Heritage Resorts - Stories 2018 - Issue 2 - Magazine - Page 58

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Heritage Resorts - Stories 2018 - Issue 2 - Page 58

|EXPERIENCE
With a liking for prestigious
collaborations, David
Toutain embarked on a new
adventure to challenge his
knowledge. He accepted
Heritage Resorts’ invitation
to compose dishes for the
Heritage Le Château menu.
“I loved this idea because,
since I didn’t know anything
about Mauritius, I had to
start from scratch,” exclaims
David Toutain. The chef
came to Mauritius for the
first time to discover its
culture and cuisine. For
three days, he ate local
foods, discovered the fish,
tasted the vegetables,
and met butchers in every
corner of the island. He also
familiarised himself with
the colours of the different
products, because for David
Toutain, “the visual aspect is
also important.”
When he made his first
attempt, he aimed to be
“in harmony with the rest
of the Château’s menu.”
From his research come
12 original recipes – four
starters, six main courses
and two desserts – all
made with local products.
David Toutain crafted these
dishes using the game of
the neighbouring hills, the
shrimp from the river that
flows near the estate, and
the fish of the Indian Ocean.
Putting forward his extensive
knowledge of vegetables, the
chef has the luxury of using
the refined products of Le
Château’s gardens.
With three or four elements
in each plate, David Toutain
strives to “concentrate
the flavours.” With finesse,
he unveils the forgotten
vegetables of Mauritius.
Squid with lemongrass
sauce and cuttlefish ink
harmoniously accompanied
by jackfruit. The chef creates
exquisite surprises such as
sweet potato gnocchi and
arugula spätzle. Tomato
gazpacho with red berries
“I loved this idea because, since I didn’t
know anything about Mauritius, I had to
start from scratch”
Accustomed to fourhanded
dinner creations, he relied
on the knowledge of the
Mauritian chefs at Heritage
Le Château to develop his
recipes. “It’s important to feed
yourself,” says the Michelinstarred chef. “At Le Château,
it’s all about exchanging ideas
and understanding.” David
Toutain wants to understand
Mauritian produce, know
the different tastes and
familiarise himself with the
place. The architecture of this
Bel Ombre chateau, restored
by Florent Richard, has also
influenced the choices of
David Toutain: “It’s more than
the building of the Le Château
itself. The garden, the colours,
the scents also inspired my
creations. I wanted to use
what’s going on outside and
bring that back inside.”
and papaya chutney is an
explosion of freshness.
Venison with chocolate sauce
and cauliflower meunière
is a moment of divine
comfort. The bourgeois fillet
with garden capucines is
probably his most luminous
creation – in appearance
and in the mouth. With these
creative and flavoursome
dishes, David Toutain
offers food lovers an
extraordinary journey in time
and memories of the best
Mauritian recipes.
56
| HERITAGE RESORTS STORIES
Under this majestic roof,
relishing David Toutain’s
dishes is an exceptional taste
experience. Good news:
since the Michelin-star chef
loves to keep things fresh, he
is preparing new recipes for
the Heritage Le Château.

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