we have a superpower. We’re the Avengers of taste. My superpower is to give pleasure. I’m not going to turn you into Iron Man or the Hulk, but into happy people. To bring cheerfulness, joy, mojo. That’s my superpower.

PS: The product you don’t like cooking at all?

N-T: There are two. I’m not a fan of peppers. And I’m not a fan of chocolate. I just like really good chocolate. And working with chocolate is complicated, it gets everywhere. But I recognize that it’s a noble, comforting material.

PS: Your favorite dessert?

N-T: The flan. It’s a rustic pastry that’s making a comeback, like pie or stuffed cabbage. A flaky or sweet pastry with a pastry cream. It can be flavored with pistachio or cocoa. I like it ultra-creamy, with a little skin on top. For me, the pastry of my dreams is flan.
I’m delighted to see international pastry chefs making French gastronomy their own. When they excel with our products, I’m very proud.

PS: We can tell you have a fondness for French basics.

N-T: Yes. Just like in music, you always go back to the basics, to Bach, to Mozart. In painting and sport, it’s the same. In cooking too. I have a particular attachment to the great French classicism.
I don’t like the word revisit. You can’t revisit the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower or Versailles. You can modernize and evolve.
I love eggs mayonnaise, pâté en croûte and traditional dishes. Cooks have to be proud to make this kind of cuisine. I’m proud of that.
But I also like avant-garde cuisine. You need everything. You have to stop comparing all the time. The only question is: did I feel anything?

PS: A recent example?

N-T: I went to dinner at Monsieur Zanoni’s. I loved it. I loved it. People ask me if it’s the best Italian restaurant in Paris. I don’t know. But I was moved.
The focaccia was royal. The service was incredible. The customer experience was perfect.

I always thank the chefs and their teams when I have a moment like that. Cooking isn’t just about the plate, it’s also about service, hospitality and emotion.

Bar & Restaurant 19.20 by Norbert Tarayre at the Prince of Wales
33 Av. George V, 75008 Paris

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