Paul Bocuse: “He was a rebellious spirit”

Paul Bocuse (1926-2018) “was a climber who refused to be subjugated to a program”: Ute Cohen, author of “The Taste of Freedom – A History of Culinary Art” (Reclam), explains how the chef of the century worked. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the writer and journalist also reveals why Bocuse also caused a stir in his private life.

In “The Taste of Freedom” you devote yourself to the history of culinary arts and, among other things, to the stars of the culinary arts. Paul Bocuse is considered one of the greatest chefs of the 20th century. What was so extraordinary about him and his cuisine?

Ute Cohen: Ah, Monsieur Paul! He was a rebellious spirit who could not be forced into any pattern, but who also had a strong business sense. When the food critics Gault and Millau crowned him the figurehead of nouvelle cuisine, they did not know that he would also seal its end. Bocuse – he had a Gallic rooster tattooed on his arm! – had little to do with the intellectualism and minimalism of the new cooking scene. He was a climber who did not allow himself to be subjugated to a program. In culinary terms, this was also reflected in the fact that he knew how to combine the taste of childhood and the simplicity of country cooking with French tradition and a disciplined training in good taste.

Did his appearance and image have an impact on how subsequent generations of culinary superstars presented themselves and were perceived?

Ute Cohen: Oh yes, Bocuse was a kind of role model, a symbol that you can make it. His biography of a career as a chef inspired many aspiring chefs. With his restaurants, books, the kitchen institute and successful merchandising, he had built an empire, which he continued to expand as a power-conscious patriarch. That was, of course, a time when undogmatic loners and provocateurs were perhaps viewed with some suspicion, but were primarily admired and spurred on by their own business acumen. His imitators recognised that you had to play the keyboard of provocation, be it aesthetic or through a certain way of life, in order to make it in the business. For some, the art of cooking may have fallen by the wayside. For others, the master’s art and knowledge were infectious. They did what Bocuse had always done: they were guided by their noses and taste buds, not by culinary political maxims.

In your book, it is said that French feminists were a thorn in Bocuse’s side because he had other partners in addition to his wife. “Nevertheless, he could also be described as an avant-garde of polyamory (…).” How much were the women in Bocuse’s life in the spotlight with him and how did they help shape his brand?

Ute Cohen: Oh yes, Bocuse was quite hostile because of his lifestyle. Bocuse, who allowed himself a harem, Bocuse, who let the women work in the shadows while he himself enjoyed the big stage! You can see it that way from a dogmatic feminist perspective, but can we also look into the minds of this love and work ensemble? As long as those involved are happy with this or that lifestyle, I don’t presume to judge. The three women with whom he shared his life played a major role in shaping the company’s expansion. His first wife, Raymonde Bocuse, ran Bocuse’s flagship restaurant “L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges”, and his third wife, Françoise, founded the company “Les Produits Paul Bocuse” in 1971. But Bocuse himself indicated at the end of his life that despite this attempt to combine business and private life, it was not all peace and harmony. In his biography he wrote: “I regret nothing, except perhaps the pain I have caused the women in my life. I hope they can forgive me.”

There are still few female chefs among Michelin-starred chefs. Why is that?

Ute Cohen: Of course, it is tempting to blame the patriarchy and sexism. But are we getting anywhere with that? In my opinion, it is too simple to just use keywords. My aim is to look at the concrete working situation and to achieve targeted improvements for women, but also for men. A look at history is helpful here: the kitchen has always been a rough place. It was loud, hectic and dirty. It was only the chefs Carême and Escoffier who introduced a strict order, clear rules and hierarchies. Escoffier’s kitchen brigade was inspired by the military, and the ranks defined at that time still apply in large kitchens today. This kitchen training is perhaps more foreign to women than to men, who are used to hierarchies in many areas of life. The fact that male bonding and the securing of sinecures also play a role in the lower presence of women in haute cuisine naturally also plays a role. But I also believe that we women can – and there is now enough evidence of this! – break down these rigidities. Ultimately, this will also have a positive effect on men, who are also suffering under the enormous pressure. The kitchen of the future should not be a question of gender, but of humanity.

Where is the culinary scene in Germany at the moment, which trends are emerging?

Ute Cohen: Oh, a lot is happening right now! Just as our society is changing, so is the culinary world. A growing awareness of sustainability is affecting production conditions and trade, as well as the gastronomic offerings. People are talking about the “New Glocal”, a re-regionalization of the globalized food industry. Biodiversity and soil regeneration play a role in cultivation. Customers are buying fair, resource-saving products, meat consumption is declining, and the word cuisine that has been common for decades is developing into new fusion dishes. This in turn presents us with new challenges: How can we not only provide healthy and tasty food for an elite class, but also offer environmentally friendly gourmet cuisine for everyone? It would be dystopian for the poor to eat unhealthy convenience food while a minority feasts on delicacies. Oops, are we perhaps on the way there? In my book, I also describe the extent to which food can be a symptom of a social imbalance and which culinary utopias and dystopias have already existed in history. The good thing is: everyone can wield the wooden spoon and – ha, I’m an unwavering idealist! – change the world (smiles).

Who do you think is the most exceptional personality in the industry in this country when it comes to culinary arts and external representation?

Ute Cohen: Oh la la, I’m not the type to think in superlatives. I keep meeting extraordinary, stimulating, exciting, passionate, enthusiastic and also amusing personalities in this industry. That’s probably because they all think from the palate and don’t neglect the senses when they create something new. Look, I’ve done events in the last few months with Stephan Hentschel, the first German vegetarian star chef, with Hans-Peter Wodarz, the master of event catering, with Thomas Sampl, the regional star from Hamburg. Do you know what these chefs have in common? A childlike sense of wonder, a thirst for discovery and the strength and will not to let anything or anyone deter them from their path. There are still a few to discover, which brings us back to women. My next trip will take me to Munich to see Sigi Schelling, to Stuttgart to see Caroline Autenrieth and maybe also to Douce Steiner in Sulzburg.